Hunger in the Homeland

Food Roots of Tillamook County

2011-09-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

Who knew a foggy day in the maritime climate of Tillamook county is the perfect conditions for transplanting? Shelly Bowe of Food Roots did; and after spending half a day with her and Emily Ritchie, a FoodCorps Service Member, so did we. The north coast of Oregon is known for quaint, seaside tourist towns and dairy farms but tucked in the middle of downtown Tillamook is a small, dedicated organization that believes in sustainable agriculture and micro enterprise.

After a short meeting to discuss Food Roots' history and mission (too much awesome information for the blog but be sure to check out the website!) we headed out to the garden. On a lot next to the Sacred Heart Church, lies a flourishing garden aimed at "...cultivat[ing] a healthy food system in Tillamook County and the North Coast of Oregon."

"Food Roots' purpose is to serve as a catalyst and advocate for change in our food system. We do this by forging strong and fruitful partnerships and by empowering communities and individuals to be more food self-reliant."

More than just growing and distributing the fresh produce to local food pantries, Food Roots is integrating itself into the community - running after-school gardening programs, encouraging middle and high school students to take action and learn the skills necessary to grow their own food. They were also the second vendor in Oregon to accept SNAP cards at their local farmer's market. Their 'Community Table' at the market also allows agricultural entrepreneurs to sell their produce at the table, commission free.

Overall, a pretty incredible program, not even taking into account all of the struggles they've faced and challenges still to come. We're keeping our fingers crossed for the Meijer Grant!

Alli, OSU SIFE Project Lead

Access Food Assistance Program

2011-08-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

After working in the Gardens, Alli and I continued on to Medford to meet with Glory Cooper to learn about the Food Assistance Program at Access. The Food Assistance Program distributes over 57,000 lbs of food a week equating to 2.6 million pounds a year for those in need. This food has helped over 102,000 individuals and 40,000 families last year alone. The program provides food for over 27 food pantries in the area and over 20 residential service programs. They work with OSU extension to provide healthy eating classes to those at their partner sites throughout the year as well.

With everything that they do to address the needs of their community, there are two main things that makes this food bank stand out from the rest –

1) The Commodity Supplement Food Program – This is one of only four of these programs in Oregon that gives seniors access to nutritional food on a monthly basis. The government helps support the program and also provides a monthly newsletter with recipes and nutritional information geared towards seniors.

2) Mobile shopping-style pantry – Funded by a grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Access provides people in remote areas access to a food pantry two nights a week. The large truck pulls into a neighborhood and individuals shop around the truck with a shopping cart picking up their supplemental groceries for the month. They are the first program in Oregon to implement this innovative process of distributing food to those in need.

For more information on this food bank – check out their website at: http://www.accesshelps.org/SectionIndex.asp?SectionID=6

Jenny, OSU SIFE President

Food Share Gardens - Gold Hill, Oregon

2011-08-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

After continuing GPS troubles, Jenny and I arrived at the Gold Hill Food Share Garden. We were enthusiastically greeted by Nan King, Food Share Garden Developer and Curt Shuler, Gold Hill Garden's Site Manager.

Nan and Curt in the Gold Hill Garden

Curt indicated that there are only three things you need for a garden:

Land (fertile soil)
Water
Sunshine

Seems simple enough, right? Interestingly enough it gets a bit more complicated when you are responsible for nearly 600 tomato plants! And that's not the only crop the garden produces...

The mission of the garden is basic - to provide fresh, organic, locally grown produce to people who cannot afford to purchase it for themselves. With an idea that good, it doesn't need to be any more than basic.

Since we came to help on a Friday, it was pick-up day for the local food bank so everything needed to be weighed, boxed and labeled so that they pantries would know what they were getting and the garden could keep track of their production. This garden alone (Gold Hill is 1 of 5 gardens currently run by ACCESS) produces an impressive 300-400 pounds of produce per day and Curt expects the production to reach about 30,000 pounds total this year. What makes that number even more significant is the fact that the average retail value of this produce is about $1/lb, which means $30,000 dollars worth of produce is available to those in need. If that's not impressive, I don't know what is.

Many thanks to Nan and Curt, we learned so much and had a great time!

Alli, OSU SIFE Project Lead

Food & Friends of Jackson and Josephine Counties

2011-08-25T19:41:00.000-07:00

Stuck. Behind a logging truck we're hustling to get to our first site visit of the day at the Food & Friends headquarters in Medford, Oregon, and Jenny, Lauren and I are taking the opportunity to brush up on our knowledge of senior hunger issues. When we finally arrived, we met Evelyn Kinsella, Director of the nutrition program at Food & Friends and wasted no time heading out to one of the Jackson county meal distribution sites hosted inside of the Lion's club - just 1 of their 17 meal sites. When we arrived we were greeted by Ethel, the fabulous site manager who gave us a quick tour and explained how their program works.

Ethel, Jenny, Lauren and Pat

What is so amazing about this organization is that they are not only focused on simply getting the food out and delivered to their clients, they are truly dedicated to the nutritional and social aspects of the program, which is what is typically overlooked in many hunger-related programs. Shockingly, for nearly 50% of the people that receive meals through this program, this is the only full meal they will eat each day.

The freshly prepared food goes directly from pan to sealed individual meal

We must have done something right because we were actually able to go out on a delivery route with Pat (pictured above) who, in our opinion, is Food & Friend's #1 volunteer. Without any hesitation she agreed to take us with her on her typical route and along the way we gained some invaluable insights into the needs of seniors in Jackson and Josephine counties. Her and her husband have been volunteering and cultivating relationships with clients for 6 years - truly an amazing lady.

We even had the opportunity to meet one of the clients! Unable to drive, this woman saw an opportunity to use her empty parking space in front of her home as a garden as a source of inexpensive produce and a perfect spot for growing gorgeous flowers. She was a true testament to the success of this program, speaking so excitedly of how they have allowed her to "live in [her] own space with the chance to garden and be with [her] pet, and still keep [her] personality." Clients like her are the reason this program is able to maintain so many long-term, dedicated volunteers - such as Gloria, a 92 year old Food & Friends enthusiast who still drives one of the delivery routes once a week.

Incredible what you can do with a parking spot!

We made our way back to the Food & Friend's headquarters where we had a chance to sit down and talk with Evelyn about statistics and trends they have found in the counties they serve. It is inspirational to see someone so passionate about the people they serve and how to truly get what is best for them, as opposed to simply dealing with the surface issues of the problem. We are so thankful that she took the time to meet with us and share some of her expertise - we hope that she will join us at the Hunger Summit in January!

Jenny, Alli, Evelyn and Lauren

Alli, OSU SIFE Project Lead

Crossroads Community Cafe of North Bend

2011-08-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

When two ladies from North Bend saw the yearly increase of hungry people in their community at the town thanksgiving dinner, they decided to do something about it that addressed the community needs year round, not just during the holidays. That January, the ladies opened Crossroads Community Café based on their motto “because everyone deserves a home cooked meal.”

The café is operated just like a regular restaurant with a featured meal each day, homemade and served by dedicated volunteers. Locals donate their time, products, services, and expertise to aid in the sustainability of the café. This includes fresh baked items from local bakeries, local design services for marketing materials, fresh produce from local growers, and even a mural donated by a local artist for their outdoor patio section. Culinary students from the local community college also donate their time to cook meals for the restaurant. It truly is a whole community effort. Cofounder Susan Fox says, “its not government support, it is a community taking action.”

About 25% of customers are homeless, others are food insecure. Crossroads Community Café gives customers the opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal in a café setting with social interaction (a main goal of the founders) for only a $1.50 per meal.

The adorable patio seating area - Oregon Coast mural coming soon!

Alli and I read about the Café at one of our site visits in Myrtle Point and decided it was worth the drive to North Bend to check it out. When we arrived we were welcomed into a cute little, well kept café, with a friendly atmosphere. The meal for the day was ‘Hoppin’ John’ a melody of beans, sausage, and rice that was scrumptious. We feel in love with concept and the true sense of community that existed among the volunteers and the costumers.

We encourage everyone to go check it out when they find themselves in the area!

Open Monday through Friday from 10am to 3pm.

Located at 1972 Sherman Avenue in North Bend

Phone – 541 751 0141

Check out their webpage at www.crossroadscommunitycafe.org

Jenny, OSU SIFE President

You're Never That Far Away From Home

2011-08-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

Driving along the highway in Myrtle Point, I spotted something very familiar and close to my heart...

