Community Research to Combat Hunger

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Background 3
II. Business Goals 5
III. Statement of Opportunity 8
IV. Research Methodology 11
V. Literature Review 15
VI. Situation Analysis 20
VII. Objectives 23
VIII. Key Audiences 25
IX. Key Messages 28
X. Strategies/Tactics 31
XI. Timeline 37
XII. Budget 39
XIII. Evaluation 47
Appendix A: Research 50
Appendix B: News Releases 78
Appendix C: Deliverables 96

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The Greater High Point Food Alliance is a group of concerned local volunteers and area leaders from all
walks of life who are focused on utilizing current community and nonprofit assets in order to address the
area’s hunger crisis, while developing strategies and community partnerships to end it. Reports indicate
that High Point is one of the nation’s top areas for “food hardship.”
The GHP Food Alliance executive board has been meeting regularly to create a plan for combating
hunger in Greater High Point and to develop a local Food Summit. The Alliance will work to empower,
unify and sustain the community.
Vision Statement: The GHP Food Alliance will create just and sustainable supplemental food systems for
Greater High Point by fostering unity, developing responsibility and empowering communities.
Mission Statement: The GHP Food Alliance will strive to coordinate and improve the effectiveness of
entities in Greater High Point focused on alleviating hunger by creating and executing citywide and
neighborhood-focused initiatives to develop more just and sustainable food systems.

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A. Increase awareness
Raising awareness is the first step in creating a reputable brand. Awareness is “knowledge or
perception of a situation or fact;” more importantly, it is concern and well-informed interest in a
particular situation or development. This definition applies to brand awareness as well. Brand
awareness is one of the most tools organizations can use to become successful. It has been proven
effective to help the public recognize, remember and engage with a brand (GKAR, 2013). Essentially,
brand awareness is the process of building a memorable name and reputation for an organization and
using it to let the target audience know about the organization’s vision and mission. An organization
can create a memorable brand through strategic marketing, advertising and public relations
campaigns. Brand awareness is important because it helps build trust among users and encourages
them to continuously use the product or service (GWAR, 2013). Community members must be
informed about the mission and vision of the Greater High Point Food Alliance in order for the
Alliance to achieve their goals. Awareness is especially critical to the work of a nonprofit entity
because it can help reach those in need and those with the means to donate as well as volunteers and
community leaders. Our first step toward raising awareness was the Food Summit, which involved
more than 300 community members as well as media coverage from throughout the Greater High
Point area. Those who attended the summit are now in the process of telling others about the work
that the GHP Food Alliance is doing, and word of mouth will carry the awareness from there.
B. Develop a positive reputation
The second business goal is for the GHP Food Alliance to focus on building a reputation that shows
how the Alliance has worked to create change. In order to earn a positive reputation, the GHP Food
Alliance must create positive verbal messages, action and references in order to yield better results
(Campbell, 2015). Building upon the awareness that the Alliance has raised, we must show that the
Alliance has been achieving their goals and fighting to end hunger. We have found that sometimes the
hardest part for those who suffer from food hardship is accepting help. Some people are embarrassed
to ask for help, which is a completely understandable situation (Aaker, Akutsu, 2009).By developing
a positive reputation for the Alliance, people will be more likely to view them as a trustworthy source
and will thus be more inclined to go to them for help. A positive reputation goes hand-in-hand with
increased awareness, and while we want as many people to know about the GHP Food Alliance as
possible, we want to make sure that those people first and foremost know of the good that the
Alliance has done. A positive reputation will also help when asking for donations or volunteers; a

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person is more likely to donate their time and money to an organization that they know is doing good
in the community than to one that has a bad reputation or no reputation at all. By showing what the
Alliance has already achieved and emphasizing the GHP Food Alliance’s commitment to ending
hunger in Greater High Point, we can create a positive reputation and reach the right audiences in
order to reach our goals.
C. Increase Community Involvement
An important message for the Alliance to share is that this is the Greater High Point community’s
hunger crisis, and we can only solve it as a community. We have strength in numbers, and when
locals ban together to volunteer, donate and provide their ideas, that is when we have the best chance
to end the hunger crisis. To that avail, we must use our increased awareness and positive reputation to
inspire people to become more involved with the Alliance. Without community participation, a
movement may never gain momentum or be accepted. The long-term effect of community
involvement has the potential to make a difference within a neighbor’s life, while creating lasting and
trusting relationships (Smarte.org, 2010). Community involvement can include nearly anything that
advances the goals of the Alliance, from those in need providing stories of what they have
experienced to people in a position to help donating time or money. Increased community
involvement will also help by continuing to spread the information and resources that the GHP Food
Alliance will produce in the future. Community involvement is important because it gives the
community the power to create change and help their neighbors who are in need. Increasing
community involvement gives the Alliance the best chance to help those in need and end the hunger
problem that affects so many of the citizens of Greater High Point (Butzer, 2015).

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The Greater High Point Food Alliance is a newly-formed organization that is focused on providing
resources to those in need and formulating new ideas to help end the hunger crisis in the Greater High
Point area. As a new organization, the GHP Food Alliance needs to position itself in the community in
order to raise awareness, build meaningful relationships and encourage people to volunteer so that lasting
change can be created. The goal of this campaign is to have the GHP Food Alliance start off on the right
foot in order to create a path that will lead to future success. This campaign will also begin to establish the
GHP Food Alliance as a reliable organization that can help foster change in the Greater High Point area.
Opportunities for GHP Food Alliance include:
1. The fact that there is a dire need for the organization in the community
High Point Enterprise articles have already sparked discussion
GHP Food Alliance has the ability to appeal to donors who have already thought of
helping with the food crisis
With a huge problem, there is a great opportunity to have large-scale success and help a
multitude of people
2. Ability to partner with pre-existing organizations, including:
Churches
Food pantries
Existing charities
Local businesses
Local media outlets
Awareness raised from the more than 300 attendees of the Food Summit will lead to an
ongoing discussion of the work that the GHP Food Alliance has done and will do.
To ensure success, the following people need to have a strong understanding of the campaign:
GHP Food Alliance Team:
Executive Committee
Other members of the Alliance

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Current and Potential:
Donors
Volunteers
Community members in need of help
Organizations in the Greater High Point area, including:
Churches
Food pantries
Existing food nonprofits
The goal of this campaign is to increase awareness of the GHP Food Alliance in order to establish a
positive relationship in the community and increase volunteers and donors for the organization. This
campaign will help the GHP Food Alliance establish itself as an integral part of the Greater High Point
community so that they will be able to create positive change.

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The Greater High Point Food Alliance wants to better understand how communities within food deserts
operate in the Greater High Point area, which includes High Point, N.C., Jamestown, N.C., Archdale,
N.C., and Trinity, N.C. Every community is different, and the GHP Food Alliance must understand their
needs in order to help. To achieve this understanding, GHP Food Alliance must employ several types of
primary and secondary research.
A. RESEARCH GOALS
1. Determine the levels of activity in response to and awareness of food insecurity and hunger in the
Greater High Point area.
Once the GHP Food Alliance is able to determine the base level of knowledge of the community
in a pre-test, it can tailor its tactics over the next year to best appeal to the largest possible
audience to increase the levels first of awareness, followed by increased action among community
members. Should the GHP Food Alliance keep its name in close proximity to these tactics,
awareness of the new organization will increase as well. Are community members aware of the
Alliance? Do they have positive, negative, or neutral opinions of the organization? How will the
different tactics of the Alliance affect the public opinion of the organization over the next year?
2. Find out who in the community is already involved in the fight against food insecurity in the
Greater High Point area and how they are helping.
Through research of organizations and programs in the area, the Greater High Point Food
Alliance can tailor its own strategies and tactics to better align with successful predecessors.
What programs are experiencing ongoing success? What tactics have failed in the past, and why
did they? Where are the greatest legal, financial and social challenges current organizations face?
Once these questions are answered, the Alliance will have a stronger foundation on which to
implement its own plans.
B. RESEARCH METHODS
For the purpose of achieving the above research goals, we will implement a combination of secondary
and primary research that will take place over the course of one calendar year. While the literature
review as outlined later in this Strategic Message Planner is complete, we encourage additional
secondary research as explained below to become an ongoing activity by the Alliance.

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1. Secondary Research
Initial secondary research is necessary to learn how other programs and organizations have
operated successfully in the past to determine positive strategies and tactics that have worked in
similar situations. How are similarly-styled alliances organized? What are their goals and mission
statements? We must look not only at examples in other states but also focus on key organizations
in North Carolina. Not only have example organizations within the state faced the same legal
barriers, but the geographic and economic situations will be most similar, especially with regard
to urban agriculture and community gardens.
The United States Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Census Bureau will also provide a
wealth of quantitative data about a number of useful topics. What are the legal definitions of key
terminology like “food desert,” “food insecurity,” and “food hardship?” What is the poverty
rating of North Carolina compared to the national average? What is the ethnic makeup of
different neighborhoods? The answers to these questions and many others can help provide a
foundation of statistical information from which several primary research questions may be
derived.
2. Primary Research
Annual Summit Survey. Due to the disproportionate availability of Internet access among the
communities, a paper survey is the best way to reach a wide range of publics for an awareness
analysis. This survey would ask questions regarding the participant’s knowledge of Greater High
Point’s crisis of food insecurity. What is a “food desert?” Where does the Greater High Point rank
nationally in food insecurity? Understanding a quantitative base knowledge of the community
will be incredibly helpful to the Alliance when planning long-term tactics. Demographic
information such as eating habits, volunteer and donation status and neighborhood makeup can
also be derived from the survey. Additionally, the survey will serve as one method to evaluate the
success of the Alliance in increasing awareness of the issue. While the Alliance is initially lacking
in funds and resources to conduct proper sampling surveys, the proposed Annual Food Summit is
an ideal event to conduct convenient sampling for an annual survey.
Pantry/Program Survey. Another survey will be distributed directly to the operators of local food
pantry and other hunger-targeting programs. Information gathered from these surveys will help
the Alliance understand the aggregate needs and business trends of the established organizations.

