Rural Hunger Solutions

This book was made possible by the
generous support of CoBank.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
“
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CASE STUDIES
LOY FARM PARTNERSHIP
GROOV
GOLDEN BEAR PACKS
COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT
GREEN GOODIES
LUNCH BUDDY PROGRAM
THE MOBILE PANTRY
REFERENCES
4
5-6
7
9-36
9
13
17
21
25
29
33
37-38

“
INTRODUCTION
At The Campus Kitchens Project, we empower student volunteers across the country to recover one
million pounds of food each year that would otherwise have gone to waste, and transform this food
into nutritious, balanced meals for food insecure Americans. Since our founding in 2001, we have led
the national movement against food waste and hunger, and we’re just getting started.
Our student leaders know that all too often the “bread baskets” of America, the rural communities that
grow our nation’s food supply, are disproportionately affected by hunger. There are unique challenges
in these communities, such as transportation, access and infrastructure, that present a significant
challenge to traditional food distribution models. While traditional models simply build more new
warehouses and stack them sky-high with shelf-stable products, we know there is a more sustainable
solution. In each of these communities, there already exists a school campus, with state of the art
commercial kitchen space sitting dark in the evenings and on weekends, excess food, and eager student
volunteers. By re-envisioning these resources in a new way, we can help rural Americans do what they
do best: put lean, grassroots solutions to work for their own communities.
One of the most powerful testaments to our work is our partnership with CoBank. Their focus on rural
hunger, like ours, relies not only on the provision of nutritious meals today, but also on the creation
of new and innovative programs that address the underlying root causes of hunger, from isolation to
access, to break this cycle for good.
Over the past two years, together with CoBank we have issued grants to some of the nation’s leading
universities to pilot long-term programmatic solutions that address the problem of hunger in rural
areas. In addition, CoBank has made a significant investment in helping more rural high schools,
colleges and universities bring a Campus Kitchen to their school. In this report, we present the most
promising innovations created in partnership with student leaders, universities and local service
organizations, that we believe can be replicated in communities across the country to address rural
hunger at its source.
On behalf of our university partners, student volunteers, and the food insecure Americans we serve,
we’d like to thank CoBank for their leadership, support and unwavering focus on addressing rural
hunger by empowering the next generation through service.
Laura Toscano
Director, The Campus Kitchens Project
4

BACKGROUND
Rural Hunger
The Scale of the Issue
Poverty in rural America is a critical issue that demands our attention. Over eight million
people in rural areas live below the federal poverty level (1), and 46% of people in
families with single mothers living in rural areas are poor, compared with only 27% in
the suburbs (2). The issue is magnified in the rural South, which has consistently had the
highest rate of poverty – 23%, compared to 17% of all rural areas (3).
Poverty goes hand in hand with food insecurity. In the United States, 3.3 million rural
families are food insecure, representing 17% of rural households (4). Rural areas also
make up a disproportionate share of counties with the highest rates of food insecurity: of
counties in the top ten percent for food insecurity, 54% are rural even though rural areas
only make up 43% of all counties. This divide is even more striking for children, with rural
counties accounting for 62% of those with the highest rates of childhood food insecurity.
By comparison, metropolitan areas account for only 13% (5).
Contributing Factors
Rural areas make up America’s "bread basket," yet the abundance of fresh products that
supply our food system does not always make its way into the hands of local consumers.
Residents of rural counties have fewer food options than urbanites with only 14% the
number of chain supermarkets, and fewer food retailers of any type (6). There are 418
rural counties considered to be “food deserts,” where all county residents live at least ten
miles from the nearest supermarket, representing 20% of all rural counties (7). In some
areas this challenge is particularly pronounced: in the Mississippi Delta, 70% of families
eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program must travel at least 30 miles
to get to a supermarket (8). Rural consumers who must resort to smaller local stores are
confronted with a more limited food selection at higher prices (9).
The lack of nearby, affordable options is compounded by economic challenges and the
lack of public infrastructure in rural areas. Unemployment and underemployment are
higher, jobs are concentrated in low-wage industries, education levels are lower, and
there are fewer support services available, such as public transportation (10). Forty
percent of rural counties do not provide public transportation, and in the 28% that do,
service is limited (11).
RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
5