Oregon State! It's amazing how something so familiar can be so exciting. Since we were driving a Powered by Orange van it only seemed right to stop in and see what our fellow Beavers were up to in Coos County. Considering we just dropped in to introduce ourselves and share the Oregon State spirit, we again found ourselves in luck; We were actually able to meet with Cindy and Stephanie of the Family and Community Health department to chat about our tour and what they were doing to combat the root causes of hunger in their community.

Actually talking with people from the extension offices makes you realize what Oregon State is doing to promote wellness, innovation, and excellence in not only Corvallis, but the entire state - just adding to the many reasons that we're proud to be a part of Beaver Nation.

Thanks for all of your hard work and all of the information! Go Beavs!

Alli, OSU SIFE Project Lead and Proud Beaver

South Coast Food Share

2011-08-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

Today we arrived in Coos Bay, Oregon to work at the South Coast Food Share for our first stop of the Hunger Tour this summer. Chuck, a long time employee that has worked in many positions at the food share over the years, greeted us and put us to work. Alli and I helped inventory a little less than 40,000 lbs of food that had been delivered by the Oregon Food Bank during their weekly drop off. This consisted of fresh vegetables, pasta, soups, canned vegetables, meat, cheese, cereal, toiletries, and other items. One thing that became quickly clear to us was that they were out of room at their facility. The food share is currently occupying a space at the local community college that used to be the old mechanics shop. However, over the past couple of years, the space had become too small to keep up with the growing needs of the communities it serves.

Adding to the capacity issue of the facility is the recent partnership formed with Walmart. Before this partnership was formed, Walmart was throwing away between 5000 and 10000 pounds of food each week. This was costing Walmart money as well as causing perfectly good food to go to waste. The food share now takes this surplus of food making a win win solution for both parties. Now the food bank is able to offer their clients milk, meat, produce, and other items that would be hard to purchase.

Chuck says that the food share never declines food. They just have to be creative and effective at moving it through the system to reach those in need of it. He states that the greatest part about his job is being able to help people. “No matter what kind of day I’m having, I get to help people.” One could tell he is passionate about his role. He was even the mastermind that helped increase Walmart donations by over 50%. In his time at the food share, he has been responsible for finding new resources that have led to over 100,000 pounds of additional food.

“Every single week we transition and grow,” says Chuck. In March, the food share will move into its new facility providing more space and more organization as the building will be built to meet the food share’s needs. Upon the completion, the Oregon Food Bank will up their food deliveries by 40% to the food share to help address the growing needs of the community. The new facility will offer 4 times the size of freezer space as well as 3 times the size of refrigeration space, allowing for increased capacity.

For more information on the food share, check out their webpage at http://www.orcca.us/scfs-home.html

Jenny, OSU SIFE President

OSU SIFE Brings Hunger Tour to Home State

2011-08-22T23:17:00.000-07:00

For the past two summers, OSU SIFE has traveled the nation logging over 15,000 miles exploring the issues hunger insecurity. During these trips, OSU SIFE worked at farming programs, soup kitchens, and food banks learning about the issues that exist and the creative ways that organizations are combating these issues.

This summer, OSU SIFE is hitting the road at home in Oregon. The goal of the trip is to travel to all 36 counties in the next 3 years to gain a greater understanding of hunger at home and what programs and services exist.

Wednesday will kick off the tour with the first leg of the journey exploring southern Oregon. OSU SIFE will travel to Coos, Josephine, Jackson and Douglas countries meeting with organizations that provide services for their communities. The tour will continue with leg 2 over Labor Day exploring the counties of Oregon's Northern Coast.

Follow our journey this year as we travel around Oregon gathering information, working at organizations, and raising food donations in local communities.

First leg of Oregon Hunger Tour 2011

Summer Feeding Program - Philadelphia

2010-09-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

The City of Philadelphia truly believes that no child should go hungry, having over 1000 sites across the city that provide nutritious meals for children during the summertime. The summer feeding program, Food that’s In, when School is Out, is sponsored by local churches, schools, recreation centers, and community sites such as Boys and Girls clubs.
In order to get a feel for the program, we visited one of the Philadelphia Housing Authority summer feeding program sites located at James W. Johnson Homes. At the site, we engaged with students ranging from just over a year old to teenagers. The kids enjoyed a meal of chicken, fruit, roll, and milk for lunch while watching classic cartoons. Children told us about the foods they liked and the drew pictures of their favorite fruits and vegetables.
These sites provide a no questions asked option for students to eat while school is no longer in session as well as interact with other children on a daily basis. Because of the support of the Mayor and the community, Philadelphia is able to do their part in making sure no child goes hungry.
OSU SIFE would like to thank the Philadelphia Housing Authority for allowing us to visit their site and learn about this great program.

Bridesburg Boys & Girls Club

2010-09-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Our last and final site visit was at the Bridesburg Boys & Girls Club. During this site visit, we were able to finally meet up with Jenny and Dale. As my van arrived in front of the club, we were all shocked to see a warehouse with the logo in front. Out of all the unique and different clubs we have seen all around the world, this one was more subtle, but definitely not expected.

As we walked inside, everyone has to pass through the office to walk into the club. Through the window doors, one could see the cafeteria was based in this huge space with tables and pool tables. Pass all that there was even more through a small corridor that went to the gym where all the students were sitting waiting for us. Unfortunately, all the girls were on a field trip, so the boys were the only ones participating in the activities. The cadets helped us split them up into two groups, younger and teens. The younger children followed Kim and I into the cafeteria to do the coloring activity, while the teens followed Jenny and Dale upstairs to a small classroom to teach them about healthy eating habits.

When I first started the activity with the younger children it was hard to calm them down in such a wide space, but we used what we learned from the last Boys & Girls Club, which was have them sit in one direction on one side. I grabbed a chair and stood in front of them and projected my voice as loud as I could to get everyone’s attention. For this group, it was much easier to grab their attention and get them excited about drawing once they knew there was a prized involved. Definitely a good start for the last and final site visit, but I spoke too soon.

The younger kids transferred to the upper classroom, the teens came down to the cafeteria to participate in the art activity. They were a little more obnoxious, but still got the job done; it just took a bit longer than usual.

It wasn’t toward the ends when the girls came back from their field trip, but by that time, we were already wrapping up. The best part of the last site visit was that it was the last one, but we also all got t-shirts! The Bridesburg staff was very helpful and we really appreciate the shirts. I’m going to where mine whenever I can.

Oregon State SIFE would like to thank Bridgesburg Boy & Girls Club for allowing us to come in and interact with the students.

- Willen

Robert Gould Shaw Boys & Girls Club

2010-09-14T19:25:00.001-07:00

For our first stop in Charleston, South Caroline we stopped at the Robert Gould Shaw Boys & Girls Club. When we pulled into the neighborhood, it was hard to locate where the club would actually be located, but we spotted a small garden next to a blue building and took a chance. As we approached the building we saw a small Boys & Girls Club logo on the wall and knew that was where we needed to be. Tia, the coordinator for this club welcomed us at the door and was really helpful with the process.
We were given two rooms, MacAdam and I were responsible or arts and crafts, while Jenny and Kim held a nutritional event with the kids. We had two groups, kids and teens. The younger group participated in the arts and crafts first, while the teenagers had the chance to learn about healthy eating habits. For this event, we are teaching the kids how to eat healthy by providing healthy snacks for them to sample. Our goal is to educate them so when they go home they can re-make the snacks for themselves or family members.

As we left the club, Tia walked us out and gave us a brief tour of the garden next to the building. We were shocked to hear that the garden was hand built and nurtured all by the children. The fence surrounding the garden was also built by the children. The garden included vegetables ranging from tomatoes, radishes, and cucumbers.

Being at this Boys & Girls Club made me experience how appreciative the children are of the clubs and the importance they have in the community. Just looking at the children and the struggle they go through day by day makes me wonder what would it be like without this program.

We would like to take this chance and thank Tia and the rest of the Robert Gould Shaw staff for allowing us to come in and help educate the children about hunger. Thank you for your time. Continue to do what you guys do. Good luck on the garden!