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When are the busiest months for food pantries? Are there communication challenges between the
pantry and the clients, and if so, what are they? What are the services the individual pantries
provide?
Think tanks and focus groups. Finally, the Alliance wants all parts of the community to be
engaged in the process of ending hunger in the Greater High Point area. This means that the
Alliance must also include the food insecure in its primary research. We suggest these groups
begin at the Annual Food Summit and continue to meet on a regular basis throughout the year.
Groups can be broken into the established categories of Urban Agriculture, Food Access,
Neighborhood Networks, Food Education, and Research, Policy, and Advocacy. Volunteer
participants of these think tanks can help direct the Alliance towards realistic goals. Where do the
food insecure currently get their food? What do these groups see as the biggest obstacles to
acquiring healthy food options? While the Pantry Survey will acquire information from the
perspective of the providers, focus groups will allow access into the world of the recipients.
Understanding both sides is key to implementing long-term tactics that are successful for all
involved. To maintain an open dialogue with the food insecure, the Alliance should host
additional focus groups at participating pantries throughout the year.

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It is evident that the United States is one of the most developed countries in the world. The U.S.
has an ability to provide equal opportunities for success to immigrants and citizens alike. However, there
is hidden problem that many Americans face; hunger. According to dosomething.org, one out of six
Americans is hungry or “food insecure” (DoSomething.org, 2014, para. 2). The USDA measures food
insecurity by a “lack of access, at times, to enough foods for all household members.” In 2011,
households with children reported significantly higher in food insecurity rates than households without
children at 20.6 percent compared to 12.2 percent (DoSomething.org, 2014, para. 3). One of the main
problems for the food insecure is that they reside in food deserts.
A food desert is defined as an urban neighborhood or rural town without ready access to fresh,
healthy and affordable food (USDA, “Food Deserts,” para. 1). Essentially, a food desert is a place where
citizens cannot regularly purchase nutritious food and instead depend on fast food and convenience stores
for food options. These areas are more than a quarter mile away from supermarkets and grocery stores
and are characterized by households at or below the poverty line without vehicle access (John Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health, “New, Improved Food Desert Map,” 2012, para. 3). The lack of
healthy food options in food deserts leads to higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and other serious health
complications. In fact, the death rate from diabetes is twice that of areas with access to grocery stores.
Minorities, especially African-Americans and Latinos, are especially vulnerable to living in food deserts.
Currently, more than 23.5 million people live in food deserts in the US, and more than half of those
people come from low-income households (USDA, “Food Deserts,” para. 2).
Of the several food summits that have been hosted throughout the country, only a few stand out
as being truly impactful. One of these successful summits was the 2014 Idaho Summit on Hunger and
Food Security: “Together Nourishing Idaho.” This event was Boise’s fifth anti-hunger summit and
attracted over 250 people from 22 counties, 49 Idaho cities, eight states and three tribal organizations
(2014 Idaho Summit Final Report, Conference Attendance section, para. 11). The summit’s keynote
speaker was Dr. Janey Thornton, Deputy Under Secretary for USDA Food, Nutrition, and Consumer
Services, Washington DC. The event focused its efforts through six workshops: Anti-hunger Advocacy,
Childhood Hunger, Blueprint to End Hunger, Local Food Systems, Multicultural Food Security and
Senior Hunger (2014 Idaho Summit Final Report, para. 12). In each workshop, participants brainstormed
a specific hunger issue, solutions, best practices and “next steps.” From the six workshops, some of the
priority initiatives included “increase awareness of and collaboration with small scale farmers by

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convening community partners”; “preserve cultural culinary traditions”; “remove Idaho sales tax”; and
“find and identify seniors suffering from hunger and implement nutrition programs.” Idaho’s 2014
Summit on Hunger and Food Security is an example of a successful food summit that attempted to
address a broad range of hunger issues and identified the necessary steps to achieve its goals (2014 Idaho
Summit Final Report, The Overall Top 6 Idaho Hunger Relief Priorities section, para. 18).
Other food summits took a more personal approach and found success by tailoring their solutions
to match the community’s individual issues. For example, The Voices of Hunger helped communities in
both India and Indiana (Dutta, Anaele, & Jones, 2013 p. 1). This summit addressed health disparities
through a culture-centered approach and used tactics that were successful in India in their own Indiana
communities. Through their research, they found that an effective way of touching donors’ hearts was to
take photographs of the people in need as they were working and going about their daily lives. This
proved that having a story about a real person or a real community works much better than merely
reciting statistics. This tactic also demonstrated that the people in need were trying to better their
situation, thus reducing the stigma associated with food insecurity. In Indiana, The Voices of Hunger
went a step further by creating focus groups in addition to using the pictures. This was a way for the
summit leaders to come up with business goals to support their overall mission. The organization
determined that successful food summits must address three major topics: eliminate stigma associated
with hunger, educate attendees on the quality of food versus quantity of food, and streamline logistics of
donations and organizations within the community (Dutta et al., 2013, p. 162-163).
The development of food co-ops is another solution to alleviating hunger in food deserts.
According to the Neighboring Food Cooperative Alliance (nfca.coop, 2014, para. 2), a food co-op is an
association of persons united to meet common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations
through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise. In other words, a food co-op is a food
pantry that provides fresh produce to those in need. Food cooperatives are usually consumers’
cooperatives where the decisions regarding the production and distribution of its food are chosen by its
members. They typically offer natural foods and require a some form of payment for their services
(nfca.coop, 2014, para. 2). There are a handful of food co-ops that exist near the Greater High Point area.
They include: Deep Roots Market Co-Op (Greensboro), Company Shops Market (Burlington), Good
Food Farms & Growers Market (Kernersville), Triad Farm to Table Cooperative (Winston-Salem) and
NC Food Co-Op (Hendersonville).

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Several food co-ops have successfully implemented programs to help reach the hungry. For
example, La Mesa Verde is a new program in Santa Clara County where organic vegetable gardens are
built at the homes of low-income families. Virtual Supermarket Project is a program that started in
Baltimore, Maryland, where residents can order their groceries on-line and pick them up from a local
library (Planning/Baltimore Food Policy Initiative, 2014, para. 1). Although not everyone has access to
the internet, residents can use the internet at the library. The program was funded by a grant from the
federal stimulus package. Another initiative in Massachusetts is attempting to fight childhood obesity in
low-income families. Physicians at three health centers in Massachusetts are promoting “prescription
produce” from local farmers’ markets by piloting a vegetable prescription project. To promote healthy
eating, they are providing coupons worth $1 a day for each member of a patient’s family with the goal of
increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables. The doctors will track their patients in terms of their
eating habits as well as monitor weight and body mass index. The nonprofit Ceiling and Visibility
Unlimited is sponsoring the clinics, while the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture and non-profit
Wholesome Wave both provided funding to begin this pilot program (wholesomewave.org, 2014, para.
1).
In Detroit, a traveling food truck named “Peaches & Greens” allows the food insecure to access
fresh food. Detroit’s limited public transportation makes it difficult for those without cars to get to
farmers markets or suburban stores, and decades of population decline — from 1.8 million in the 1950s to
half that now — have made most neighborhoods in the 138-square-mile city too sparse to support corner
produce stands. The truck, set up like a small market, brings affordable produce to families on public
assistance, homebound seniors and others who can’t reach the well-stocked grocery chains in the suburbs
five days a week (Grocery Truck Caters to Underserved Market, 2014, para. 5). Peaches & Greens has
community gardens, where volunteers grow greens, tomatoes and other vegetables to help stock the truck.
The food also is offered at a neighborhood produce market, and organizers hope to persuade liquor stores
and corner markets to stock their vegetables.

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Bibliography
11 Facts About Food Deserts. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2015, from
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11factsaboutfooddeserts.
2014 Idaho Summit on Hunger and Food Insecurity: “Together Nourishing Idaho,” 2014 Final Report. (n.d.).
Retrieved April 2, 2015, from
http://www.idahohunger.org/FINAL%202014%20HUNGER%20REPORT%202.pdf.
Beasley, M. (2014, January 22). Rethinking Santa Clara County's food system - Greenbelt Alliance. Retrieved April
2, 2015, from http://www.greenbelt.org/general/rethinking-santa-clara-food/
City of Baltimore. (2010, January 1). Planning / Baltimore Food Policy Initiative / Virtual Supermarket. Retrieved
April 2, 2015, from
http://archive.baltimorecity.gov/Government/AgenciesDepartments/Planning/BaltimoreFoodPolicyInitiativ
e/VirtualSupermarket.aspx
Dutta, M. J., Anaele, A., & Jones, C. (2013). Voices of Hunger: Addressing Health Disparities Through the Culture
Centered Approach. Journal Of Communication , 63 (1), 159180. doi:10.1111/jcom.12009.
Stories of Iowans Fighting Hunger. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.worldfoodprize.org/en/events/iowa_hunger_summit/the_iowa_hunger_directory/stories_of_iow
ans_fighting_hunger/.
Food Empowerment Project. (n.d.). Bringing Community Voices to the Table. Retrieved from
http://www.foodispower.org/documents/FEP_Report_web_final.pdf.
Harvest Thyme's NC Food Co-Op. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2015, from http://www.ncfoodcoop.com
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. (2012, March 5). New, Improved "Food Desert" Map. Retrieved
April 2, 2015, from http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-a-
livable-future/news-room/our-stories/2012/food_desert.html
TheGrio via AP. (2009, September 3). Grocery truck caters to underserved market. Retrieved April 2, 2015, from
http://thegrio.com/2009/09/03/grocery-truck-caters-to-underserved-market/
Triad Farm to Table Cooperative. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 2, 2015, from
http://www.triadfarm2table.com/about.html
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). (n.d.). Agricultural Marketing Service: Creating Access to
Healthy, Affordable Food - Food Deserts. Retrieved April 2, 2015, from
http://apps.ams.usda.gov/fooddeserts/fooddeserts.aspx
Wholesome Wave. (2014, January 1). Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program. Retrieved April 2, 2015, from
http://www.wholesomewave.org/our-initiatives/fruit-and-vegetable-prescription-program/

