Tips
- Get a reliable team together who does what they say they will
- Plan early and fill out necessary forms to save the place you choose and obtain necessary equipment
- Communicate to each other (we used emails, a main google doc and groupme)
- Communicate with Food Bank, Admin., campus and community connections
- With the emails, be brief and to the point; also, keep the emails specific/targeted and don't just send general emails to a broad audience; this was a mistake made this year and helpful feedback help for this realization, shown below:
- "I would encourage you to focus on brevity in your subsequent emails. I personally receive hundreds of emails a day, and lengthy emails can be deterring. You may also be better served by having your communications be more targeted -- your email cast a pretty wide net, so perhaps you could have sent more focused, specific emails to different stakeholder groups. Often when people see a large number of recipients on an email, they assume others will take action." Dean Thulin
- More helpful hints from another:
- "For next time, and for the next students taking on this laudable initiative, I suggest the following:
- Propose succinctly your goal, your request and expectations.
- Submit when there is still ample time.
- Check back after 1-2 weeks if no direct response.
- Check with the assistant if still no follow up. The assistant will be able to directly bring up the topic with the dean (or other persons in similar roles)." Dr. Ubbink
- We attempted to do Thunderclap, but it wasn't as successful as we would've liked; get as much support and commitment as you can early on
Copies of Emails to serve as guides
To the Food Bank (sent over 3 weeks prior event [for future, best to establish connection earlier]):
"Hello,
My name is Agustin Garcia, I am a senior nutrition student at Cal Poly and am currently taking FSN 416 (Community Nutrition). There is a group of us in the class that are planning a Hunger Awareness Day on campus that will most likely take place 6.1.17. We are still in the preliminary phase of planning to get this event started at Cal Poly, but I wanted to reach out to you to see if you would be interested in collaborating so that our event could feed into yours the next day. We are also planning on doing some fundraising and accepting of donated nonperishable goods, we were hoping to use those to benefit SLO Food Bank and our community. If this seems interesting to you, we can work together more and bounce back ideas.
Thank you very much for you time and I look forward to hearing back from you.
Aloha,
agu"
To FSN 321 Professors (sent over 2.5 weeks prior event [for future, best to establish connection earlier]):
"Hello,
Dr. Nicholson and Dr. Amin,
I am apart of a group in FSN 416 class that is putting on the 1st annual Cal Poly Hunger Awareness Day, this year, on June 1st which will lead into SLO Food Bank's events that evening and the next day.
I am contacting you because I am wondering if you could ask your class if anyone would be willing to give us their SNAP meal plan and recipes. I wanted to put it in the "Frugal Recipe Collection" section at the bottom of our website promoting our and SLO Food Bank's events. We can definitely have the authors' names associated with their menu submissions; so it would be beneficial for them from a social networking standpoint, as well as helping to give ideas of frugal meals to help combat food insecurity.
Please let me know what you think of the idea and if it could be a possibility. We are looking to get them as soon as possible to add to site in time for event promotion.
If you are okay with passing along this information, any interested parties can email me pdf document at [email protected]
Our website is http://calpolyhungerawarenessday.weebly.com/
Thank you for your time and energy,
agu"
To the Administration and Administrative Assistants in every College (sent just under 2 weeks prior to event [for future, want to send at least 2 weeks prior]):
"Hello,
My name is Agustin Garcia, I am a senior nutrition student performing my service learning hours for my FSN 416, community nutrition, class. As a group, we are planning to have the first annual Hunger Awareness Day event on campus on 6.1.17. This event will be held in the University Union Plaza from 11 to 1pm. We will have tables in the Plaza where people may donate food or money to the SLO Food Bank and receive education on food insecurity.
San Luis Obispo Food Bank, also has their events on the evening of 6.1.17 at farmer’s market downtown as well as the next day from 7am to 7pm in various locations throughout the county.
Information regarding both events can be found at the following links:
http://calpolyhungerawarenessday.weebly.com/
http://www.slofoodbank.org/
I am emailing requesting help in creating awareness about our events to further strengthen our fight against food insecurity; if this message can be passed down throughout your respective colleges, then a great number of people can be reached and learn about food insecurity and where to help combat hunger. I have included several administrators and administrative assistants of each college in hopes of reaching the greater masses throughout the entirety of Cal Poly.