Germantown Boys & Girls Club

2010-09-14T19:23:00.001-07:00

Continuing our marathon across the Philadelphia, our third stop for Boy & Girls Club was at Germantown. When we arrived down the street, there were no parking spots, so we were required to park on the sidewalk, like every other car on the curve. Not like other Boys & Girls Clubs we’ve accounted before, this building was unique. It was tall and stood like an apartment complex. Walking up the stairway, one would have not imagined how big the building was. It stretched back and holds a capacity to over 150+ students.
Due to time limitations, we only had one group of students participate in the arts and crafts element of our presentation. We were settled in the auditorium where all the students sat at a table and instructed them to draw what hunger meant to them. The students ranged from teenagers, children, and even the staff.

After the students finished their drawings, some of the kids started adding more to collection. They started creating paper airplanes and paper fans to add to the collection of drawings.

When we looked at the drawings that presented to us, I would have to say we had some of the best drawings from this group of students. Many of the drawings show different meaning to hunger and showed the students learned that hunger is not just an issue in their community, but all over the world.

On behalf of Oregon State SIFE, we would like thank the Germantown Boys & Girls Club for giving us the opportunity to come in and interact with the children .

Wissahickon Boys and Girls Club

2010-09-14T19:22:00.001-07:00

For our second Boys and Girls Club of the day, we stopped at Wissahickon Boys and Girls Club. This one was probably the easiest to spot out and find. A huge banner saying ‘Wissahickon Boys and Girls Club’ out on the front window definitely helps.
This time we were holding our activities in the cafeteria, which was a perfect fit for our activities since we were doing the nutritional aspect and the art one. As we walked into the cafeteria, there was graffiti art all over the walls. The art included the Boys & Girls Club logo, their vision and goals for the club, Pokémon, kids playing basketball, the world any much more. The art was very symbolic to what the goals were for the program. I didn’t get a chance to ask whether or not the children drew the drawings, but if they did, that would quite impressive.

We were given two groups, the first groups of students were the younger ones, and the second group was a mixture of kids and teens. The younger group participated in just the snack portion of the activities because we thought it was more beneficial that we focus on healthy eating habits to the younger generation. As they all gathered around the table, we started asking questions like what is healthy, what is not healthy, what do you guys eat, and if they know how to make snacks for themselves. A majority of the kids said that their parents just make snacks for them and they included chips, cookies, soda and other unhealthy snacks. When asked what are healthy snacks they all answered correctly with fruits and vegetables, which was quite surprising.

On today’s menu, we were teaching them how to make yogurt parfaits. A combination of Honey Nut Cheerios, healthy yogurt, and strawberries was laid out on the table and the kids create a single file line to make their own parfait. After they all finished up, we went through one more time the importance of eating healthy and to make sure they make healthy snacks for themselves and their family members.

Before the older kids walked in, we set up the chairs right in front of the parfait buffet line and had them sit right in front as we demonstrated in front of the food. When the kids filed in and sat down, we all had epiphany. As we started talking about healthy eating habits, the kids were all sitting facing toward us and looked intently as we talked. Apparently, if you have the kids facing one direction and sitting down, they pay attention. Every club in the past has been the kids sitting wherever they wanted in the room, where children were facing all sorts of directions, tables in every corner and having one SIFE student stand in the middle and project their voice. After countless Boys & Girls Club the third to last club we attend was where we learn how to effectively manage the kids.

Thank You Wissahickon Boys & Girls Club for giving us the opportunity to see such beautiful art and interact with the kids. More importantly, teaching us a valuable lesson on how to facilitate a bunch of children.

Wayne Avenue Boys & Girls Club

2010-09-14T19:20:00.001-07:00

To start of our tour around Philadelphia, the Wayne Avenue Boys & Girls Club was our first stop. The rain was pouring and the clouds could not be any darker. The gray building was settled in a small neighborhood. Our first impression would not have been a Boys and Girls club, but it definitely was.
The staff was very welcoming and helps us situate ourselves upstairs where we were presenting. At this club we had roughly 25 students of all ages participate. We weren’t able to explore too much of the club, but upstairs was filled with pool tables, arts and craft, and toy basketball hoops. In addition on the back side of the room there was a little stage that students could perform on, which we all thought was pretty cool.

Due to the time constraints, we could only do the arts activity, but when we told the children about it they all got really excited about being able to draw. During this time of the trip, MacAdam already went home for summer school, so we were down a person. Dale McCauley had joined us from D.C. to partake in all the activities that were happening in Philadelphia. Even so, Kim, Alex and I were the only ones at the Boys & Girls Club while Dale and Jenny participated in a food pantry. By being down to only three people was definitely a difficult obstacle to overcome, because when groups are dealing with the children and exciting them with crayons and markers, it kind of gets a little hectic.

At my table, I had a bunch of girls asking whether they can draw Spongebob or not. I told them that if it relates to hunger then by all means. After one girl got approval, the rest of the table started drawing the same thing. That’s when the, Lisa, the originator of the idea started tattle tailing on the rest of them. “She’s copying me! That’s my idea!” “Nuh uh.” Quite the entertainment.

In the end, they all finished they’re drawings and were able to turn them satisfied. As everybody was cleaning up, one kid named Craig challenged me to game of basketball. Not the real game, but one of the toy hoops to see who would make it from the farthest angle. I was making baskets after baskets until Craig finally gave up. I told him to shoot one more shot, which he made it. Definitely made his day.

Thank You Wayne Avenue for allowing us to come to your club and show the kids a good time. We hope the best for you.

Kicking 4 Hunger

2010-09-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

Kicking4Hunger (K4H) is a soccer camp organization that is dedicated to bringing the community together to feed the hungry through the game of soccer.

Gabriel Whaley, the founder of the organization was a sophomore in high school when Kicking4Hunger was born. He was bored one summer and decided that he wanted to run a free soccer camp, but with a twist. The twist was to add an admission fee to the camp. A fee that did not make him profit, but a contribution to feed the hungry. To participate in the 3-day camp, children from the ages 6-12 are allowed to join as long as they donate three cans of food to the organization. At first, the camp was a gesture to pass the time and add a sentence or two to Gabriel’s resume, but the unexpected came. Gabriel’s camp became a huge success and community families were insisting that the camp continue. Today, K4H serves over 80+ children during one session. The organization is run by Gabriel and his brother Gideon, and together they teach children how to play soccer. In addition, they have family friends, neighbors, and community members that come out and volunteer to coach and assist with the camp. Moving from public parks to elementary school baseball fields, K4H is dedicated to raising cans to feed the hungry. In partnership with Cooperative Christina Ministry, K4H collects over 1,000 pounds of food each session to help the local community.

Oregon State SIFE had the opportunity to assist in this cause and help teach soccer. On the first day in North Carolina, we showed up at 9:00 in the morning to warm-up with the children. With over 100 children registered, one could imagine how chaotic 100 kids with soccer balls go. Since we were attending on a Wednesday, the camp was just finishing up, so it coming to an end, all the children knew how to set-up. The first game we played was ‘Capture the Flag’ that included a soccer ball. The basics of the game were the same, but when you got into the safe zone, you have to kick or dribble the soccer ball across to the other side. The opposing team is allowed to try to kick the ball away before you get to the other side. Our group never played that kind of style, but it definitely added a creative twist to the game. After the game, the children break into circuits, where each station plays a different game. Gabriel allowed us to have our own circuits with the younger and older children. MacAdam and Kim taught the younger children, while Jenny and I taught the older ones. We both implemented different games, but in the end, we presented our message clearly to them and educated them about hunger awareness. After all the activities, an award session was held for the children that donated the most pounds of food and were rewarded with prizes and honorable mentions. Before departing, our group had the opportunity to speak to Gabriel’s dad, who helps with the camp on a daily bases.

The next day we participated in the same camp but at a different location with different children. This camp had about 75 or so kids that participated. Instead of capture the flag, we played a rendition of freeze tag, which included trying to kick the ball away from people that were dribbling and tag them after they lose control of the ball. The game focuses on teaching them efficiency and agility. Following the game, the children broke up into circuits again, but instead of two groups, we stayed together and presented since there were fewer students.

At the end of the day, our entire team met with Gabriel and his dad to discuss future plans. Oregon State SIFE is impressed with the establishment and the accomplishments that this camp has brought to the community and believes that it will serve well in the Corvallis community. We hope that we will have the privilege to partner with K4H and bring this cause to our local community.