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Positive Negative
Internal
Strengths
• Reputable cause (BG 2)
• Mission and vision (BG 3)
• Dedicated team members (BG 3)
• Partnership with United Way (BG 3)
• Core competencies in key areas (BG 2)
• Group is campaigning on one key issue (BG 1)
• Committed and passionate community leaders
(BG 3)
• Use of volunteers to lower costs (BG 3)
• Giving power to people (BG 1, 3)
Weaknesses
• Lack of money (BG 3)
• Does not have long history in the community (BG
1, 3)
• Does not have a main office or contact
information (BG 1)
• Little social media presence (BG 1, 2)
• Lack of brand recognition (BG 1)
• Complexity of operations - team is large (BG 3)
• Seven large food deserts - big community to serve
(BG 3)
• Hunger cannot be fully eradicated (BG 2)
• Success heavily relies on donors and volunteers
(BG 3)
• Primary members have a “disconnect” with the
food deprived (BG 2)
• Core members have limited time to dedicate - full
time jobs (BG 3)
External
Opportunities
• Grants from a government or private agency
group (BG 3)
• Organization is a good community resource (BG
3)
• Participants are a captive audience for other
educational opportunities (BG 1, 3)
• HPE articles shed light on a new problem (BG 1,
2)
• Need for the program in the community (BG 3)
• Support from media and advocacy organizations
and donor agencies (BG 3)
• Chance to challenge and reshape stereotypes and
stigmata (BG 2)
• Alliances with other organizations, nonprofit
groups and commercial businesses (BG 3)
Threats
• Public charities are held to higher standard than
for-profit organizations (BG 2)
• Government restrictions/policies (BG 3)
• Public may be unclear on the parameters
of “Greater High Point” (BG 1)
• Sustainability problems due to lack of funding
(BG 2, 3)
• Lack of interest at the community level (BG 3)
• Weakening economy (BG 3)
• Public stigma about food insecurity (BG 2)
• Possible distrust toward Alliance among food
insecure (BG 2)
• Cultural, religious and language barriers among
food insecure (BG 2, 3)

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Strategic Implications
At this point, because the GHP Food Alliance is just beginning to reach out to the Greater High Point
community, one of the most important things for the Alliance members to do is to publicize their
mission and goals. In order to involve community members in the Alliance’s events and tactics, the
community needs to be made aware that the Alliance exists and is planning and executing tactics to
make a difference in the lives of food insecure people in Greater High Point.
Additionally, the Alliance needs to ensure that its message is being shared with all members of the
community, which will require a significant amount of public relations work. Many of the people that
the GHP Food Alliance is trying to reach do not have access to the most common forms of mass
media, so the Alliance needs to use other methods of outreach as well.
Educating the public about food quality vs. food quantity is very important in regard to increasing
community involvement. In many cases, the public is misinformed about what the food insecure
citizens really need to eat. In addition, the Alliance needs to work to reduce the stigma that is often
associated with hunger, as that stigma may prevent community members from becoming involved
with the Alliance.

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A. Attain 10 platinum level sponsors by the 2016 Food Summit
Because the GHP Food Alliance is such a new organization, very few sponsors in the community
have been secured so far. Over the next year, it is essential that the Alliance connects with leaders in
the community, which will primarily be accomplished through sponsorships. In addition to providing
the money and resources necessary to help the Alliance make a change, sponsorships (especially from
well-known and respected community establishments) serve as a vote of confidence in the Alliance,
which will help other community members to want to become involved.
B. Host one event per quarter
Events create a space for individuals to share ideas and stories that can then influence the GHP Food
Alliance in finding new ways to achieve their goals. By hosting events, the Alliance can continue to
foster relationships with community members and strengthen pre-existing partnerships. Hosting an
event every quarter will also keep the spotlight on the work the GHP Food Alliance is doing year-
round. Multiple yearly events will give people more opportunities to partner with the GHP Food
Alliance as well as continue to establish a positive relationship in the community.
C. Host a second Food Summit and increase attendance by 15 percent (300 to 345) by March 2016
The GHP Food Alliance plans to hold annual food summits to address new issues, continue the
community discussion, assess the effectiveness of programs, revise strategies and develop new
initiatives. The second summit will likely occur in the spring of 2016, and by this time, the alliance
will have had time to implement several tactics to alleviate hunger. Therefore, the GHP Food Alliance
should aim to increase attendance by 15 percent at the second Food Summit, as compared to the first.
D. Generate positive media coverage about the GHP Food Alliance with at least two stories a month for
nine months (May - January)
One of the biggest threats that the Food Alliance is facing right now is that people do not know it
exists and therefore can not become involved. In order to educate the community and increase
involvement of community members in GHP Food Alliance initiatives, it is vital that information
about the Alliance is released to the public.

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A. The food insecure
This target audience is by far the most important to the GHP Food Alliance. The Alliance wants to
help those in the area who are affected by hunger, and the only way to help them is if we reach out to
them. By targeting them, we can better inform them about food access, food education and new
techniques like urban agriculture. In addition by reaching out to them, we can also hear their stories
and learn from them to find the best practices for the GHP Food Alliance.
B. Churches
Greater High Point is home to approximately 40 churches, and many residents of High Point and the
surrounding towns regularly attend or lead church services. Because there are churches all over the
Greater High Point Area and the congregants come from a variety of backgrounds and socioeconomic
statuses, they are an ideal audience for involvement in a GHP Food Alliance campaign. The
congregants of the area’s churches include those community members who are in need of food
assistance as well as those who are able to help satisfy that need, and church congregations often
come together to serve their community.
C. Food Pantries
The Greater High Point Area has a vast number of food pantries. It is important to target these pre-
existing organizations to learn how they have gone about effectively helping the community.
Targeting these pantries will create meaningful relationships, which can lead to future success. By
uniting multiple organizations, the GHP Food Alliance can create partners with first hand experience
in helping those in need in their fight against hunger.
D. Local Businesses
In order to help raise awareness throughout the community, it can be very beneficial to have local
businesses as sponsors. The more reputable sponsors can help boost awareness and the positive
reputation as well as provide funding so that the GHP Food Alliance can continue its work.
E. Donors
In order to accomplish our third business goal, we need to target those with the means to give in order
to increase donations and encourage others to volunteer. When it comes to targeting those who can
give, we can segment the group even further by targeting those in certain age demographics.

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According to Forbes.com, the Baby Boomers (ages 51-69) are the people that donate the most money
to charity. If we can raise awareness to this group, we will hopefully be able to increase donations
later. It will also be important because people of this age have been working for many years, and
some are respected leaders in their fields. If these leaders hear about the GHP Food Alliance, they
might be persuaded to help more and possibly provide their business services to help.
F. Media
Media is all around us, and they provide some of the best ways to get the word out to the correct
audience. If we can successfully target members of the media, there is strong potential that they will
find the GHP Food Alliance important. Having the media run stories about the Alliance will help
increase awareness of the organization and build a positive reputation.

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A. The food insecure
A healthy meal can be made quickly and inexpensively and still taste delicious.
The GHP Food Alliance is trying to do more than just give food to people who need it. They want to
help by educating people on how to eat better and live a healthier life as well. This message will
appeal to those who need help but will also show the different kinds of help the GHP Food Alliance
can provide.
B. Churches
The parable goes, “Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and feed him for a
lifetime.” The GHP Food Alliance is trying to do just that: feed people for a lifetime. You can help us
empower, unify and sustain a community.
This message is targeted at the local church leaders and congregants in the Greater High Point area.
Churches frequently help those in need, and this message appeals to them by showing them that there
are neighbors and community members who need help and that they can create lasting change to a
problem that has been around forever. This message is to reiterate that the GHP Food Alliance is not
trying to impede upon the work local churches do, but merely partner with them in their efforts
against hunger.
C. Food Pantries
To help those in need, we must come together to create a relationship that fosters positive change by
discovering the practices that work best to help the maximum number of people.
This message is geared at the local food pantries in the area and shows that the GHP Food Alliance
needs their help to find the best possible solutions. We want to show that we are grateful for the work
that they do, but by partnering together, we can foster relationships that can truly change a
community.
D. Local Businesses
As a community, we must band together to help those in need.