“
Health Consequences
Poor access to supermarkets has lasting effects on the health and well-being of rural communities.
Decreased access to supermarkets and increased reliance on convenience stores results in diets
that are less healthy, and in higher rates of obesity (12). Overall, rural residents eat fewer healthy
foods like fruits and vegetables when compared to residents of urban and suburban areas (13).
In rural areas the prevalence of obesity is 39.6% (compared to 33.4% in urban areas), and is still
higher when controlling for diet, exercise and demographics (14). This trend persists among
children living in rural communities, who are more overweight and have higher rates of obesity
than urban children (15).
Increasing Access to Healthy Foods
Fortunately, students at colleges and universities across rural America are rising to the challenge,
and creating replicable solutions to increase food access for food insecure individuals in their
communities.
The following toolkits demonstrate the power of harnessing the nation’s institutions of higher
education as a “test kitchen” for innovative and sustainable solutions through service. We
encourage other programs to use these best practices as a guide that can be adopted in other
communities to continue the process of bridging gaps in food access among our most vulnerable
populations. No one solution or program will end food insecurity, but by working together we have
an incredible opportunity to learn from each other and experience the power of communities to
solve these seemingly intractable problems.
6

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This toolkit of rural hunger solutions is made possible by a partnership between
The Campus Kitchens Project and CoBank. Find other resources to address the root
causes of hunger or learn how to start a Campus Kitchen in your community at www.
campuskitchens.org.
The Campus Kitchens Project
Founded in 2001, The Campus Kitchens Project is a national nonprofit organization that
empowers student volunteers to create sustainable solutions to hunger and food waste
in their community. On university and high school campuses across the country, students
transform unused food from dining halls, grocery stores, restaurants, and farmers
markets into meals that are delivered to local agencies serving those in need. By taking
the initiative to run a community kitchen, students develop entrepreneurial and
leadership skills, along with a commitment to serve their community, that they will carry
with them into future careers. Each Campus Kitchen goes beyond meals by using food as
a tool to promote poverty solutions, implement garden initiatives, participate in
nutrition education, and convene food policy events. To learn more about The Campus
Kitchens Project, visit www.campuskitchens.org.
CoBank
CoBank is a $126 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America.
The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to
agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states.
The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm
Credit associations serving farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states
around the country.
CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and
retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture,
rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado,
CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also
maintains an international representative office in Singapore.
For more information about CoBank, visit the bank's web site at www.cobank.com.
RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
7

PROGRAM
DESIGN
Partners
In 2000, Elon University purchased Loy Farm. The Campus Kitchen at Elon University
(CKELON) uses the farm fresh produce that is harvested to prepare 240 meals each week
for clients at Allied Churches and the Alamance County Community Services Agency,
enhancing the nutritional content of the clients’ meals. Student leaders and program
volunteers are able to learn about the harvesting cycle and Loy Farm hosts educational
workshops. CKELON delivers grocery bags with additional produce to their client agency
partners and leads nutrition presentations at their community partner sites. This
intervention increases food access, improves nutrition literacy, reinforces the importance
of eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and provides tangible skills to improve community
nutrition through healthy lifestyle choices.
Community-Based Solution
In the state of North Carolina, nearly two million people are food insecure.
Rural Alamance County is home to over 43,000 people, 17.9% of whom
are food insecure. This number skyrockets in children: 27% of the county’s
children are food insecure. In this county, grocery store access is a barrier
to obtaining healthy food, with on average only 1.6 grocery stores per
10,000 residents. The county struggles with negative health outcomes from
the food environment with diabetes and obesity rates at 9.9% and 28.8%
respectively.
The Issue
RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
9

GETTING STARTED
Begin to connect with people on campus who might be interested in working
with you to develop a campus farm or garden. Look into working with academic
departments such as environmental studies, public health, nutrition, and
agriculture.
Have a discussion with your community partners to see how their needs can be
met through the development of the community garden or farm.
Form a committee and brainstorm where the farm or garden will be, the
logistics of operating the farm, and potential funding resources. Research
possible external grants. There are a number of grants surrounding community
garden development available.
Reach out to The Campus Kitchens Project to see what insights or resources
they might be able to provide during the process. They also have internal
grants you can apply for.
Utilize your committee to draft a proposal to present to your institution’s
administration.
Think about and decide on the roles and responsibilities for maintaining the
community garden or farm.
Include highlights from your discussion with community partners in your
proposal. Emphasize how this will address the community’s needs.
Present your proposal to administrators after you have thoroughly planned the
logistics of running the community garden or farm, identified available funds,
and gathered supporters. Take their feedback and revise the proposal.
Determine how you will evaluate your program and design evaulation tools.
Implement your plan, which you have carefully designed with community input
to be successful!
KEEPING IT RUNNING
Set up monthly check-in meetings to ensure that things are going well and
correct any potential challenges.
15.7%
FOOD INSECURITY
RATE
17.9%
POVERTY RATE
ELON
UNIVERSITY
ALAMANCE
COUNTY,
NC
Step by Step Implementation
10