Oregon State SIFE would like to thank Gabriel Whaley and the entire Kicking 4 Hunger staff for giving us the opportunity to coach alongside the camp and allowing us to interact with the children. What an amazing program and cause. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

-Willen

Share Our Strength, Washington DC

2010-07-16T19:15:00.000-07:00

On Friday July 16, we visited Share Our Strength’s headquarters in Washington DC. For me, this was very exciting as it is the first time I had gotten to join up with Hunger in the Homeland group since they had left Oregon as I have been in DC on an internship. Being all together again and swapping stories really made the day memorable.

Upon arrival we were greeted by Sarah Sansted and Alice Pennington and headed to a conference room for an overview of the program. We immediately started peppering them with questions, which they were happy to answer.

Share Our Strength is a large non-profit that, while headquartered in DC, has offices all over the nation. The full title includes the tagline "No Kid Hungry” which stems from their mission to eradicate child hunger by 2015. To achieve this, they have developed a 10-point plan:

Provide all children with a healthy breakfast
Encourage and enable healthy food choices
Help eligible families meet needs at home with access to food stamps
Improve the economic security of working families
Increase families’ access to fresh, affordable produce in their neighborhoods
Help afterschool programs provide healthy meals and snacks
Expand the reach of summer meals programs
Ensure access to balanced, nutritious diets for all pregnant women & preschool children
Ensure access to nutritious food in shelters and food pantries
Provide comprehensive public education about available resources and assistance

Without these needs being met, children do not have what they need to learn, play, and live healthy lives. These goals, while very straightforward, will require concerted effort to achieve by 2015. Share Our Strength is very well positioned with robust programs and techniques that can put this within reach.

Share Our Strength starts with the belief that the USA already has good programs that can solve this problem and that there is no need to reinvent the wheel. What needs to be done is to make these programs work and be accessible to everyone that could benefit from them. Sarah was quick to tell us that only 44% of the children who qualify for a free or reduced lunch actually ever receive it, leaving over 9.6 million children going without. The root cause of this is of course multifaceted: The social aspect of receiving a handout in our society being shameful, there is an education component where many do not know they qualify, and there can also be issues at the school’s end that can cause the meal to not be distributed. This is one of many challenges that Share Our Strength faces and nothing is ever as simple as it appears on the surface.

Share Our Strength has the ability to act on these large complex programs because it is made up of incredible number partner organizations, all of which have a strong understanding of the conditions in their community. Share Our Strength works on the macro level, while it’s partner organizations can use the resources to target the very specific problems their communities are facing. An example of these partnerships in action: Florida Impact increased the number of of people applying for food stamps in Florida by developing a process for automatically screening people for eligibility, assessing the benefits they could receive, and automatic filling out of the necessary forms. This example demonstrates how Share Our Strength takes a program that is already very beneficial, food stamps, and makes it so much more effective at reaching the target audience.

While being located in Washington DC, it was only this year that Share Our Strength began lobbying Congress to improve programs related to hunger. While it is still early, they have already had success in helping the House to pass its version of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill. They are also ready to work on the hill as the massive farm bill comes up for reauthorization in the next session.

Leaving no child hungry is a great cause to be fighting for and Share Our Strength will continue to make a measurable impact. I would recommend you read their blog HERE for the latest on the important work they are doing. Their model of partnership is important because it is only by working together in unified way can we eradicate hunger in the homeland.

-Dale McCauley

Cooperative Christian Ministry – Concord, NC

2010-07-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

After Kicking 4 Hunger with the kids in the morning, we traveled to Concord, NC to see Cooperative Christian Ministry, the organization benefiting from the can food raised during the 2 soccer camps. The father of the founder of Kicking 4 Hunger explained that they selected this organization as a beneficiary because they wanted to reach out specifically to their own community. While researching, they realized that there were a lot of other services including large food banks that indirectly helped people needing food assistance, however, Cooperative Christian Ministry provides directly to the people in Cabarrus County. This organization believes in providing people with the tools to improve their situation. It is not about band aiding the problem, but providing opportunities for people make lasting change.

Cooperative Christian Ministry operates 7 branches of food pantries around the county. They believe that there should be a pantry within 15 minutes drive time for everyone in the county. Unlike a lot of traditional models, CCM provides recipients of these services with a modified shopping style experience instead of just receiving a one size fits all emergency food box. They believe in the motto of “Waste Not Want Not”. People should have the ability to pick the types of foods that match the wants and needs of the family. Recipients can receive these services once every 90 days from each location.

They also operate several residential programs helping people get back on the right track. In addition, they provide financial assistance to help people make necessary payments towards their living situations.

For more information - www.cooperativeministry.com

Hampton Inn Charlotte/Matthews

2010-07-15T07:40:00.000-07:00

Upon arrival, we were greeted with fresh cookies and friendly staff members that were eager to learn about our travels and the meaning of our matching Powered by Orange attire. Each time we entered the lobby, we were greeted with smiles and further questions. The rooms were very nice providing wireless internet and quality amenities. Hot continental breakfast was provided each morning with fresh made waffles and breakfast sandwiches.

Hospitality hour was fantastic with hot food, dessert, friendly staff, and soft drinks. The second night, the boys and I enjoyed a nice meal of BBQ Pork sandwiches. Yum! This hotel had a strong sense of community, making everyone feel comfortable and at home. The living room fashioned lobby provided rustic conform with a large screen TV projecting the latest news or sporting event. This area truly became my home during our stay as I spent hours with the hotel staff working on blogs, catching up on emails, and visiting about our trip across the nation spreading hunger awareness.

OSU SIFE would like to thank the Hampton Inn for their interest and support in our efforts this summer.

For more information - www.hamptoninn.hilton.com

First United Methodist Church (Warner Robins)

2010-07-13T07:47:00.000-07:00

The First United Methodist Church Soup Kitchen was a nice change of pace from the norms of some of the other soup kitchens that we have visited this summer. The FUMC soup kitchen operates on a local level and is all about the community. Everybody knows each other and people are greeted by name. The recipes are never set in stone and are often crafted from the imagination of the volunteers in the moment. The result is delicious home cooked meals that pay attention to a balanced nutrition.

Members from the First United Methodist Church volunteer to cook and serve meals to the hungry every Monday and Friday at 12:30pm. Other churches in town serve food on the other days allowing community members access to food all week. Many of the soup kitchen volunteers commented on the work they do as a way to give back to the community.

This Monday, we worked with a team of retired seniors who know their way around the church’s industrial size kitchen. They had us peeling potatoes, slicing bread, and chopping pecans. The final result was a tasty lunch complete with roasted turkey, boiled potatoes, gravy, corn, succotash, tossed salad, bread pudding (homemade and to die for) and of course, the southern favorite, sweet tea.

Grace was said, food was served (I was on potato duty) and we all dug in. I ate with a nice family who commented on the state of the economy. One of the guys said that he was headed back to school to get a technical degree. The clients of the soup kitchen varied greatly in race, age, social status and education level reinforcing the notion that hunger can strike anybody.

Overall, I was captivated by the comfortable feel of the soup kitchen. It was a safe environment that was stress-free and very laid back. Even as a volunteer, I appreciated the calm atmosphere. It allowed me to worry less about policy or making a mistake and truly be able to connect with the people I was around.

For another take on our visit from the Macon Telegraph (the local paper), please visit:

http://www.macon.com/2010/07/13/1193672/students-help-in-wr-soup-kitchen.html

Click on the gallery link to see more photos of us in action.

Wingate by Wyndham

2010-07-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

OSU SIFE would like to thank the Wingate by Wyndham for their hospitality while we were in Warner Robins, GA. Our room was very spacious with a warm feel. The staff provided excellent service bringing us extra linens and a rollaway bed. Each morning, we enjoyed a warm continental breakfast before heading out to our daily site visits.

For more information – www.wingatehotels.com

Hilton Garden Inn – Warner Robins, GA

2010-07-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Hilton Garden Inn Warner Robins was located conveniently right off the main street. The inn provided impeccable customer service and fantastic facilities. The beds were extremely nice with controls to adjust firmness. The hotel also provided wireless internet, laundry facilities, fitness center, and pool. Many extra touches could be found throughout the property including hot chocolate and coffee in the lobby 24/7 and mints on our pillows in our rooms. We enjoyed our stay immensely.