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This key message is geared toward local businesses that are potential sponsors of the GHP Food
Alliance. Local businesses in the High Point area are very community-based and, a lot of places will
help if they believe it is for the good of the community. Here, the main goal is to make sure that we
address the fact that this issue affects everyone and not just those who are hungry. Here, we show that
the food problem goes beyond just hungry people, and hopefully this will inspire businesses to help
out. The more businesses that become sponsors, the more likely we are to increase our positive
reputation in the community.
E. Donors
Our city has been through so much, and even as we are back on the rise, we have been presented with
one of the biggest challenges High Point has ever seen. The food crisis in High Point revolves around
those in need of food but also those who are in need of more nutritious food. Please help the GHP
Food Alliance so that we can turn our city back around.
This message is targeted at those who have the means to give. As state above, those who are most
likely to give are the Baby Boomers, and if they have been here their entire lives, they have seen the
ups and downs of High Point. The city itself was once home to a thriving economy that had fallen on
hard times. Recently, the city is on the rise but it is important to let those with means to donate know
that there are many who are still struggling. This message will reach them and inspire them to help
out their city any way that they can.
F. Media
The Greater High Point Food Alliance is a group of local volunteers focused on utilizing current
community and nonprofit assets to address the hunger crisis in the Greater High Point area, while
developing strategies and community partnerships to end it. The Alliance will work to empower, unify
and sustain the community.
This message is directed at local news outlets and is the basic message of the GHP Food Alliance.
When appealing to the media, it is important to let them know the succinct description of the
organization and what they hope to accomplish. This message will inform the media exactly what the
GHP Food Alliance is about and hopefully convince them that the work they do is newsworthy.

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A. Attain 10 platinum level sponsors by the 2016 Food Summit
Strategy: Raise awareness of the GHP Food Alliance among local businesses and philanthropists in the
Greater High Point community.
Rationale: In order to fund events aimed at fighting food insecurity, the Greater High Point Food Alliance
must be able to raise money from the community. By sending out newsletters and press releases, the GHP
Food Alliance can raise the awareness of the growing issue in the area. Raising awareness and proving the
validity of the crisis will appeal to local businesses’ senses and make them more eager to help and willing
to get involved.
Tactics:
1. Through a quarterly newsletter, the Greater High Point Food Alliance will update the community
on the current food hardships in the area and the actions the Alliance members are taking against
it. Newsletters will contain the results of the previous quarter’s events, information about
upcoming functions and suggestions for ways in which the community can help and get involved.
2. Press releases will be sent to the High Point Enterprise approximately twice a month through
February 2016 in order to continue raising awareness about food insecurity in the Greater High
Point area along with the GHP Food Alliance’s proceedings. The press releases will reach a wide
range of publics and add legitimacy to the GHP Food Alliance’s cause and actions. By
continually seeing the works of the organization in the area’s primary newspaper, the community
will wish to participate and donate.
3. Once a week during the month of September, Hunger Awareness Month, the GHP Food Alliance
will host restaurant partnership nights. During these nights, 10 percent of the proceeds will go to
the GHP Food Alliance. By hosting these events, not only will the GHP Food Alliance raise
money, it will also form partnerships with local businesses and continue to publicize its cause in
the community.
B. Host one event per quarter
Strategy: Conduct basic outlines regarding what the events will entail. The GHP Food Alliance will
host one event per season. There will be one main event in the spring (the annual Food Summit) and
three minor events in the remaining seasons.

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Rationale: The events will serve as individual mini-campaigns directed from each of the three
business goals. Hunger awareness month will focus on increasing awareness (BG 1); winners from
“Can You Cook It?” will be establishing reputation (BG 2). Summer will include a community
involvement event (BG 3). The second annual Food Summit will work toward all three business
goals.
Tactics:
1. Fall: September is Hunger Awareness Month. There is an opportunity for the Greater High Point
Food Alliance to partner with leaders from the Washington Terrace Park, located at 101 Gordon
St. in High Point, to host an outdoor movie night. Washington Terrace Park is located directly in
a food desert. This being said, it provides a perfect opportunity for the Alliance to gain
recognition in this area. The movie is based on the book A Place at the Table, which motivated
the executive team members to create the first GHP Food Alliance Food Summit. The book
shares information about food insecurity and the life of a person as he struggles to find food.
Once the Alliance is in contact with the park staff, they will then need to contact the parks and
recreation department to set up the dates, equipment, park rangers/medical staff and coordinators.
The head of the park and recreation department is Victoria Garrett. Once there is confirmation of
a date, the Alliance will contact “Fun Flicks of North Carolina Outdoor Movie”
(http://www.funflicks.com). This company will be able to handle the screen, projector, audio,
power and insurance for the event. As with any event, park rangers and medical staff must be
present. There is a pool at the park, so there will need to be a lifeguard on duty as well. The
Alliance will need to locate janitorial services to assist with park clean up, along with a sanitation
outlet that can provide portable toilets. It would also be in the Alliance’s best interest to provide
concessions for the attendees. Some ideas include renting or borrowing a popcorn machine or
hiring food trucks. Food Truck vendors could also be potential sponsors. The sponsorship
coordinator is responsible for gaining event coverage and donor/sponsor recognition. The
sponsorship coordinator could also create a slideshow presentation with all the sponsors and
labels on it and have it running as people enter the event.
Once these steps are taken, the GHP Food Alliance must attain its Public Performance License.
Below are the three outlets for licensing:
Criterion Pictures: www.criterionpicusa.com - (800)-890-9494
Swank Motion Pictures Inc: www.swank.com - (800)-877-5577

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Motion Pictures Licensing Corporation (MPLC): www.mplc.com - (800)-462-8855.
After gaining licensing permission, the movie will be approved and then delivered no later than
two days before the event date.
Awareness of the event is a key tactic. A press release should be created and distributed prior to
the start of Hunger Awareness Month. Flyers must also be created and distributed to businesses,
churches and pantries that are in close proximity to the park. The flyer will have the date, location
and time of the event. The release and flyer should suggest that attendees bring blankets or lawn
chairs to sit on to view the movie. In addition, signage about the designated entrances, parking
and restrooms will be communicated.
2. Winter: In correlation with the GHP Food Alliance’s Can You Cook It? event held in the spring
of 2015, there will be a program in which four food insecure families receive a privately cooked
Christmas dinner in December. Four chefs from Can You Cook It? will be transported to the
winners’ homes, surprise the families and act as their personal chefs for the night. To alleviate
extended costs for transportation, all four dinners will be cooked on the same night. The GHP
Food Alliance will provide the food (meat, vegetables, bread, etc.) for each dinner. A media
advisory will be sent to Time Warner Cable and Fox 4 News in the month of December. The
news stations should profile each family, highlight their reactions to the surprise dinner and
include details of the meal. The purpose of this program is to enhance the GHP Food Alliance’s
reputation in the Greater High Point community.
3. Spring: The GHP Food Alliance will host its second annual Food Summit during spring 2016.
See Appendices for details.
4. Summer: The GHP Food Alliance will partner with the Post Office to develop a Post Office Food
Drive. The Alliance can create a flyer for the High Point University Campus Concierge that will
reach HPU students and faculty members. The flyer must include information about what types of
items to donate and the donation locations. Most of the donations will consist of toiletries and
non-perishable items that students no longer need at the end of the school year. Collection boxes
be placed in the dorms and student centers. A series of press releases informing the public about
the Food Drive and the GHP Food Alliance’s involvement in the Food Drive should be sent out
no later than two weeks prior to the event. The flyers will be handed out to local grocery stores

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and businesses that also want to get involved. A media advisory will be sent to local news stations
and community organizations to inform them about the food drive.
C. Host a second Food Summit and increase attendance by 15 percent (from 300 to 345) by March 2016
Strategy: Create partnerships with various groups in the community.
Rationale: The first summit was critical in raising awareness of the GHP Food Alliance among
community members in the area. To continue to spread awareness and increase community
involvement, it is essential for attendance to increase at next year’s food summit.
Tactics:
1. Press Releases
Through the distribution of press releases, GHP Food Alliance will be able to reach the five key
audiences (see section VIII). The press releases will provide educational information and
announcements about events that the GHP Food Alliance will host. These approximately bi-
monthly press releases will extend the audience outreach, increasing awareness of the Alliance to
further gain community participation in Alliance-sponsored programs and events. Media
coverage will generate a positive reputation for the Alliance through developing awareness.
2. Summit Surveys
The 2015 Summit Surveys created a strong starting point for the GHP Food Alliance’s primary
research. With 86 completed surveys, the GHP Food Alliance could determine base levels of
education, activism and lifestyle of participants. By distributing the same survey in 2016, the
GHP Food Alliance will be able to compare any increase or decrease in result percentages to
evaluate tactics they implement over the year with respect to the business goals outlined in
section II. For example, the GHP Food Alliance hopes to increase attendance by 15% at the 2016
Food Summit. Responses to questions in these surveys will help measure those results.
3. Pantry Profiles
A Food Pantry Profile is a vehicle for the GHP Food Alliance to gather information on local food
pantries in the Greater High Point area. The data retrieved will display the way that food pantries
operate, their volunteer- and payroll-based employment, where and how they gather their
donations and what each pantry’s greatest needs are.
4. Flyers in Church Bulletins

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With approximately 300 churches in Piedmont Triad area, distributing Church bulletins with
news of the GHP Food Alliance will provide an opportunity for the Alliance to target people who
are willing to volunteer. Many churches host food drives or have a food pantry program, which
makes it easier for the GHP Food Alliance to gain volunteers and participants to spread
awareness and build relationships across the Greater High Point area.
5. Neighborhood Network Meetings
The Neighborhood Network meetings will play a critical role in communicating with the food
insecure and establishing meaningful relationships with members of the community. The initial
meetings took place at the GHP Food Alliance’s Food Summit and were effective in attaining a
climate for the issue of hunger in High Point. Neighborhood Networks allow citizens to be
proactive and actively engage in initiatives to alleviate hunger in the area. These meetings will
continue to take place on a regular basis as a way to assess the needs of the community and
develop realistic solutions to specific hunger needs.
D. Generate positive media coverage about the GHP Food Alliance with at least two stories a month for
nine months (May - January)
Strategy: Communicate and partner with local media affiliates to increase the likelihood that stories
about GHP Food Alliance are placed.
Rationale: In order to achieve our previously mentioned objectives, media coverage is essential. The
GHP Food Alliance will be able to use the media coverage to gain volunteers, donors and general
community interest. Positive media coverage can translate into increased community involvement
and can garner awareness of food insecurity throughout the Greater High Point area.
Tactics:
1. Press releases have been written and scheduled for the GHP Food Alliance to send out to local
media affiliates. They will be sent out approximately twice a month over the course of the next
year. The topics relate to timely events, such as Hunger Awareness Month and the 2016 Food
Summit.
2. Social media will be used to reach the community with more frequency, as posts will be made
daily and with the voice of the GHP Food Alliance. Additionally, any media attention received by
local media outlets as a result from press releases can be posted and shared on the GHP Food
Alliance’s Facebook and Twitter profiles.