I have carbon-copied a few people. First off, Dr. Kari Pilolla, who is the Professor for our class. Secondly, Dr. Johan Ubbink, who is our FSN Department Head. Lastly, I have included Aracely Lozano who is the Director of Community Relations at San Luis Obispo Food Bank.
Please forward this message to anyone and everyone. If you have any comments, questions or concerns, I would be more than happy to do what I can to address them. Also, if anyone also wants to be involved, that is further than forwarding this message, we would be more than happy to accommodate in any way we can.
Our deepest thanks for your time, energy and support,
Hunger Awareness Day team"
"Hello,
My name is Agustin Garcia, I am a senior nutrition student at Cal Poly and am currently taking FSN 416 (Community Nutrition). There is a group of us in the class that are planning a Hunger Awareness Day on campus that will most likely take place 6.1.17. We are still in the preliminary phase of planning to get this event started at Cal Poly, but I wanted to reach out to you to see if you would be interested in collaborating so that our event could feed into yours the next day. We are also planning on doing some fundraising and accepting of donated nonperishable goods, we were hoping to use those to benefit SLO Food Bank and our community. If this seems interesting to you, we can work together more and bounce back ideas.
Thank you very much for you time and I look forward to hearing back from you.
Aloha,
agu"
To FSN 321 Professors (sent over 2.5 weeks prior event [for future, best to establish connection earlier]):
"Hello,
Dr. Nicholson and Dr. Amin,
I am apart of a group in FSN 416 class that is putting on the 1st annual Cal Poly Hunger Awareness Day, this year, on June 1st which will lead into SLO Food Bank's events that evening and the next day.
I am contacting you because I am wondering if you could ask your class if anyone would be willing to give us their SNAP meal plan and recipes. I wanted to put it in the "Frugal Recipe Collection" section at the bottom of our website promoting our and SLO Food Bank's events. We can definitely have the authors' names associated with their menu submissions; so it would be beneficial for them from a social networking standpoint, as well as helping to give ideas of frugal meals to help combat food insecurity.
Please let me know what you think of the idea and if it could be a possibility. We are looking to get them as soon as possible to add to site in time for event promotion.
If you are okay with passing along this information, any interested parties can email me pdf document at [email protected]
Our website is http://calpolyhungerawarenessday.weebly.com/
Thank you for your time and energy,
agu"
To the Administration and Administrative Assistants in every College (sent just under 2 weeks prior to event [for future, want to send at least 2 weeks prior]):
"Hello,
My name is Agustin Garcia, I am a senior nutrition student performing my service learning hours for my FSN 416, community nutrition, class. As a group, we are planning to have the first annual Hunger Awareness Day event on campus on 6.1.17. This event will be held in the University Union Plaza from 11 to 1pm. We will have tables in the Plaza where people may donate food or money to the SLO Food Bank and receive education on food insecurity.
San Luis Obispo Food Bank, also has their events on the evening of 6.1.17 at farmer’s market downtown as well as the next day from 7am to 7pm in various locations throughout the county.
Information regarding both events can be found at the following links:
http://calpolyhungerawarenessday.weebly.com/
http://www.slofoodbank.org/
I am emailing requesting help in creating awareness about our events to further strengthen our fight against food insecurity; if this message can be passed down throughout your respective colleges, then a great number of people can be reached and learn about food insecurity and where to help combat hunger. I have included several administrators and administrative assistants of each college in hopes of reaching the greater masses throughout the entirety of Cal Poly.
I have carbon-copied a few people. First off, Dr. Kari Pilolla, who is the Professor for our class. Secondly, Dr. Johan Ubbink, who is our FSN Department Head. Lastly, I have included Aracely Lozano who is the Director of Community Relations at San Luis Obispo Food Bank.
Please forward this message to anyone and everyone. If you have any comments, questions or concerns, I would be more than happy to do what I can to address them. Also, if anyone also wants to be involved, that is further than forwarding this message, we would be more than happy to accommodate in any way we can.
Our deepest thanks for your time, energy and support,
Hunger Awareness Day team"
Helpful Links and sample Trivia questions
https://www.asi.calpoly.edu/eplans/start?js=1
https://www.asi.calpoly.edu/facility_reservations
Trivia Questions:
1. Q: How many residents in San Luis Obispo county struggle with hunger?
a. 9.6%
b. 13.4%
c. 17.1%
d. 56,000
A: C, 17.1%, which is about 46,000 residents.