OSU SIFE would like to thank the Hilton Garden Inn for their warm hospitality and generosity while we were in Warner Robins, GA.

For more information – www.hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/

Joseph V. Whitehead Boys and Girls Club

2010-07-09T09:56:00.001-07:00

After preparing meals at the food bank on the 8^th we drove over to the Joseph V. Whitehead Boys and Girls Club to talk about hunger awareness and healthy habits. The Whitehead Club was actually one of the nicest clubs we’ve seen so far on the trip. It was very clean and well run, and they even had a full sized indoor pool for the kids to swim in. The head of staff introduced us to the kids we would be working with and told us that we would be doing our presentation for two sessions, one for a group of boys and the second for a group of girls, all around 10 years old.

The boys were actually very well behaved compared to some of the other clubs we’ve worked at. They were great listeners and were thrilled to help Jenny come up with a list of healthy and unhealthy foods, and were quick to inform us that broccoli is good for you while fried Twinkies are not. During the drawing portion of the hour we were happy to see the boys coming up with some pretty creative depictions of hunger, one of them even wrote a couple of Hunger Haikus for us. Once that was done we took them into the gym for a rousing game of Sisters, which is kind of like Dodgeball but with fewer balls and much more hectic.

When the girls rotated in we were a little surprised to find that they were less well behaved than the boys, but once we finally got them to pay attention they were an absolute blast. They were just as excited about everything we were talking about as the boys were and were even more energetic if that’s possible. The girls came up with some great hunger art too, even using Alex and myself as paper at one point. By the end of the session it was impossible to see the skin on my arms and neck through all the marker and paint that had been applied.

All and all the Joseph V. Whitehead Boys and Girls Club was loads of fun, and we look forward to working with another Atlanta Boys and Girls Club tomorrow!

Thank you! Homewood Suites – Park Central

2010-07-06T23:53:00.000-07:00

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by friendly staff and warm cookies that were refreshed daily. The receptionist even gave us rubber ducks as a welcome present. Checking into our rooms, we found a lovely 1 bedroom suite nicely appointed with comfortable beds, kitchens, and a lovely marble bathroom. Each day, we started our mornings with a wholesome breakfast of hot foods including fresh made chocolate chip pancakes. The rooms also came with popcorn, free bottled water and free wireless internet, a bonus to us college students.

OSU SIFE would like to thank the Homewood Suites for becoming our home away from home in Dallas, Texas. The hotel staff went above and beyond to insure our comfort and quality experience while at the Homewood Suites.

For more information – www.homewoodsuites1.hilton.com

- Jenny

The Soup Mobile – a second glance…

2010-07-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

Monday morning, we arrived at the familiar Soup Mobile in Dallas. For Willen and I, we were excited to share with our group our favorite site visit from the summer before. The Soup Mobile is a unique model serving over 600 meals to the homeless each afternoon out on the streets of Dallas.

Upon arriving, we were greeted with hugs from the SoupMan. David Timothy is known affectionately among the homeless population on the streets of Dallas as the SoupMan, bringing food and hope to people who have been otherwise been neglected. Before heading out in a caravan onto the streets of Dallas, the SoupMan gave his typical speech he begins with each day. He informed the crowd, made up mostly of new volunteers and staff, that today “We have two Missions, and the second one… is to feed the homeless.” At this, everyone looks around at each other not quite understanding what he just said as he continues. “Our first mission today is to show love. These people have been long forgotten, not loved, and today we will show them our compassion, for that, will make them have a better day.” He then explains how far a simple compliment can go, putting a smile on the less fortunate for the rest of the day. And he was so right. With every smile we gave out, we were given so many in return. The people were so thankful of us and eager to engage in conversations.

One of the unique aspects of the operation is that the homeless serve with us on the line. When arriving at the location, blaring the Rocky theme song to alert everyone of our arrival, the homeless “regulars” rush forward to help set up the line. We then work together to hand out meals, making it less of a hand out but more of a way to give them a sense of accomplishment that they are helping others too.

Gloves are currency among the homeless as they equal a treat bag at the end of the day. Some people are regular “volunteers” helping the SoupMan everyday while others vie for a highly wanted pair of gloves and a chance to help out for a little more food.

While waiting for our assignments, a young boy came running up asking where his gloves were. The SoupMan introduces him as Mathew, an eager 6 year old that desperately wanted to be involved. The SoupMan handed him gloves and Mathew asked the SoupMan what his job would be for the day. The SoupMan replied that today Mathew would be a supervisor. Looking confused , Mathew asked was a supervisor did. “Stand around and look good,” said the SoupMan. At this, Mathew crinkled his nose and said he didn’t want to do that…. He wanted a real job. It was super cute. So Mathew was given the all important role of Ice Cream server, screaming out about how he had the best ice cream around.

While serving drinks, I started up a conversation with a young man that was on staff for the Soup Mobile. I had noticed that he knew quite a few of the young people in line, seemed to be almost friends with them. Leon, 21, told me that he grew up here, in lines like this, right in that very neighborhood. Not having a stable home life with an absent father and a mother suffering from drug addictions, it would have been really easy for him to be a person on the other side of the line, like so many of his friend and family. However, at a young age, Leon decided that that life was not for him and that he would do anything to fight not to be there. He said he wanted to be the father he never had. It was truly a heartwarming experience listening to his story and his future goals. Leon wants to be a sports caster and is currently attending college to move himself towards his goal. He said it was a constant struggle with no support from his family and friends. But Leon looked determined. In an email he sent me, he said “it’s people like you that gives me that extra push, a word of encouragement to keep going, and believe it or not because of you I’m going to make it”. I believe Leon Is right, everyone needs someone to listen to their story and give them encouragement to move forward. And I do believe that Leon will make it, putting his love of basketball to use as a sports broadcaster.

Though a similar experience from last summer, the Soup Mobile operation continues to amaze me. Now in addition to the daily food service, the SoupMan has opened a Village providing transitional housing for some of their clients they truly believe can make a difference in their lives with the proper support. In its infancy stages, it will be interesting to see the impact it has in the long run.

OSU SIFE would like to thank the SoupMan for the opportunity to work with him again this summer while we were in Dallas.

For more information - check out the SoupMan at www.soupmobile.com .

Jenny

The Jackson Stewpot

2010-07-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Jackson, Mississippi on the night of the 5^th after a long drive across Texas and Louisiana. All of us Oregonians were still adjusting to the oppressive humidity that blesses residents of the deep south. Our adviser Sandy, a native Georgian, is blissfully immune to this sort of weather. Apparently sweet tea is the solution 99% of the time. After a minor crisis (a lost wallet that wasn't actually lost) we bedded down for the night in anticipation of our day of work at the Stewpot soup kitchen in Jackson.

We arrived at the Stewpot at 11:30 to help them set up and work at their lunch distribution. As we walked up the front steps of the church there were many people waiting outside for the lunch to begin. We moseyed upstairs and found the sizable lunch room. It could seat at least 60 people and was attached directly to their kitchen. The walls were adorned with artwork done by kids who attend the church. A sizable group of local volunteers from churches and other organizations was standing at two long tables in an assembly line of sorts, preparing meals on trays for all the people who we saw waiting out on the front steps.

At noon all the people waiting to be fed began to stream into the dining room. According to Tara, the volunteer coordinator for the Stewpot, the vast majority of the people in attendance came every day of the week. Many of them had been doing so for months or even years. Everyone knew the drill, sitting down at the tables in anticipation of their meals. After everyone had taken their seats volunteers went around and passed out trays of food and drinks. A quick prayer was given by the local pastor (who's son works in Portland) and then everyone was allowed to start eating. The majority of the diners were 40 or older but there was a small group of children there as well. After everyone was served people were allowed to come up for seconds. However no one was allowed to take anything home with them.

The Stewpot has been doing this every day of the week for nearly 20 years now, and it is obvious that their service is a crucial one. There were stark reminders around every corner of the turmoil that Jackson has suffered through in the past century and continues to struggle with to this day. During the civil rights movement Jackson was at the forefront of the fight for equality, and the shadow of Medgar Evers looms large over the city. While de jure there is equality as a result of men like Evers sacrifice, the de facto state in Jackson for many is still one of economic inequality and suffering. The Stewpot and the men and women who volunteer there offer food and shelter to those who are most desperately in need of help, and we could not have been more honored to come help them and their patrons for the day.