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Objective 1: Attain 10 platinum level sponsors by 2016 Food Summit.
Newsletter
Service/product Cost per "X" "X" required Total cost
Constant Contact (Email service) $20 per month 12 months $240
Design of Newsletter $20*
2 hours quarterly; 8
total $160
$400
Press Releases
Press Release 1 $20* 2 hours $40
$120
Restaurant Donation event
Written Letters $20* 2 hours $40
Press Release 4 $20* 2 Hours $40
Print Sponsorship Package .25 per page 500 pages colored $125
Package and Letter Distribution $20* 12 hours $240
$445
Total Objective 1 Cost
$965

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Objective 2: Create one event per quarter.
Press Releases
$160
Hunger Awareness Month Movie
Contact Park/Rangers $20* 1 hour $20
Contact Sanitation/Food Trucks $20* 4 hours $120
Screen Rental $799 1 $799
Popcorn Machine Rental $300 1 $300
Sponsorship PowerPoint $20* 3 hours $60
Public Viewing License $295 1 $295
Flyer Creation $20* 4 hours $80
Flyer Printing $0.21 per page 1500 pages $315
Flyer Distribution $20* 15 hours $300
Social Media post creation $20* 1 hour $20
Advertise at neighborhood meetings $20* 4 hours $80
$2,389

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Four Private Christmas Dinners
Chef Transportation $20* 4 hours $80
Chef Cost/Payment $100 4 chefs $400
Food costs $75 4 dinners $300
Media Advisory $20* 2 hours $40
$820
Food Summit #2
Tables and chairs rentals $1,650 1 $1,650
Tables and chairs setup $20* 8 hours $160
Tables and Chairs Takedown $20* 6 hours $120
Audio and Lights Rental $1,550 1 $1,550
Audio Setup Workers $150 per worker 2 workers $300
Sound Technician $300 per day 2 days $600
Summit posters $25 10 $250
Welcome Banner $60 1 $60
Miscellaneous costs (décor, pens, etc.) $400 1 $400
$5,090

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Post Office Food Drive
Flyer creation $20* 4 Hours $80
Media Advisory $20* 2 hours $40
$420
Total Objective 2 Costs
$8,879
Objective 3: Increase attendance by 15% at 2nd
Food Summit.
Press Releases
$80
Summit Surveys
Survey Creation $20* 3 hours $60
Print Costs $.06 per page 1200 pages $72
Survey distribution/Collection $20* 8 hours $160
Coding and results $20* 8 hours $160
Secondary Research $20* 15 hours $300
$752

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Pantry Profiles
Survey Creation $20* 3 hours $60
Print Costs $.07 per page 500 pages $35
Survey distribution/Collection $20* 15 hours $300
Coding and results $20* 8 hours $160
$555
Flyers in Church Bulletins
Flyer Creation $20* 3 hours $60
$360
Neighborhood Network Meetings
Press Releases 3 $20* 2 hours $40
Press Releases 4 $20* 2 hours $40
$80
$1,827

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Objective 4: Generate positive media coverage by having 2 stories per month for 9 months.
Press Releases
$160
Social Media
Post Creation $20* 2 hours $40
$40
$200
Overall Budget:
Objectives Final Costs
Objective 1 $965
Objective 2 $8,879
Objective 3 $1,827
Objective 4 $200
$11,871

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In conclusion, this yearlong campaign will cost an estimated $11,871. Costs were determined by the
market value of products or services provided. Items priced with a * are estimations of the hourly cost of
a freelance “Public Relations specialist”. Finally, over the course of this semester, the HPU
communications class provided an estimated $1,000 worth of services with the material contained in this
package. If we include the time spent designing, discussing and planning both in and out of class, then
cost of services provided for the entire semester would be approximately $20,000.

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This campaign was created so that the GHP Food Alliance can reach its main objectives through the
tactics provided here. In order to evaluate the success of this campaign, there will be two evaluations
conducted throughout the year. The first will be conducted at this point in time and include the successes
reached from the 2015 Food Summit. The second evaluation will be conducted in February and will focus
on the four measurable objectives from this campaign. To evaluate the success of this campaign we must
consider the following:
First Evaluation (January - May)
During the first months of this campaign, we provided the GHP Food Alliance with valuable materials to
help establish their position in the community and raise awareness for the March 2015 Food Summit. We
distributed press releases, media advisories, brochures and flyers throughout the community in order to
reach as many people as we could to get them to the Food Summit. We welcomed more than 300 guests
from throughout the Greater High Point area, and they were able to provide the GHP Food Alliance with
valuable information and ideas. In order to keep in touch with those who attended, we collected contact
information from every attendee and we also created comment cards to analyze the effectiveness of the
Food Summit. Surveys were administered on a voluntary basis to the Food Summit attendees, and the
data received will help to show what changes need to occur in the community. The first few months were
very successful for this campaign, and the Food Summit was a huge factor in this success.

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Second Evaluation (June - March)
In order to measure success of the next nine months, the GHP Food Alliance will need to determine how
well each objective was reached as events occur. To achieve the first objective (reaching 10 platinum
level sponsors for the 2016 Food Summit), we recommend increasing your donor and giving campaigns
to target local business in the community. Measuring the effectiveness of hosting one event per quarter
will be based upon what you are trying to achieve with each event. The effectiveness of the second
objective will be based upon the individual success of each event. We can measure the success of the
2016 Food Summit by seeing how many people attend and how many more people attended than last
year. Continuing media coverage for the next six months can be measured by how many times the GHP
Food Alliance is mentioned by local media. These strategies can be used by the GHP Food Alliance in the
future to see how effective they are in the implementation of their objectives.

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APPENDIX A: Research
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Outline - 2015 Survey Process 51
II. Template - 2015 Survey 52
III. Analysis of Results - 2015 Survey 57
IV. Suggestions - 2016 Survey 61
V. Template - 2016 Survey 62
VI. Pantry Profile Rationale 67
VII. Template - Pantry Profiles 68

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I. Outline - 2015 Survey Process
- Conduct secondary research (see Literature Review)
- Develop primary survey questions based on the above research
- Narrow questions down to 24-question paper survey
- Create an informational consent form to pair with survey
- Create codebook for later data analysis
- Apply for approval from Institutional Review Board (IRB)
- Upon receiving approval, print and prepare survey packets
- Distribute survey packets to all who attended GHP Food Alliance 2015 Food Summit
- College surveys during the Summit
- Input surveys to numeric data on Microsoft Excel following codebook
- Convert Excel data into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software data
- Analyze results by using different features of SPSS and filter statistically significant data
- Write up analysis of significant results
- Make changes to next year’s survey based on this year’s survey limitations

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-
II. Template - 2015 Survey
1. Are you a permanent resident of Greater High Point, or are you living here temporarily (staying
no longer than 6 months)?
• I am a permanent resident
• I am here temporarily
2. How long have you been a resident of Greater High Point?
• Less than 6 months
• 6-11 months
• 1 - 5 years
• More than 5 years
3. What is your zip code?
____________________________________________________________________
4. How far do you live from a grocery store or supermarket that sells fresh produce?
• .5 mile or less
• .6 to 2 miles
• 2.1 - 5 miles
• More than 5 miles
5. How often do you eat fresh fruit or vegetables?
• Less than once a week
• Once a week
• Two to three times a week
• Four to six times a week
• Daily
6. Does your household have regular/reliable access to a vehicle?
• Yes

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• No
• Other (please specify) _______________________________________________
7. Where do you think Greater High Point ranks nationwide in terms of hunger?
• Top 5th percentile
• Bottom 50th percentile
8. Do you know what a food desert is?
• Yes (please describe) _______________________________________________
• No
• Maybe (please describe) ____________________________________________
9. How many food deserts do you think exist in the Greater High Point area?
• None
• 1 or 2
• 3 or 4
• 5 or 6
• 7 or more
10. Do you believe that you or any of your neighbors are food insecure?
• Yes
• No
• Unsure
11. Have you ever donated food to a local food pantry?
• Yes (which organization?) __________________________________________
• No
• Unsure
12. If yes, what type of food do you donate?