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
11
MEASURING
SUCCESS
Communication is key: There are a lot of different important players in this program and
communicating with them on a regular basis is essential to developing and maintaining a
relationship. When building a partnership, it is important to be cognizant of everyone’s needs
and wants. For example, the faculty need to be sure that their students are learning key academic
content; CKELON and volunteers are interested in harvesting healthy produce that can be used
in preparing nutritious meals. It’s important to work together to find commonalities and support
one another’s needs. CKELON is able to help the farm staff by establishing work days out at the
farm so that volunteers can help with general farm maintenance in addition to harvesting, and
have helped fund projects on the farm that would not have been able to happen otherwise. In
turn, Loy Farm staff help plan out how much produce is needed and what types of produce can
be used in cooking shifts.
Publicity is important: In the summer of 2015, Loy Farm was on the cover of the Elon Magazine.
The article highlighted CKELON and has been bringing in great energy to the farm and
consequently has opened up bigger conversations, including increasing the size of the farm from
1 to 5 acres. An increase in the size of the farm would allow for more community members to
have access to free fresh produce.
Turnover is a challenge: Staff change frequently in higher education and non-profits. Make sure
you have a plan to maintain continuity in relationships between your team and other partners
because it takes time to develop rapport. People are less invested when they do not know the
people they are working with, and rebuilding relationships takes time.
Lessons Learned
“
“Loy Farm and the Campus Kitchen are a great match. Loy Farm provides an outlet
for food grown as a result of course work, and student service volunteers with
the Campus Kitchen distribute both cooked and fresh food to individuals and
families in the local communities. The close synchronization of production and
community needs means more effective community nutritional engagement and
an opportunity for students to learn in subject areas, manage multiple “agencies”
and serve their neighbors.
- STEVE MOORE, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES LECTURER,
ELON UNIVERSITY

“
“
It is really important to eat healthy. I learned that you can eat fruits and
vegetables instead of taking a vitamin pill/medication; they can help
with asthma, cancer prevention, sleeping, etc. It is better to eat foods in
season. I love meat but I’m going to start eating vegetables and fruits.
- SENIOR CLIENT
Knowing that sometimes the only meal someone gets a day is from us,
we’re mindful and conscious about fresh produce, wellness and health
benefits.
- JAN BOWMAN, PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF ALLIED CHURCHES
Impact
95%
of students participating
have an increased
understanding of food
insecurity and food
waste
89%
of senior workshop
participants have a
better understanding of
the benefits of eating
local food
Outcomes
3,098
pounds of produce
harvested
40
workshop participants
66
healthy meals
delivered weekly
612
average number of
clients served each
month
Outputs
ResultsinYearOne
10
12

PROGRAM
DESIGN
Partners
The Campus Kitchen at Minnesota State University Mankato (CKMNSU) is committed to
transforming the food system in their rural community. Through the GROOV program they have
built two community gardens to augment fresh vegetables in the meals they distribute in the
community.OnegardenislocatedontheuniversitycampusandtheotherindowntownMankato.
The raised beds stand at four feet tall, the perfect height to lean on while weeding and chatting
with neighbors who stop by. The container gardens span the length of two community homes,
gathering the attention of residents as well as passersby. Plants quite literally spill over the edge
of the gardens, an effect that allows more growing space, easier access, and an aesthetic of
virility and bounty. Having a community garden in these locations not only provides fresh food
for the meals CKMNSU delivers, but also encourages community among the people who live in
the neighborhoods where the gardens are planted.
While the state of Minnesota saw only 11.2% of the population living below the
poverty level in 2012, the town of Mankato is disproportionately affected by
poverty, with 26% of the population below the poverty line. Poverty is connected
to negative health outcomes and creates a need for creative solutions and
interventions in the food system. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has
indicated that in the surrounding Blue Earth County, 68% of adults and 23% of
middle and high school students were overweight or obese in 2013.
The Issue
GARDENING RURAL OUTREACH
OPPORTUNITY VOLUNTEERS
(GROOV)
RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
13