-Alex

Fairmount Dallas

2010-07-06T07:43:00.000-07:00

The Fairmount Dallas provided stunning views and luxury in the heart of Downtown. Located on the 14^th floor, our room was nicely appointed with amenities making our stay enjoyable and relaxing. The staff was wonderful and very pet friendly, referring to the Doodles as the Fairmount Doodles by the end of the stay. Each day, a lady at the hotel brought bacon snacks for the doodles showering them with attention. In addition to our enjoyment, the Doodles loved the hotel and its elegance.

Thank you Fairmount Dallas for your support!

For more information - www.fairmont.com/dallas/

Hampton Inn – Amarillo East

2010-07-03T23:55:00.000-07:00

3The Hampton Inn - Amarillo East was conveniently located from our site visits and local eating areas. Free wireless internet and free hot breakfast added to our experience. The lobby was very comfortable and provided fresh baked cookies throughout the day. The staff was friendly and inviting. All in all, a great experience in Amarillo, Texas.

Thank you Hampton Inn for your support of our campaign. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

For more information – www.hamptoninn.com

High Plains Food Bank Garden (Amarillo - Friday)

2010-07-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

For the second half of Friday, we worked in the High Plains Food Bank Garden. The garden is an interesting project that is currently in its second year of operation. It is located in what use to be a vacant lot behind the Food Bank.

Last year, the garden produced 1,500 pounds of fresh food for the Kids Café Programs with only 1,000 square feet of land. With their new and spacious garden, they are hoping to eventually grow 20,000 pounds of fresh food.

The garden has one full time employee named Mark and two summer interns – Allison, a sophomore environmental engineer from Atlanta and the mysterious Kevin who never actually spoke to any of us.

We split up into two groups for the afternoon. MacAdam and Alex went with Mark to make more soil (compost, cow manure and sand) while Willen and I went with Allison to dig holes and plant herbs. (Kevin did other gardeny stuff around us and Jenny was off to do more logistics.)

The mysterious Kevin and Willen.

I quizzed Allison as I dug holes and learned quite a bit. The High Plains Food Bank Garden is all organic and the main goal is to provide children with fresh vegetables and encourage them to eat the veggies at an early age. Most of the plants are donated and the garden receives quite a bit of volunteers. For example, the herbs that we were planting were all donated by a local farm. We were placing them in between different vegetable plants because the plants have a naturally beneficial relationship when placed next to each other will help each other grow. Cool, I know. As I dig, I go through a layer of bark chips, wet newspaper, dead grass and finally soil. Apparently this is layered gardening and it helps to prevent weeds.

Once a vacant lot, now a garden!

Gardening is hard work but it was nice to be working outside and with my hands in the dirt after being inside for a while. I like the concept of community gardens producing food to feed the hungry. I wonder if we will see more of them on our journey.

-Kim

High Plains Food Bank, Amarillo

2010-07-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

We spent the morning at the High Plains Food Bank in Amarillo, Texas. This food bank was smaller than some other organizations that we have seen and operated on more of a local community level.

Our first task was to add toiletries to pre-packed boxes. The Food Bank wanted the boxes to weigh 15 pounds before toiletries are shipped out. Our job was to grab a box and place it on a scale. If it weighed less than 15 pounds, we had to cut it open and add more items until it did weigh 15 pounds. We then re-taped the boxes shut and stacked them. The boxes will be shipped to different agencies in bulk and then re-distributed to families.

I imagine people needing the basics; shampoo, conditioner (maybe), soap, razors, and deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste. In reality though, this is not the case. All of the toiletries are donated. Most come from stores and a defective in some way. The label is crooked or the product is no longer in style. There is nothing wrong with any of the actual product but it still cannot be sold to the public. Due to this, there are a broad range of toiletries that get donated.

In an hour alone I packaged shampoo, razors, hairspray, conditioner, soap, hand soap, bubble bath, mouth wash, floss, electric toothbrushes, eyeliner, wart remover, barrettes, hair ties, blush, eye shadow, bug spray, shaving gel, Q-tips, cotton balls, perfume, toothbrushes, post-its (no idea), tweezers, deodorant, lice kits, toothpaste, tampons, men’s hair color, fake eyelashes, eye drops, nose spray, lotion, hair gel, nail polish, and various types of powder.

Our second task for the day was repacking beans. The beans had previously been sorted into 5lb bags and then put two bags to a box. Our job was to open the boxes, open the bags and repackage them into one pound portions for family boxes. Just a few hours later, we re-packaged 25,000 pounds of dried beans.

The Inn at Paradise – A Gem in Albuquerque

2010-07-02T02:16:00.000-07:00

OSU SIFE would like to thank the Inn at Paradise for their hospitality during our time in Albuquerque. With fabulous views of the rolling greens of the Desert Greens Golf Club and Sandia Mountains, this family owned inn was a wonderful stop on our tour across the country.

The rooms were recently remodeled and free internet and breakfast is provided to all of their guests. The whole inn has a very friendly atmosphere making it a true home away from home. The rooms overlook a lovely garden area with waterfalls falling into beautiful ponds.

For more information on this hotel – Check to the website at www.innatparadise.com

- Jenny

The Road Runner Food Bank (Albuquerque)

2010-07-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

New Mexico, like Oregon, is considered to be one of the hungriest states in the nation. The Road Runner Food Bank has been in its current location for two years and is the largest hunger relief organization in New Mexico. They work directly with the organization called Feeding America. The warehouse currently holds two million pounds of food and eventually will be able to hold seven. Sixty percent of the food being processed is considered to be fresh produce. As a food bank, they are top of the line and deal not only with Albuquerque but with the entire state of New Mexico. The food bank runs worthwhile programs including the Food for Kids Program, the Mobil Food Bank, the Senior Helpings Program as well as many others.

Christine gave us a tour that tour that really opened up my eyes to how families with hunger insecurity live. She showed us a food box that was supposed to last a family of four for a whole month. I was shocked. These families really have to know how to best utilize the food that they receive in order to make it last. Not to mention the fact that they also have to ration it correctly.

We also had the opportunity to volunteer for the food bank. First things first; we had to be sterilized. We washed our hands, put on lab coats, snapped on hairnets and put on gloves. We looked like mad scientists.

We were then led into a sterile room (it looked like a lab) where we would be working. Our job was to repackage dry chicken broth. Tyson Chicken, bless their misguided soul, had donated over 1,700 lbs of dry chicken broth in 90 lb boxes. We had to open the boxes, scoop .75 lbs of broth into plastic bags, heat seal the bags, staple directions and ingredients to each bag and then pack them 30 to a box. It was a long day but I think that we got a lot accomplished.

-Kim

Albuquerque

2010-07-02T02:00:00.000-07:00

Our first stop in New Mexico was the beautiful Santa Fe. Sandy took the lot of us to Atomic Grill to experience some classic New Mexican eats. Not much a fan of Mexican food myself I was skeptical at first, but I decided to try my quesadilla with some of the Green Chile that I had been told was a staple of the cuisine. I couldn’t get enough of the stuff! I ended up getting a couple more bowls of it just to make sure my entire meal was drowning in Green Chile. After the meal we took a little walk around town, got some pictures with a bear statue and headed to our next major stop,Albuquerque.

Our first day in Albuquerque was spent at the Rio Rancho Boys and Girls Club. We sat the kids down in the gym and asked them what they thought hunger and how they thought it affected their community. We found out that one of the reasons that the kids came to the Boys and Girls Club was because it was one of the only way their parents could make sure they got fed. We talked about some of the ways that they could help collect food in their communities, such as running canned food drives and working at local food banks and then broke them up for some activities. Alex and Willen took some of the more rambunctious kids to play some kick ball in the gym for some rousing games of Kickball/Basketball/Tag/Red-Light Green-Light/Duck-Duck-Goose while Kim, Jenny and I had the rest of the group draw some hunger related art at the arts and craft table. The kids came up with a ton of great things to draw. Some of them drew a picture of every fruit they could think of, some of them drew what they thought a healthy meal should look like, and some of them drew pictures of super heroes delivering food to people in need. When it was time for us to go the kids all got together to give us hugs goodbye and thank us for coming. All in all it was a great time and both the kids and their supervisors seemed happy to have us there.

