What Were We Tasked To Do?
With many students at Old Dominion University unaware of the food pantries and the resources available for students and faculty who are food insecure, our team were tasked to figure out solutions and create a campaign on how to bring awareness and decrease the stigma of food insecurity on ODU’s campus!
Challenges We Have Faced
With COVID-19 halting our normal routines, our team had to come together and figure out how to accomodate to the challenges we are facing. We have made minimal changes to our campaign except the fact we could not host certain events during the 2020 Spring Semester. With that said, any of our tactics and events presented in our campaign will be moved to the 2020 Fall Semester!
Worldwide Statistics
Afterseeingtheresultsofasurvey administeredbytheDeanof StudentsOffice,itconnected heavilywiththeothersurveysand infographicsexplaininghowmany foodinsecurestudentsthereareat othercollegesaroundthenation. Themainissueis,30%ofcollege studentsinAmericaarefood insecureaccordingtotheCollege andUniversityFoodBank Alliance.
Thediagramrepresents 86,000studentsfrom123 twoyearandfouryear Universities.The
Infographicdisplays
Theintersectionsof foodinsecurityand Housinginsecurity
Amongststudents
Aroundthecountry.
Theresultsarequite alarming.
Students across the nation are suffering from food insecurity but how does food insecurity specifically affect Old Dominion students and their staff?
In 2019, the Dean of Students office administered a survey to ODU undergraduates to measure the food insecurity issue. With 773 responses back, the number of food insecure students were alarmingly high. 57% of students claimed to be food insecure and often were not sure if their money would last them long enough until their next meal.
❖
Resources ODU Offers
● The Dean of Students office
● Ignite Pantry
● ODU Food Connect push notification services
● Meal Swipe Donation Program
● Big Blue’s Closet
Even with these several active efforts to combat the issue, 67% of Old Dominion University students are still not aware of the campus resources that are available.
Our Objectives to Combat This Issue
1st Objective: Spark more awareness of Old Dominion’s seven facilities and programs that help students and staff who are affected by food insecurity.
2ndObjective: Decrease the stigma of students and faculty who are food insecure and are going to the food pantries on campus.
Tactic #1: Create Instagram and Twitter Accounts for the Food Insecurity Committee!
❖ Beneficial to all participants; Students, Faculty, Food Pantries, and Food Insecurity Committee.
❖ Use as a hub to share information about Food Insecurity and promote related events.
❖ Social Media Analytics- allows the committee to become more knowledgeable about how many people are engaging with the resources that they offer
Twitter - @FEED_ODU #FeedODU #MonarchsEat
Instagram - @FEED_ODU
Tactic #2: Connect With On-Campus Student Organizations!
❖ Organizations: Greek Life, Success Without Limitations, Public Relation
Student Society of America.
❖ Receive earned and shared media; give the issue of Food Insecurity more recognition at Old Dominion University.
Bagged Lunch Giveaway (Fall 2020)
What?: During Activity Hour and pass out brown paper bag lunches to students. Bags will contain Food Pantry items, flyers listed with the Food Pantries around campus, and QR codes with direct download link to ODU Food Connect
With?: Partner with Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
Why?: Create a face to face experience with our target audience.
Tactic #3: Have a Webpage on ODU’s Website!
❖ Include news releases of events held, highlight Food Pantry workers, stories of students/faculty that use food pantries and other services
❖ Link Social Media Accounts
❖ Share information about the services offered on/off campus (Dean of Students Office, Ignite Pantry, etc.)
Tactic #4: Create a YouTube Video!
❖ Raise awareness but also decrease the stigma of Food Insecurity.
❖ The video presents one-on-one interviews with Monarchs who are food insecure.
❖ Students/Faculty will tell their story of how the food pantries are helpful in their day to day lives.
❖ YouTube video will feature an interview with Samantha Palmucci, chair of the Food Insecurity Committee.
❖ Share this video on YouTube and other Social Media platforms; increase the reach of our message to the students of Old Dominion, prospective students and parents.
Lets lower the statistics!
ByspreadingawarenessofprogramsofferedatOldDominionanderasingthe stigmabehindbeingfoodinsecure,ourcampaigncanlowerthestatisticsoffood insecurityamongstudentsatOldDominion.