GETTING STARTED
Hire a fellow or recruit dedicated volunteers who will support the garden
development.
Work with community partners to create a planning team and identify garden
sites.
Meet with partners to plan out the garden timeline, including an installation
date. Identify any fundraising needs or donation sources, such as local
hardware stores.
Design a community assessment tool to gauge baseline community nutrition
attitudes and behaviors.
Identify who will receive garden produce and how it can be incorporated into
community meal programs.
Have the soil tested to ensure safety and determine if augmentation is
necessary.
Meet with your nearest agricultural extension office to discuss plant types and
how they will fit into culinary and nutrition education classes.
Confirm garden designs with partners who own or operate the properties at
the garden sites.
Purchase and assemble materials for the gardens.
Schedule a volunteer day to build the gardens.
KEEPING IT RUNNING
Develop a volunteer schedule for planting, watering, weeding and harvesting.
Once the garden is producing, schedule produce delivery and incorporate
into meal planning.
Create materials to share in the community meal distribution or community
events to make people aware of the program.
Organize nutrition education programs for children or adults at partner sites.
Survey participants to learn about their changing habits as a result of the
program.
12.3%
FOOD INSECURITY
RATE
17.9%
POVERTY RATE
MINNESOTA
STATE
UNIVERSITY
MANKATO
BLUE EARTH
COUNTY, MN
14

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
MEASURING
SUCCESS
Planning: set your goals in the beginning of your season so that you have an objective that
every team member is aware of. Grow what your gardens can sustain, and research what
is suitable for your climate and growing conditions, as well as what grows best in container
gardens vs. in the ground. Make sure to grow produce items that will be useful for your meal
service or grocery bag delivery program.
Leadership: Build your team and delegate projects to involve student leaders in every step of
the program. Have transparent leadership roles, be clear and concise, and share your plans
with your team members. Everyone brings valuable assets to the table and we can achieve so
much more if we use them!
Communication: Conduct outreach on and off campus to build relationships with programs,like
afterschool programs and HungerU. Working with many people requires organization and
articulation of plans, including a transparent program and business model so that all partners
are on the same page and working towards the same short and long-term goals.
Lessons Learned
GROOV started as a student initiative to support the Campus Kitchen
Garden. Some students happen to enjoy gardening, and what better way
to ‘get your hands dirty’ than to support the Campus Kitchen?
- KAREN ANDERSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,
MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO
GARDENING RURAL OUTREACH
OPPORTUNITY VOLUNTEERS
(GROOV)
“
“
15

Outputs
Outcomes
Impact
50%
of the children
particpating spoke to
their parents about
eating healthy
100%
of respondents
recognized the health
benefits of eating
vegetables
40%
of respondents indicated
financial reasons keep
them from obtaining
produce, but now know
sources to obtain fresh
vegetables
One major impact on our volunteers was teaching children at the Teresa House
and Welcome Inn in downtown Mankato about the produce that was growing
right outside their front door. Sharing their experiences with gardening and
the outdoors with some children who might not have a lot of experience with
adequate nutrition information or access to fresh produce was a really humbling
experience and to be able to share the smell of a tomato plant or the buds of a
squash was exciting.
- MARA SOUPIR, STUDENT VOLUNTEER
134
clients receiving
summer produce
70
pounds of produce
harvested
27
volunteer hours
“
“
The Garden at the Campus Kitchen at MSU, Mankato did offer a sense of
community, as people would walk by and comment about the produce, methods
of growing, etc. A request for the design plan was made, so that neighbors
could build a similar raised bed for their parents. We believe this space will hold
greater potential for increasing the sense of community as we consider it for a
programming space in the future.
- KAREN ANDERSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,
MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO
ResultsinYearOne
16