The next morning we got up bright and early to volunteer at the Roadrunner Food Bank. One of the employees Christine explained all of the out-reach programs that the Roadrunner does, from filling kids backpacks with food so that they have something to eat over the weekend to providing senior citizens with supplementary meals to help stretch their monthly income. She showed us around their very expansive ware house, and showed us where the millions of pounds of food they deal with every day is kept, and told us that one of the reason the Roadrunner does so well is because of its volunteers. Apparently they have the equivalent of 31 full time employees just from the volunteers that come in throughout the year. Then we headed down stairs to spend a couple hours repackaging powdered chicken broth. It was all very professional; they had us dress up in long aprons and put hairnets and gloves on before we could even start. All in all it was a wholly worth while experience, though it is probably going to be a couple days before any of us stop smelling like chicken noodle soup.

Now we’re off to our next been stop, Dallas Texas, with a brief lay over in Amarillo and we’re all looking forward to our adventurers down the road!

Thank You! Sheraton Salt Lake City

2010-06-29T23:42:00.000-07:00

Upon arriving, we checked into our two-story suites. Each room was well appointed with amenities and had a balcony that looked out onto a courtyard with a swimming pool. The lobby was equipped with wireless internet, a Starbucks, and comfortable seating areas. All of the staff were friendly and excited to learn about our efforts. After hours of traveling, the Sheraton was the perfect place to relax before spending the following day teaching hunger awareness at two Salt Lake City Boys and Girls Clubs and interviewing the owner of One World, a free café in the city.

OSU SIFE would like thank the Sheraton Salt Lake City for their generosity in supporting our efforts.

For more information - www.sheratonsaltlakecityhotel.com

- Jenny

Midvale Boys & Girls Club

2010-06-29T23:32:00.000-07:00

Arriving in Salt Lake City, our first Boys & Girls Club visit was just around the corner. When we pulled into the driveway, it seemed as if no one was in the building, but that was not the case. Going into the building we met with one of the supervisors and she informed us that there were 140 students ready for our activity.
As the students lined up in gym, we brought in our art supplies and divided it equally between the three members that were teaching that afternoon. At first art supplies seemed to limited, but the Midvale Boys & Girls Club staff was more than willing to help supply paper and crayons.

Kim was in charge of kindergärtners and 2nd grade, MacAdam was in charge of 1st grade, and I was in charge of 5th and 6th, while Alex went around filming and recording the sessions. At first, I was nervous beyond my imagination not knowing how to handle the students. We roughly around 25 students, I thought why not start off with just small activity. I asked all the students if they knew were Oregon was and what the proper annunciation of the state was. Many of the students guessed correctly. All the students seem engaging and hyped up from lunch and were ready to participate.

Due to the limit on time, the students participated in the art activity that we created. The activity was for the students to draw what they thought “hunger” meant to them on a colored piece of paper. Students were not limited to what they wanted to put on the piece of paper. Some of the drawings included poems, comic strips, cartoons, songs, and some even told a story. At the end of the trip, we would collage all the drawings together from all around the nation and create mosaic.

The first overall run through was a little rough for my part, but it was definitely a great stepping stone for all the future clubs to come. One of the lessons that I learned is that during the introduction one needs to specify that our team would be taking the drawings to complete the mosaic and that the students cannot keep their drawings, because that was definitely an issue towards the end of the session.

In the end, I am going to look forward to the Boys & Girls Club visits because I think it is very important that we teach these kids the importance of hunger and the everlasting effect it has on their community and the world.
Thank you Midvale Boy & Girls Club for allowing us to come in and interact with their children. We appreciate all your help. You guys rock!

-Willen

One World Café

2010-06-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2009, I had the opportunity to travel across the nation on a hunger tour and learn about innovative programs that people implemented to end hunger. One of the top programs that I enjoyed most was known as ‘Same Café’ (So All May Eat) in Denver, Colorado. The café’s objective is to allow each and every individual to have the opportunity to eat healthy and be treated equally. When we spoke with the owner, he specified that he was following after another café in Salt Lake City, Utah, known as ‘One World Café.’

This past week, a new group of students embarked on the journey across the nation, and this time, we ended up in Salt Lake City, and met with the owner of ‘One World Café.’ Every one of us took part in trying the freshly cooked lunch that Giovanni, the chef, prepared for us that afternoon. The menu ranged from chicken, pasta, vegetables, fruit, and dessert (probably one of the best meals so far). Afterwards, we ask Giovanni to discuss his background and why he decided to dedicate his life in changing the world.

Giovanni, owner of ‘One World Café was first recruited by the founder Denise Cerreta to cook as a part time chef for the café. After working there for a few months, he became the owner. Prior to becoming the owner Giovanni was a chef at a formal restaurant, but believed that being the chef of such a meaningful business was more worth wild. Throughout his life he always wanted to help make a difference and he believed this was the opportunity to allow him to fulfill that desire.

‘Same Café’s model was slightly different from ‘One World Café’s.’ The local Denver café focused on providing food for everybody and allowing people to donate what they thought was affordable and acceptable with no question. The menu is limited to only one or two selection items and is allowed the dish that was prepared that day. While ‘One Word’ has a different menu daily, based on what is fresh in the community. In addition, there is variety in the menu, with ‘suggested” prices that can be considered as a donation.

The Birkys, founders of ‘Same Café’ were inspired to make a difference in this world because they saw the struggles that people were going through by volunteering at food banks and shelters. They dedicated their lives to help those in need.

Even so, both café’s still live closely to their mission statement of providing healthy meals for everyone and eliminating world hunger. Thank you ‘One World Café’ for cooking us such a delicious meal and giving us the opportunity to know more about your mission to ending world hunger.

The Lied Boys and Girls Club – Salt Lake City

2010-06-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

Last Monday, we spent the afternoon at the Lied Boys and Girls Club in Salt Lake City educating children about the growing hunger issue in the United States.
This club had a much different feel to it in comparison to the others that we have visited. I felt a much stronger sense of community. Kids were behind the desk, joking with the staff and helping sign us in. Adults spoke to the children like equals and the kids seemed eager to please them.

The Lied Boys and Girls Club kids seemed interested in the hunger issue and were very excited to color what hunger meant to them. We started off with a short presentation explaining what hunger meant and what it looked like in the United States. We asked the kids for their input and they were eager to explain what they thought hunger was. The most common answers were “when you are hungry” and “you are starving”.

After that the crayons and markers came out. Most of the children portrayed hunger as food like fruits, vegetables, pizza and hamburgers. Afterward, the boys became human jungle gyms and gave piggy back rides.

I asked one of the staff members about the free lunch and dinner program. The Utah Food Bank supplies a free lunch each day to the Boys and Girls Club kids. Free dinner is also served Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The staff member was upset because every day they have a lot of extra food but they are not allowed to send it home with the children. Either the Food Bank or the State has a rule against it. She said that for many of the children at the club, this is the only meal(s) that they receive during the day. Apparently, we were in a relatively poor part of Salt Lake City and right in the middle of the territory of six different gangs. Now I was really surprised. Six gangs in the middle of a city with a strong Mormon stronghold? Hm…

She said that many of the parents in the community want their children at the club because it is a safe place. Many of the parents also ask the staff to make sure that their children eat at meal times. Despite the hardship that many of these kids face, they are happy and out-going.

The love of a child is endless. It is important that we nurture them so that this pattern of love continues. The Lied Boys and Girls Club is off to a great start.

Oak Tree Inn – Elko, Nevada

2010-06-28T23:36:00.000-07:00

OSU SIFE would like to thank the Oak Tree Inn in Elko, Nevada for supporting our campaign. This lovely inn was dog friendly and very comfortable for our travel through Elko. The staff made us feel very welcome with their friendly attitudes.

For more information - www.oaktreeinn.net/Hotels/Hotel/14:Elko_NV

- Jenny

Jim and Dorothy Ogle – Lakeview

2010-06-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

A special thank you to Jim and Dorothy Ogle (the grandparents of trip member MacAdam Lea) for hosting us in their home during our stay in Lakeview Oregon. Their hospitality was extremely generous and Jim Ogle served as a town ambassador for us during the week. He helped us set up meeting and recommended several groups for us to talk too. Our week was truly more enjoyable and productive due to their efforts.