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• Canned food
• Grains (flour, rice, oats, pastas, etc)
• Perishable produce (fruits and vegetables)
• Other (please specify)
13. Have you received assistance from a food pantry or similar organization in the last 6 months?
• Yes
• No
• Unsure
14. Have you ever volunteered at an organization dedicated to assisting the food insecure?
• Yes
• No
15. If yes, which organizations?
____________________________________________________________________
16. Before attending this Summit, had you ever heard of the Greater High Point Food Alliance?
• Yes
• No
• Unsure
17. How do you access your local news?
• High Point Enterprise (online)
• High Point Enterprise (newspaper)
• Local TV news stations (please specify) _________________________________
• Another local newspaper _____________________________________________
• I do not access local news information
18. Did you read the series on hunger in the High Point Enterprise last Fall?
• Yes
• No

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19. My yearly household income is…
• Less than $10,000/yr
• $10,001 to $14,999/yr
• $15,000 to $24,999/yr
• $25,000 to $34,999/yr
• $35,000 to 49,999/yr
• $50,000 to $74,999/yr
• $75,000 to $99,999/yr
• $100,000/yr or more
20. What is your gender?
• Male
• Female
• Prefer not to answer
21. What is the highest level of schooling you have completed?
• 8th grade or lower
• Some high school
• High School or GED
• Some College
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's degree or higher
22. What is your age?
• 18 - 24 years old
• 65 or older
23. What is your native language?

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• English
• Spanish
• Hindi and related
• French
• Chinese, Vietnamese, or other Southeast Asian
• Arabic
• Other _______________________________________________________________
24. What is your religious preference?
• Protestant
• Roman Catholic
• Mormon
• Seventh-Day Adventist
• Muslim
• Jewish
• Atheist/Agnostic

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III. Analysis of 2015 Survey
This report summarizes key findings from a survey distributed at the Greater High Point Food
Alliance’s 2015 Food Summit on March 20 and 21. The survey was in paper format and consisted of 24
general information questions related to hunger in the area. The purpose of the survey was to gain a
baseline for the Alliance’s business goals to increase awareness and community involvement, and to
gather additional primary demographic data. The survey results are broken down into three categories:
education, activism and lifestyle/living situation.
Demographics
A total of 86 respondents completed the survey. The gender breakdown was fairly close to equal, with
60 percent female respondents and 40 percent male. The majority of participants were older adults,
with 63 percent indicating that they were 50 years old or older. Overall, 30 percent were 65 or older.
Respondents came from 16 zip codes representing 9 different cities/towns. The most popular residential
areas were North High Point (25 percent), Central High Point (24 percent) and South High Point (13
percent). Several respondents also lived in Greensboro (13 percent) or other parts of the Triad such as
Winston-Salem (7 percent). A small percentage indicated that they were from the Greater High Point
areas of Jamestown (1 percent) and Archdale (2 percent). Overall, most of the respondents were
permanent residents of Greater High Point, with 72 percent indicating that they have lived in the area
for more than 5 years.
Figure 1. Respondents represented 16 zip codes from 9 different cities or townships.
Education
Respondents were asked to provide information about their level of education. The majority of South
High Point residents had only received a high school diploma or GED (63.2 percent), making it the
least educated area out of the represented cities/towns. Central High Point had a higher percentage of

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residents with college/associates degrees (45 percent) and Bachelor’s degrees or higher (40 percent).
North High Point also had a more educated representation, with 54.5 percent stating they had a
Bachelor’s degree or higher. Greensboro residents were the most educated, with 90.0 percent indicating
that they had a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
Table 1
What is the highest level of schooling you have completed?
High School or
GED or lower
Some College or
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
or higher
South High Point 63.2% 21.1% 15.8%
Central High Point 15.0% 45.0% 40.0%
North High Point 18.2% 27.3% 54.5%
Archdale 50.0% 0.0% 50.0%
Jamestown 0.0% 100.0% 0.0%
Greensboro 0.0% 9.1% 90.9%
Other 0.0% 33.3% 66.7%
The survey also assessed how much participants knew about hunger in High Point.
Respondents were asked if they knew what a food desert is and to identify how many food deserts
existed in Greater High Point. The majority of North High Point residents knew what a food desert is
(63.6 percent), as well as Greensboro residents (72.7 percent). Fifty-seven percent of South High Point
respondents indicated that they might know what a food desert is, while 28.6 percent of Central High
Point residents stating they did not know at all. Based on the data, it can be concluded that level of
education strongly correlates to amount of knowledge about hunger in High Point.
Business Goal 1: Increase Awareness
As stated earlier, one of the purposes of the Summit survey was to provide a reference point for the
goal to increase awareness about the GHP Food Alliance. When asked whether they had heard about
the GHP Food Alliance prior to attending the Food Summit, 48.8 percent stated that they had heard
about the organization, 50 percent had not, and 1.2 percent were unsure. These results indicate that the
GHP Food Alliance did not have a strong presence in the local High Point community before the Food
Summit, and they must continue to be proactive in their efforts to increase awareness among residents.
Business Goal 2: Increase Community Involvement
Another goal that needed assessment was community involvement. This goal involves increasing the
number of people advocating for the hungry through volunteerism and donations. 53.1 percent of
respondents indicated that they had volunteered at some point. The survey also asked if participants had
ever donated to a local food pantry, and an overwhelming 81.9 percent responded that they currently

59
donate or have done so in the past. This data supports the notion that many residents are already active
in the community and are willing to support ending hunger in High Point. The next steps will be to
determine where people volunteer/donate, what types of food items they donate and how frequently
they provide assistance.
Lifestyle/Living Situation
The final category of survey results is lifestyle, which plays a significant role in the data’s
implications. The questions from this category focused on food assistance, food insecurity and financial
conditions. Respondents were asked whether they had received assistance from a food pantry or similar
organization in the past six months. More than a quarter (30%) stated that they had received some form
of food assistance. When asked if they believe that they or any of their neighbors are food insecure,
38.37 percent of respondents indicated that they were insecure, 27.91 percent were unsure, and 26.74
said no. Taking a closer look at the data and breaking down these percentages by neighborhood, the
connection between food insecurity and location becomes more evident. Of participants from South
High Point, an area with lower education levels, 52.63 percent identified themselves and/or their
neighbors as food insecure. Greensboro and Central High Point followed, with 44.44 percent and 40
percent of respondents identifying as food insecure. Greensboro also had the highest percentage of
people who did not consider themselves or neighbors food insecure at 55.56 percent.
Figure 2. South High Point respondents indicated the highest percentage of food insecurity.
Household income was another lifestyle question that offers reliable insight into High Point’s
hunger issue. When asked their yearly household income, 71.43 percent of South High Point residents
indicated that they made less than $25,000, compared to 31.58 percent of Central High Point and 27.27
percent of North High Point residents. Only 14.29 percent of South High Point residents stated they
made between $25,000 to $49,000; 31.58 percent for Central High Point; 36.36 percent for North High
Point; and 22.22 percent for Greensboro. 14.29 percent of South High Point residents indicated earning

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more than $50,000 per year, compared to 36.84 percent for Central High Point, 36.36 percent for North
High Point, a high 77.78 percent for Greensboro, and 83.33 percent for residents of other areas. Based
on the results, the poorest neighborhoods are South and Central High Point, while the most affluent are
Greensboro and other areas. This data only confirms the belief that there is a strong correlation that
exists between income and food insecurity.
Figure 3. South High Point respondents also indicated the highest percentage with average household
income below $25,000/yr.
Respondents were also asked to describe how far they lived from a grocery store that sells fresh
produce and how often they ate fresh fruits and vegetables. For South High Point residents, 42.9
percent indicated they lived more than two miles from a grocery store, compared to only 23.8 percent
of Central High Point residents and 18.2 percent of North High Point residents. The data also shows
that the closer to North High Point one lives, the closer in proximity they are to a grocery store, too.
Additionally, more than 90 percent of Greensboro respondents stated that they lived less than two miles
from a grocery store, compared to only 33.3 percent of residents from other areas. When asked how
often they eat fresh food, 43.5 percent chose ‘daily’; 17.6 percent stated ‘four to six times a week’; 18.8
percent said ‘two to three times a week’; 11.8 percent said ‘once a week’; and 8.2 percent stated ‘less
than once a week.’
Limitations
There are a few limitations to note in the survey that are reflected in the data. The first is that
the survey was conducted using a convenient sample. There is the possibility that the ‘education’
related questions might be skewed due to the large majority of higher-educated Greensboro residents.
Other demographic limitations exist, as well. Non-native English speakers, non-Protestant religions and
Hispanic and European minorities are not represented in the survey. Furthermore, no race/ethnicity
demographic information was collected. Finally, 15 percent of respondents did not provide their zip
codes, so they were not included in the area-based crosstabs.