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
17
PROGRAM
DESIGN
The Campus Kitchen at St. Lawrence University (CKSLAW) has partnered with two
teachers from the local K-12 school to lead Golden Bear Packs, which aims to address food
insecurity, particularly on the weekend when children are not benefiting from the free
meals that they receive on school days. Each Friday afternoon, 85 children take meal packs
home to provide food for their families over the weekend, which otherwise would not be
available. The program strengthens CKSLAW’s presence in the community, by expanding
their reach from long-standing programs addressing older adults’ food insecurity, and
reaching a wider audience of food insecure clients of all ages.
St. Lawrence County is one of the most economically depressed counties
in New York State, and is burdened by a lack of stable job opportunities,
the economic downturn, and frigid winter temperatures that produce hefty
heating bills, all of which increase the financial burdens of the community
members. According to recent estimates, there are 5,850 food insecure
children in this small geographic area, which translates to one out of every
four children not having enough food. Seventy-five percent of children
qualify for income eligible nutrition programs such as free or reduced-price
meals. However, these programs only cover weekdays when children are in
school, and do not extend to meet their needs at home over the weekend.
Partners
The Issue
GOLDEN BEAR PACKS

13.9%
FOOD INSECURITY
RATE
18.9%
POVERTY RATE
GETTING STARTED
Identify schools with high rates of free and reduced-price meals.
Meet with school staff, like principals, guidance counselors, and teachers to
determine what the children need.
Create a form that can be sent home in each child’s pack explaining the
program and asking guardians to indicate if they are interested, along with
any allergy information.
Coordinate with school contacts to collect responses and identify the final
(or estimated) number of participants.
Identify food sources. Focus on providing fresh food options such as fruits,
vegetables, and healthy snacks like trail mix. If necessary, secure funding.
Recruit volunteers to load and deliver packs by putting up flyers around
campus, asking professors to speak about the program during their classes,
or reaching out to community groups.
Consider leading after school activities about healthy food to supplement
the program and encourage healthy eating habits.
Proactively communicate with program partners and stakeholders.
KEEPING IT RUNNING
Deliver packs weekly. Coordinate with teachers to distribute the packs
anonymously by placing them in children’s backpacks.
Try having different volunteer groups participate from week to week to
spread the word about food insecurity in your community.
Periodically include surveys in the packs to assess changes in food security
and healthy eating attitudes and behaviors. Consider also adding healthy
recipes, or other informational newsletters.
ST.
LAWRENCE
UNIVERSITY
ST.
LAWRENCE
COUNTY, NY
18

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
19
I first heard about Golden Bear Packs when I was taking a couple of
sustainability oriented community-based learning classes... To me, The
Campus Kitchens Project is a smart and sustainable solution to help
fight food insecurity -- it just made sense that we would get involved in
the local schools.
- SEAN MORRISSEY, STUDENT VOLUNTEER
MEASURING
SUCCESS
Community involvement: A connection to a school counselor is invaluable. This
relationshipwillhelpyoutounderstandwhatneedsarepresentintheschool.Acounselor
can also help with the logistics of dropping off food anonymously, food allergies among
children and feedback from children and families.
Coordination: It is crucial to properly coordinate the transportation of the food to the
schools. If the food arrives too late, it may not be able to be used, wasting both monetary
and food resources.
Be discreet: Children can feel embarrassed that their families need assistance, so one
thing the program should focus on is not bringing attention to the students receiving the
Bear Packs.
Lessons Learned
GOLDEN BEAR PACKS
“
“

Bear Packs helps to ensure that children have access to nutritious food over
the weekend.
- SEAN MORRISSEY, STUDENT VOLUNTEER
Collaborating with the Campus Kitchen has been wonderful! The fresh
veggies each week have been a wonderful addition to our program. Thank
you for your time and effort; you are making a difference in the life of a
child each and every week.
- KELLEY GLASGOW, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR
80
hours of service
40
different volunteers
85
children served per
week
Impact
Outputs
“
“
ResultsinYearOne
Outcomes
The Golden Bear Packs program in still in progress.
20