Dr. Daly Days Health Fair (Saturday)

2010-06-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

The rest of our group joined us Friday night for the remainder of the trip. Our numbers are up to six students (Alex, MacAdam, Willen, Jenny and me), one advisor (Mrs. Sandra Neubaum), two Doodles (very excited poodle Labrador mixes) and two vehicles (wrapped superbly in OSU and Powered by Orange stickers). The Givel is a little crowed now but it will do for one night.

We all arrive to the fair in the morning in our matching Powered by Orange t-shirts. All together we are a very effective billboard for our cause (It is hard to miss six traffic cone looking kids in a sea of oldies). We spend the next several hours manning our booth and checking out the fair.

Willen was in-charge of making and selling Otis Spunkmeyer cookies (1$ each and all monies made go to the local food pantry).

Alex ran around and did whatever media people do.

(Willen, Jenny and Me)

Jenny ran a raffle for OSU gear.

Sandy and the doodles ran around and caused disturbances. (People love to stop and gawk at the Doodles.)

(MacAdam and Alex)

MacAdam socialized and explained our trip to people and I floated around doing a little bit of everything.

The general consensus was that most people are extremely excited about what we are doing. We collected lots of contact information to inform people of our journey.

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A Brief History of the Famous Dr. Daly:

Bernard Daly was known as a doctor, businessman, banker, rancher, state representative, state senator, county judge, and a regent of Oregon State Agricultural College (now known as Oregon State University). Daly was basically the hero of Lakeview during his time (1858–1920). He was responsible for the economic development of Lake County in the late 1800s both financially and politically. He is perhaps best remembered for his legacy of encouraging local students to go to college.

In his will he wrote:

It is my earnest desire to help, aid and assist worthy and ambitious young men and women of my beloved county of Lake, to acquire a good education, so that they may be better fitted and qualified to appreciate and help to preserve the laws and constitution of this free country, defend its flag, and by their conduct as good citizens reflect honor on Lake county and the state of Oregon.

The fact that his will specifically directed that Daly scholarships be granted to women as well as men was very progressive for that era.

Each year, approximately 40 graduates of Lake County high schools receive Daly scholarships. To date, well over two thousand students from Lakeview and other Lake County communities have used Bernard Daly’s generous scholarships to attend college.

*All information taken from Wikipedia – Feel free to add or subtract

-Kim

Hunger in the Homeland Hunger Tour 2 Kicks Off!

2010-06-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Monday afternoon we (Macadam, Kim and myself) waved goodbye to Corvallis and began our trek across America to spread hunger awareness. After 5 hours, 300 miles and one far too close for comfort encounter with a mule deer running across the highway, we finally arrived in Lakeview, Oregon.

Much more after the jump...

Lakeview is a small farming town on the border of Oregon and California. Lakeview's most prominent industry is cattle ranching, as evidenced by the miles upon miles of grazing land that surround the town. We are staying at the home of Jim and Dorothy Ogle, the grandparents of our group member Macadam. As one would expect in a town like Lakeview, they happen to own many acres of land populated by cattle moseying around in their herds. They have welcomed us into their home and have also cooked us delicious meals every morning and evening since we've been here. Jim Ogle is a man who has a little something to do with just about everything that goes on in Lakeview. He was city commissioner, he owns the grange hall and is a prominent member of the Lions Club. He has helped us find many ways to spread hunger awareness in and around Lakeview.

Tuesday we met with members of the local First Presbyterian Church who run a food pantry for the needy. They collect food and money from several organizations, including the Oregon State Food Bank and the local Foodshare organization. Every week they distribute the food to members of the community who are in dire need for help. We helped them set up their facilities in anticipation of their next food handout, which takes place Friday from 2 to 3:30 PM. We will be helping the church distribute the food on Friday.

We also met with administrators at Lakeview Hospital to discuss our involvement with the Dr. Daly Days Health Fair, which we will be working at all day Saturday. The health fair is an event to promote health and wellness in the Lakeview community and we will be working there to educate people on hunger issues and how to eat healthy foods when working with a limited budget or common food items from food banks. The fair begins at 10 AM Saturday morning and there will be lots of fun and educational events for people of all ages.

Today we are going to be helping out local ranchers on their farms so they can keep growing all that delicious food we all need to be fit and healthy. Hopefully none of us are taken out by stampeding cows.

-Alex Fulton

PS. We have a lot of photo's and pictures from the trip so far, but due to some technical snafu's (and a rogue dog) it's going to take a few day's to get them all online. They are coming though so keep checking in.

PPS. Internet connections are few and far between here in Lakeview, so anytime we can get online we will be posting new stuff.

OSU SIFE: First in the Nation Overall!

2010-05-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of our supporters over the last year. Our combined efforts have resulted in Oregon State SIFE to win the National Let's Can Hunger Challenge overall victory.

OSU SIFE is committed to helping solve food insecurity in America. We will continue to work with our local and national relief agencies to work to solve this growing problem.

Together We can CAN Hunger!

Working with Local Businesses To Solve Hunger

2010-03-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

This term we formed teams and set out to “can” hunger in Corvallis and the surrounding community, an intimidating task without a dynamite plan of action. Our group, the Hunger Smashers, put our heads together and developed an array of ideas.

Our goals: to spread awareness about hunger and to acquire canned food to donate to a local food bank. For our Hunger Awareness Campaign, we opted to go on the airways and door-to-door, sharing information about the project and what needs to be done to solve the hunger problem. Our very own Alex Crawford is a fabulous personality on the KBVR radio station and he had the opportunity to speak out on the subject. We also asked radio stations up in Portland to promote the exciting fundraiser we held in the area.

Going door-to-door, which unfortunately turned out to be an ineffective method of collecting cans, was the perfect opportunity to pass out flyers containing hunger information specific to the Corvallis area. We were able to reach almost 100 houses in one day. If we had more time, we would have liked to reach many more.

For our Hunger Drive, we collected bags of nonperishable foods from local residents and grocery stores and sold hot-dogs to raise money. The event in Portland was held at Otto’s Sausage Kitchen. The owners were kind enough to let us sell hot dogs in exchange for five cans of food. They also donated all their profits from the corner grill to the purchase of nonperishable items that we gave to the Portland Rescue Mission. It was an exciting day! We shared everything we knew with the community through flyers and word of mouth. We encountered tremendous support!

Another thing we did was to develop and send out a formal business email to a list of grocery stores in the Corvallis area. We included information about the Weatherford Business series and its mission, the importance of hunger awareness, and what they could do to help. All of the companies were excited about what we were doing and Fred Meyer and Safeway each donated $25 dollars worth of canned food.

Finally, we wrote and recorded two rap songs about hunger that we will be posting online in hopes of inspiring a younger group of powerful individuals to make a change. We are very proud of what we accomplished and are confident that the people we reached will continue to share what they’ve learned and donate to those in need!

- Casey

Teaching Middles School Students to Fight Hunger

2010-03-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

My BA 161 group and I woke up early before our classes on Friday, met at Bings and all piled into our teammates car. We were going to visit Linus Pauling Middle School where we were teaming up with their leadership class to hold a school wide food drive. We were a bit nervous and not sure how receptive this class of 8th graders would be to our presentation. At 9:50, the bell rang and we found ourselves standing in front of a classroom of about 25 students. The teacher explained to us, “They will listen more to what you have to say than to what I say”. We had their full attention. My team members and I gave an interactive presentation on hunger involving the students. We presented facts about hunger and asked them what they knew about hunger in their own community here in Corvallis. We got the kids excited and gave them a purpose for raising 1000 cans of food. That same day we helped the 8th graders make posters to put around their school announcing the food drive. The kids were really excited and kept coming up to us showing off their latest poster creation. Some of my team members worked with a group of kids who wanted to write out morning announcement so the whole school would be aware of the food drive. We brainstormed with the class on what to use for incentives. The kids had a snow cone machine in their classroom and decided that if you brought in 3 cans you would get a free snow cone.

My team left after the class period was over. We all had a feeling of accomplishment and excitement. We never guessed 8th graders would look up to us and be thrilled about doing a food drive! The current total of cans collected is 500 and we are half way through our fundraiser. We are finishing with a competition between the four grades to see who can bring in the most cans. This experience was great for my team members and for the Linus Pauling 8th graders. We got to play the role of teachers and mentors, and the kids got to feel good about making a difference in their community.

- Roberly