Secretary Vilsack , Central College Fight Hunger through MLK Day Program January 26 , 2016
Secretary Vilsack , Central College Fight Hunger through MLK Day Program January 26 , 2016
“ Our tiny ripples of hope today , added to all the others , can reduce hunger and malnutrition . We like to think that change happens dramatically . In reality , change happens by people doing the right thing one day at a time .” – Secretary Tom Vilsack
Secretary
of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined students and volunteers at Central College to package over 7,000 meals for the hungry this Martin Luther King Jr . Day . The Secretary ’ s remarks emphasized how continuous acts of service by ordinary people make the United States a great nation . Meals were distributed to hungry Iowans through partnerships with community food pantries Central Iowa Shelter and Services , and Jasper County Veterans Affairs .
The meal packaging was part of an annual MLK Day of service at Central College , which also included a lecture by Diane Dillon-Ridgley , renowned environmentalist and human rights advocate , who emphasized the interconnectedness of environmental , economic and social justice in the thought and legacy of Dr . Martin Luther King , Jr .
Planning for the day of service began in November and included a diversity of partners . The Central College Center for Community-Based Learning , Office of Intercultural Student Life , and Office of Global Sustainability Education collaborated to organize and host the day of service . The Outreach Program provided training and materials for the meal packaging event , which was funded by a grant from Iowa Campus Compact .
The organizers emphasize the following keys to success :
Work with partners . For this event , we relied a great deal on Outreach since we hadn ’ t done this particular kind of service project before . We are always indebted to National Service programs in our state : For this project at least five AmeriCorps VISTAs played crucial roles in planning and / or facilitation , and many other AmeriCorps members volunteered that day . Iowa Campus Compact is a wonderful partner for colleges and universities who want to be involved with community .
Value community voice : We believe it ’ s best practice to allow community members to define their own need . In this case , we knew from our relationships with community partners who work with food security that community members need convenient , healthy meals . For food security initiatives as well as other endeavors , we work with partners who have ongoing relationships with those who will ultimately be receiving the food or other outcome of service . A collaborative approach meets community needs and also helps students understand that expertise resides in the community as well as in the classroom .
Make your project accessible : Make sure you hold the event in a facility that ’ s accessible for everyone . If you ’ re serving refreshments , make sure you include food that fits a variety of dietary needs .
For more information about the event or to explore collaboration with Central College , please contact Ms . Cheri Doane at 515-628-5332 or doanec @ central . edu .
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