61
IV. Suggestions for 2016 Survey
- Suggested amendments (see 2016 survey template):
- Add race/ethnicity
- Remove time-sensitive questions
- Seek council from Dr. Martin Kifer (mkifer@highpoint.edu) and Mr. Brian McDonald
(bmcdonal@highpoint.edu), Director and Associate Director of the Survey Research
Center, High Point University, for further adjustments BEFORE distribution
- Repeat the distribution and collection processes from 2015 Food Summit
- Set a goal to have 30 percent more participants than 2015 (300 to 345)
- Partner with the HPU Survey Research Center to assist with high quality data analysis
- Compare results from 2015 with 2016 to measure significant changes
- Yearly analysis of these summit surveys will develop useful trend data for the Alliance

62
V. Template - 2016 Survey
1. Are you a permanent resident of Greater High Point, or are you living here temporarily (staying
no longer than 6 months)?
• I am a permanent resident
• I am here temporarily
2. How long have you been a resident of Greater High Point?
• Less than 6 months
• 6-11 months
• 1 - 5 years
• More than 5 years
3. What is your zip code?
____________________________________________________________________
4. How far do you live from a grocery store or supermarket that sells fresh produce?
• .5 mile or less
• .6 to 2 miles
• 2.1 - 5 miles
• More than 5 miles
5. How often do you eat fresh fruit or vegetables?
• Less than once a week
• Once a week
• Two to three times a week
• Four to six times a week
• Daily
6. Does your household have regular/reliable access to a vehicle?
• Yes

63
• No
7. Where do you think Greater High Point ranks nationwide in terms of hunger?
• Bottom 50th percentile
8. Do you know what a food desert is?
• Yes (please describe) _______________________________________________
• No
• Maybe (please describe) ____________________________________________
9. How many food deserts do you think exist in the Greater High Point area?
• None
• 1 or 2
• 3 or 4
• 5 or 6
• 7 or more
10. Do you believe that you or any of your neighbors are food insecure?
• Yes
• No
• Unsure
11. Have you ever donated food to a local food pantry?
• Yes (which organization?) __________________________________________
• No
• Unsure
12. If yes, what type of food do you donate?
• Canned food

64
• Grains (flour, rice, oats, pastas, etc)
• Perishable produce (fruits and vegetables)
• Other (please specify) _____________________________________________
13. Have you received assistance from a food pantry or similar organization in the last 6 months?
• Yes
• No
• Unsure
14. Have you ever volunteered at an organization dedicated to assisting the food insecure?
• Yes
• No
15. If yes, which organizations?
____________________________________________________________________
16. Before attending this Summit, had you ever heard of the Greater High Point Food Alliance?
• Yes
• No
• Unsure
17. How do you access your local news?
• High Point Enterprise (online)
• High Point Enterprise (newspaper)
• Local TV news stations (please specify) _________________________________
• Another local newspaper _____________________________________________
• I do not access local news information
19. My yearly household income is…
• Less than $10,000/yr
• $10,001 to $14,999/yr
• $15,000 to $24,999/yr

65
• $25,000 to $34,999/yr
• $35,000 to 49,999/yr
• $50,000 to $74,999/yr
• $75,000 to $99,999/yr
• $100,000/yr or more
20. What is your gender?
• Male
• Female
• Prefer not to answer
21. What is the highest level of schooling you have completed?
• 8th grade or lower
• Some high school
• High School or GED
• Some College
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's degree or higher
22. What is your age?
• 65 or older
23. What is your native language?
• English
• Spanish
• French

66
• Arabic
• Other _______________________________________________________________
24. What is your race/ethnicity?
• American Indian or Alaska Native
• Asian
• Black/African American
• Hispanic or Latino
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
• White/Caucasian
• Other ____________________________________________________________
24. What is your religious preference?
• Protestant (incl. Baptist, Methodist, etc.)
• Roman Catholic
• Mormon
• Seventh-Day Adventist
• Muslim
• Jewish
• Atheist/Agnostic

67
VI. Pantry Profile Rationale
Who: GHP Food Alliance should use these profiles for all pantries or similar organizations that service
the food insecure in the Greater High Point Area.
What: A Food Pantry Profile is a vehicle for the GHP Food Alliance to gather information about local
food pantries in the Greater High Point area. The data retrieved will display how food pantries operate,
their volunteer percentage, where and how they gather their donations and what each pantry’s greatest
needs are.
When: There are approximately 40 food pantries in the Greater High Point Area, and it is vital for the
GHP Food Alliance to understand the barriers these pantries face so it can tailor its tactics to meet the
pantries’ needs. It is our suggestion that representatives from the Alliance provide these profiles to
operations managers at the pantries when they begin to establish relationships with these pantries. These
profiles can also be distributed on a yearly basis to measure changes in operations, client demographics
and pantry needs.
Why: Food Pantry Profiles will provide vital information for the GHP Food Alliance to accomplish their
mission. Food pantries are the direct contact with the food insecure. In an effort to relieve the hunger
crisis in High Point, the GHP Food Alliance must fully understand both the successes and obstacles that
food pantries face. By understanding what is needed, the GHP Food Alliance will be able to maintain a
positive relationship between all food pantries and successfully spread awareness of the Alliance among
providers in the area.
Suggestions to Succeed: In order to get full participation from all food pantries, the GHP Food Alliance
must remain persistent in their efforts to collect completed profiles. The Alliance must also stress the
importance of the data collected. The profiles will provide insight on what can be improved, how to
contact those in need, and the best way to gain volunteers to accomplish their goal.

68
VII. Pantry Profile Survey - Template
Thank you for completing this survey! As an operating manager of your food pantry, please answer
the following questions to the best of your ability.
You do NOT have to answer every question, but the more information you provide, the easier it will
be for the GHP Food Alliance to better tailor its business goals to meet your needs.
1. What is the name of your pantry/organization?
________________________________________________________________________
2. What is your pantry/organization’s zip code? ________________________________________
3. Please indicate the days of the week your pantry/organization is open (mark all that apply).
• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday
• Saturday
• Sunday
4. At what time of day do you normally open?
• 6:00 a.m. or earlier
• Between 6:01 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
• Between 8:01 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
• 10:01 a.m. or later
5. At what time of day do you normally close?
• 3:00 p.m. or earlier
• Between 3:01 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
• 7:01 p.m. or later

69
6. What time of day do you normally see the most traffic?
• 8:00 a.m. or earlier
• Between 8:01 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
• 6:01 p.m. or later
7. Which days of the week do you see the most traffic?
• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday
• Saturday
• Sunday
8. Where do you receive the majority of your financial assistance? (select all that apply)
• Individual donations
• Religious organizations or nonprofits
• Government-run organizations or nonprofits
• Secular, non-government organizations or nonprofits
• Other ______________________________________________________________________
9. Where do you receive the majority of your food products? (select all that apply)
• Individual donations
• Religious organizations or nonprofits
• Government-run organizations or nonprofits
• Secular, non-government organizations or nonprofits
• Other ______________________________________________________________________
10. Have you ever received food from the Second Harvest Food Bank? If yes, how often?
• I have never utilized the Second Harvest Food Bank

70
• I have received IRREGULAR ASSISTANCE from Second Harvest Food Bank
• I have received food ONCE from Second Harvest Food Bank
• I receive food WEEKLY from Second Harvest Food Bank
• I receive food MONTHLY from Second Harvest Food Bank
11. Are your workers paid or do they work on a volunteer basis?
• My workers are on PAYROLL
• My workers are VOLUNTEERS
• My workers are a MIX of paid and voluntary status
• Other _____________________________________________________________________
12. How many Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) employees work at your pantry/organization on a weekly
basis? (ex: 4 part-time employees working 10 hours/wk each = 1 FTE)
• 1 FTE
• 2 FTE
• 3 FTE
• 4 FTE
• 5 or more FTE
13. Has your pantry/organization run out of food at least once in the last 6 months?
• Yes
• No
14. If yes, how many times? _______________________________________________________
15. Has your pantry/organization ever had to turn people away?
• Yes
• No
16. If yes, why? (select all that apply)
• Ran out of food
• Not enough employees to process demands
• We had already closed business for the day

71
• Our pantry/organization did not have authorization to distribute to a person (ex. the person/s
were not from our district)
• Other ______________________________________________________________________
17. Does your pantry/organization offer perishable products like fresh produce?
Note: this does NOT include CANNED or FROZEN fruits or vegetables
• Yes
• No
• Sometimes (please explain) _____________________________________________________
18. Does your pantry/organization offer a delivery program for those in need who do not have
reliable access to transportation?
• Yes (please explain) ___________________________________________________________
• No
• Sometimes (please explain) _____________________________________________________
19. Has your pantry/organization ever supported or sponsored a self-sustaining program such as a
community garden?
• Yes
• No, but we would be interested in participating/sponsoring one
• No, and we would NOT be interested in participating/sponsoring one
20. Have you ever found communication with clients difficult due to language or cultural barriers?
• Language barriers
• Cultural barriers
• Both language and cultural barriers
• These are not issues of communication at our location
21. Is there at least one employee/volunteer at your location that fluently speaks a second
language?
• Yes (what language?) ________________________________________________________
• No

72
22. How would you describe the race/ethnicity of your clients? Mark all that apply.
• White/Caucasian
• African-American
• European refugees
• Hispanic/Latino
• Asian
• Other (please describe) ________________________________________________________
23. About how many native languages would you say are represented in your client base?
• 1 or 2 languages
• 3 to 5 languages
• 6 or more languages
24. Which native languages are the most common in your client base? Mark all that apply.
• English
• Spanish
• French
• Arabic
• Other ______________________________________________________________________
25. Has someone ever turned down your services due to dietary restrictions? (ex. cannot eat pork
products)
• Yes
• No
26. If yes, what products have been turned down? _____________________________________
27. What is the age demographic of your typical client?
• Children (17 yrs or younger)
• Young Adults (18 - 34 yrs old)
• Adults (35 - 64 yrs old)

73
• Seniors (65 yrs or older)
28. Does your pantry/organization service families or individuals?
• Mostly families
• Mostly individuals
• Both
29. Before being asked to complete this survey, had you heard of the Greater High Point Food
Alliance?
• Yes
• No
30. Please tell us what you believe are the greatest challenges your pantry/organization faces (no
more than 2 sentences)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
31. If you have any additional comments for the Greater High Point Food Alliance, please provide
them here.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

78
APPENDIX B: Press Releases
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. (Released Feb 2015): GHP Food Alliance Food Summit Release 79
2. (Released Feb 2015): GHP Food Alliance Food Summit Media Advisory 80
3. (Released Feb 2015): GHP Food Alliance Fact Sheet 81
4. May 1: High Blood Pressure Education Month 82
5. May 15: Think Tanks 83
6. May 30: Language Barrier in GHP 84
7. June 15: Existing Food Education Programs 85
8. July 15: Food Drive Education 86
9. July 30: Food Access Program Challenges 87
10. August 15: Hunger Awareness Month (1) 88
11. September 1: Hunger Awareness Month (2) 89
12. October 1: New Growing Season 90
13. November 15: Burns Hill Transportation Needs 91
14. December 15: 2016 Food Summit (1) 92
15. December 30: 2016 Food Summit (2) 93
16. January 15: 2016 Food Summit (3) 94
17. February 15: Nutrition Information Resource 95