Sources: http://www.slofoodbank.org/about-hunger.php
https://suburbanstats.org/population/california/how-many-people-live-in-san-luis-obispo-county
2. Q: What groups are most vulnerable to hunger in San Luis Obispo county?
a. Children and teens
b. Teens and adults
c. Adults and children
d. Children and senior citizens
A: A, children and teens make up 40% of hungry residents in SLO County. Senior citizens are a close second, making up 20%.
Source: http://www.slofoodbank.org/about-hunger.php
3. Q: How much does a $1 donation to the SLO Bank equate to in dollars, in terms of food provided to those who use the food bank?
A: A $1 donation provides $10 of nutritious food.
Source: http://www.slofoodbank.org/uploads/FB_Brochure_8.5x11_061515_PRESS.pdf
4. Q: How many food distribution cites does the SLO Food Bank have around SLO county?
A: There are 34 food distribution sites, including 6 in San Luis Obispo, and the rest in Atascadero, Paso Robles, Nipomo, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Pismo Beach, Cambria, Los Osos, Morro Bay and Santa Margarita.
Source:http://www.slofoodbank.org/uploads/April%202017%20%20Calendar%20&%20Resource%20List--ENG%20FINAL%20.pdf
5. Q: What is the closest SLO Food Bank distribution site to the Cal Poly Campus?
A: The Zion Lutheran Church, located at 1010 E. Foothill (located at the intersection of Foothill and Santa Rosa). The Zion Church distributes bags of food every Wednesday, from 9:30-11:30 AM.
Source:http://www.slofoodbank.org/uploads/April%202017%20%20Calendar%20&%20Resource%20List--ENG%20FINAL%20.pdf
6. Q: What percentage of the food distributed by the SLO Food Bank in 2015 was fresh produce?
a. 29%
b. 39%
c. 49%
d. 59%
A: 49%. Over 200,000 lbs of that fresh produce distributed came from Glean SLO, an organization of volunteers that harvest produce from farms that would otherwise go to waste.
Sources:http://www.slofoodbank.org/uploads/Community%20Impact%20Report_FINAL%20Press%20Ready_022316%20%281%29.pdf
http://www.slofoodbank.org/uploads/FB_Brochure_8.5x11_061515_PRESS.pdf
7. Q: True or False, the only service provided by the SLO Food Bank is food distribution?
A: False, the Food Bank also provides education on how to prepare the food distributed in affordable and healthy ways. There is also a children’s farmers market where students in need are given a reusable bag and fake money to “purchase” fruits and vegetables for their families.
Source: http://www.slofoodbank.org/uploads/FB_Brochure_8.5x11_061515_PRESS.pdf
8. Q: How many households in California face food insecurity every day?
a. 1 in 5
b. 1 in 6
c. 1 in 7
d. 1 in 8
A: C, 1 in 7. Food insecurity means that households are uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food to meet the needs of all their members because they had insufficient money or other resources for food.
Source: http://www.slofoodbank.org/about-hunger.php
9. Q: What percentage of educators in America say their students often show up hungry?
a. 46%
b. 56%
c. 66%
d. 76%
A: 76%. Food insecurity can damage children’s health and brain development years before they enter a classroom. By kindergarten, food-insecure children often are cognitively, emotionally and physically behind their food-secure peers.
Sources: http://www.childrenshealthwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/toohungrytolearn_report.pdf
http://www.slofoodbank.org/about-hunger.php
10. Q: How many children in California experience hunger during the summer?
a. 1.3 million
b. 1.4 million
c. 1.6 million
d. 1.7 million
A: D, 1.4 million. Children who benefit from the federally funded free or reduce-price lunches during the school year do not receive meals during the summer. That is why the Food Bank helps run the Summer Food Service Program here in SLO county, which provides nutritious meals (like breakfast or lunch) and a snack to children and teenagers age 18 years and younger struggling with hunger at approved sites during the summer months when school is not in session.
Sources: http://www.slofoodbank.org/programs/summer-food-service-program
http://www.cafoodbanks.org/hunger-factsheet
11. Q: True or False, food insecurity increases someone’s risk of developing type II diabetes?
A. True, food insecurity is a major risk factor in the onset of diabetes and can also jeopardize an individual’s ability to manage their disease. Those who are food insecure often cannot afford to buy the types of healthy food has been found to help control the disease, having to turn to more affordable, calorie-dense, processed foods.
Source: http://www.cafoodbanks.org/hunger-factsheet