79
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Feb. XX, 2015 John Marsicano
Media Relations
631-707-6426
marsij10@highpoint.edu
Greater High Point Food Alliance to hold inaugural Food Summit
HIGH POINT, N.C., Feb. XX, 2015– The Greater High Point Food Alliance will hold its inaugural Food
Summit on Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21. The event will take place at the former JC Penney location in
the Oak Hollow Mall in High Point, N.C. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, March 20 and is free of charge
to all attendees. The event will be open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday and from 4:00 p.m. to
6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to all attendees on Friday, while heavy hors d’ouevres
will be provided to attendees on Saturday evening. Community members are encouraged to attend the Friday lunch
and Saturday reception in particular.
“We strongly encourage all High Point, Archdale, Trinity and Jamestown community leaders and residents to
attend,” said GHPFA Executive Team Member Rev. Carl Vierling. “We need feedback from everyone. What
problems does your neighborhood face? What assets does your neighborhood have?”
The Food Summit will feature a variety of group meetings and activities designed to engage and educate
members of the Greater High Point community through panel discussions, neighborhood workshops and seminars.
Prior to Friday morning’s registration, attendees will be able to access the itinerary and other Food Summit
information on the GHPFA website.
“Through the GHPFA Food Summit, we want to empower the community, gather input from the community
and cultivate unity within the community,” said Vierling. “With this Food Summit, we have a golden opportunity to
unite people who need help with people who can and are willing to do so.”
###
The Greater High Point Food Alliance is a group of local volunteers focused on utilizing current community and
nonprofit assets to address the hunger crisis in the Greater High Point area, while developing strategies and
community partnerships to end it. The Alliance will work to empower, unify and sustain the community.

80
Media Advisory
Feb. XX, 2015 Conor Brown
Media Relations
301-661-3689
brow2110@highpoint.edu
Greater High Point Food Alliance to host first ever Food Summit
What: The Greater High Point Food Alliance will host a Food Summit in order to help build relationships of mutual
trust and respect throughout the community. The Alliance is working to create a common vision and alleviate the
hunger problem in Greater High Point, and the Food Summit will allow the GHPFA to build upon these
relationships in an attempt to examine the best practices and enlist the support of the community.
Who: The GHPFA is a group of concerned local volunteers and area leaders who are focused on utilizing current
community and nonprofit assets in order to address the area’s hunger crisis.
Where: The event will be held in the former JC Penney at Oak Hollow Mall, which is located at 921 Eastchester
Drive, High Point, NC, 27262.
When: The event will take place on March 20 and 21. On Friday, March 20, the Food Summit will welcome visitors
from throughout the community starting at 8 a.m. with a complimentary breakfast, followed by registration from
9:00 to 11:15 a.m. After registration, there will be neighborhood network meetings for those interested in helping
neighborhoods combat hunger. Following the meetings, there will be panel discussions as well as a provided lunch,
which will begin at noon. After lunch, visitors will separate into three team meetings focusing on food access, food
education and urban agriculture. Topics covered in the team meetings will include access to food pantries, access to
hot meals and access to mobile and backpack meal programs as well as gardening tips and techniques. On March 21,
a reception will be held at 4:30 p.m. during which the executive team will present their plan and welcome a guest
speaker. Visitors can also expect to receive complimentary hors d’oeuvres at the reception.
Why: Reports indicate that High Point is one of the nation’s top areas for “food hardship.” The GHPFA is a group
of local leaders from all walks of life that have come together to address this disconcerting news and find ways to
help combat it. The Food Summit is the first event that the GHPFA is using to connect service providers, those in
need and civic organizations. These partnerships will help the Alliance discover the best possible ways to reduce the
hunger epidemic.

81
Fact Sheet
Feb. XX, 2015 Conor Brown
Media Relations
301-661-3689
brow2110@highpoint.edu
Greater High Point Food Alliance preparing for action
What: The Greater High Point Food Alliance is identifying new strategies and partnerships to address the area’s
food crisis. The GHPFA executive team has been meeting weekly to create a plan for combating hunger in Greater
High Point and to develop a local Food Summit.
Who: The GHPFA is a group of concerned local volunteers and area leaders who are focused on utilizing current
community and nonprofit assets in order to address the area’s hunger crisis.
Vision Statement: The GHPFA will create just and sustainable supplemental food systems for Greater
High Point by fostering unity, developing responsibility and empowering communities.
Mission Statement: The GHPFA will strive to coordinate and improve the effectiveness of entities in
Greater High Point focused on alleviating hunger by creating and executing citywide and neighborhood-
focused initiatives to develop more just and sustainable food systems.
Where: The Food Summit will be held in the former JC Penney building at Oak Hollow Mall. Oak Hollow Mall is
located at 921 Eastchester Drive, High Point, NC, 27262.
When: The event will take place on March 20 and 21. On Friday, March 20, the Food Summit will welcome visitors
from throughout the community starting at 8 a.m. with a complimentary breakfast, followed by registration from
9:00 to 11:15 a.m. After registration, there will be neighborhood network meetings for those interested in helping
neighborhoods combat hunger. Following the meetings, there will be panel discussions as well as a provided lunch,
which will begin at noon. After lunch, visitors will separate into three team meetings focusing on food access, food
education and urban agriculture. Topics covered in the team meetings will include access to food pantries, access to
hot meals and access to mobile and backpack meal programs as well as gardening tips and techniques. On March 21,
a reception will be held at 4:30 p.m. where the executive team will present their plan and welcome a guest speaker.
Visitors can also expect to receive complimentary hors d’oeuvres at the reception.
Why: Reports indicate that High Point is one of the nation’s top areas for “food hardship.” The GHPFA is a group
of local leaders from all walks of life that has come together to address this disconcerting news and find ways to
help combat it.

82
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
May 1, 2015 Insert contact name
Insert contact title
Insert contact phone number
Insert contact email
Communities come together during National High Blood Pressure Education Month
HIGH POINT, N.C., May 1, 2015, – May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month. According to the
United States Department of Agriculture, there is clear link between the food environment that people live in and
health-related issues. There is a disproportionate number of people who suffer from health problems, such as
hypertension, diabetes and obesity, who live in food deserts, as compared to those who have access to fresh produce
daily.
The USDA identifies a food desert as a low-income community in which residents live more than a mile
away from a place where fresh produce is sold. The Greensboro-High Point metropolitan area ranks second in the
nation for food hardship, which means that just a small portion of the Greater High Point community has access to
fresh produce.
The Greater High Point Food Alliance is an information hub for the food insecure in the Greater High Point
area. The Alliance is working closely with residents and leaders from the Burns Hill Neighborhood Association, The
Washington Street District and West End Neighborhood Association to alleviate food and nutrition-related health
issues in the Greater High Point community.
The Alliance believes community involvement, combined with educational resources, is a key component
in the solution to dietary-related health issues like high blood pressure.
###

83
NEWS RELEASE
EMBARGO: FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Food Alliance actively empowers community to end hunger crisis
HIGH POINT, N.C., May 15, 2015– Following its inaugural Food Summit, the Greater High Point Food Alliance is
continuing to engage the community in its efforts to end the local hunger crisis. In an effort to streamline community
engagement, the Alliance has developed a series of research-based “think tank” teams to target the opportunities
identified at the Food Summit. These teams will focus on food education, urban agriculture, transportation, and
community culture and dietary needs. In addition, food access volunteers have been working on a database for food
pantries while offering educational workshops and information sessions to pantry staff and volunteers.
“The best practice out there is trying to think bigger than the typical programs of backpack meals and food
pantries,” said High Point University’s Rev. Dr. Joe Blosser, an executive team member. “We need to start talking
about a just and sustainable food system from the ground to the plate and ask ourselves how are we helping people
access healthy food. Part of it is also trying to expand urban agriculture with community gardens and food parks and
working with social entrepreneurs,” he added.
The Greater High Point Food Alliance has a variety of unique educational programs planned to empower and
unite the community. These programs include cooking classes, garden creations, food bank carpools and mobile
meal marketplaces, among others.
“Through the Food Summit and within the community, we’ve established that we’re going to do something,”
said Greater High Point Food Alliance Executive Team Member Matt Thiel. “Now we need to demonstrate that
we’ve done something to alleviate hunger and start to show the results.”
###

84
NEWS RELEASE
EMBARGO: FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Greater High Point Food Alliance works to overcome local language barrier
HIGH POINT, N.C., May 30, 2015 – The Greater High Point area (High Point, Trinity, Jamestown and Archdale) is
home to residents who speak more than 100 different languages. The Greater High Point Food Alliance views local
diversity as an opportunity to connect and learn from one another.
The GHP Food Alliance is committed to finding a solution to language barriers that may impede residents
dealing with food insecurity from accessing the resources available to them. Currently, residents unable to read or
speak English face a number of difficulties when seeking help, which impacts the community’s ability to attack the
hunger crisis. The Food Alliance is working to find ways to overcome this obstacle and implement alternative
solutions, such as creating multilingual flyers and locating multilingual volunteers for its next food summit.
“Hunger is a complex issue and there are no simple answers. We need input and output from all community
members, not just English speakers, to alleviate hunger,” said Carl Vierling, a member of the GHP Food Alliance
executive team.
###

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