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
21
PROGRAM
DESIGN
Partners
The issue of hunger disproportionately affects children and seniors, so the Campus Kitchen
at Troy University (CKTroy) has centered their efforts on engaging these populations through
meal delivery and garden programming to increase food access. In Pike and Lowndes County,
CKTroy has connected to community organizations that work with seniors and youth.
The project includes four broad objectives focused on addressing rural hunger and increasing
student civic engagement on food security efforts. Student volunteers use community
gardens and milk crate container gardens to teach gardening practices, promoting access
to healthy food and increasing activity levels for senior adults. CKTroy also offers direct
programming, such as community meals, conversation programs, and gardening days to
create intergenerational social capital among children, youth, college students and senior
adults. Through these community initiatives, Troy University student participants have an
increased understanding of civic responsibility, rural poverty and food insecurity.
The poverty rate for Pike County, AL is 26.4% overall, with 33.5% of children
and 16.5% of seniors living in poverty. In Lowndes County, AL the poverty
rate is 31.4%, with 42.8% of children and 22.8% of seniors living below the
federal poverty line. These rates mirror the levels of food insecurity in these
communities, and in both cases the poverty and food insecurity rates are
higher than state and national averages. The USDA has classified both Pike
and Lowndes counties as Persistently Poor Rural Counties, with the state of
Alabama ranking in the 15 states with the highest number of Persistently Poor
Counties.
The Issue

GETTING STARTED
Identify a faculty advisor, key staff, and volunteers.
Develop community partnerships and program sites for garden(s) and
nutrition education.
Work with program sites to identify program needs.
Educate volunteers on container garden operations and growth process.
Identify and meet with community and agency leaders to gain support for
the project.
Raise awareness on campus by holding an event, such as a poverty
simulation, to educate interested parties about poverty.
Work with rural extension agents to enhance nutritional knowledge and
build lesson plans for seniors and students.
Conduct a pilot program of container gardens at sites.
Recruit student volunteers.
Seek donations or purchase supplies.
Make program adjustments based on pilot.
Organize garden volunteer days to build container and traditional gardens.
Recruit participants for nutrition education.
Create a schedule for nutrition education and organize materials for
volunteers.
KEEPING IT RUNNING
Maintain a volunteer schedule for ongoing garden maintenance and
harvesting.
Host a harvest celebration for students and seniors to provide the
opportunity for reflection.
22.3%
FOOD INSECURITY
RATE
26.4%
POVERTY RATE
TROY
UNIVERSITY
PIKE COUNTY,
AL
LOWNDES
COUNTY,AL
31.4%
POVERTY
RATE
28.8%
FOOD INSECURITY
RATE
22

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
23
We started the program because a garden is a teaching tool and an opportunity
for students to actively learn. Children are directly able to see where food comes
from, how it grows, and what is required to produce food. Gardening provides
a medium to discuss and teach healthy decision making, responsibility and
ownership, while giving them a creative space to explore.

- JONATHAN CELLON, COORDINATOR FOR SERVICE LEARNING &
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, TROY UNIVERSITY
MEASURING
SUCCESS
Differentiated learning: When administering gardening and nutrition programming to
children, adolescents, and seniors, there are varying developmental levels. Learning how
to best communicate each lesson to the different levels is key in ensuring the information
is being received.
Communication and expectations: It’s important to maintain regular contact with the
various garden sites and volunteers. Establishing clear expectations before beginning the
program and setting up regular communication with all invested parties will help meet
program goals.
Impact: Programs like this unite community members and students in a powerful way
and have a positive impact on all involved.
Lessons Learned
“
“

100%
of children at the
Boys & Girls Club
increased their
knowledge
23%
average increase
in knowledge for
children
My experience working with the kids, the garden, and the classes was
overwhelming. It was super fun to learn WITH the kids! They made every
bit worth it. This project reminded me why nutrition is so important and
helped me understand that it doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s actually really
fun! I can only hope the project continues so we can really impact our
community.
- STUDENT VOLUNTEER, CKTROY
Impact
Outcomes
53
total participants
the Boys & Girls
Club and College
Dale Christian
School
6
weekly lessons at
the Boys & Girls
Club and College
Dale Christian
School
Outputs
“
“
ResultsinYearOne
24

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
25
PROGRAM
DESIGN
The Issue
Partners
Since 2008, the Campus Kitchen at Gettysburg College (CKGC) has worked with low-income
seniors in rural Pennsylvania, especially those who are “shut in” due to a lack of mobility
and transportation. CKGC has been involved for several years in Healthy Options, a program
providing vouchers for adults and families to access fresh, local produce at Adams County
Farm Fresh Markets. Now they are taking this concept one step further with Green Goodies
by collecting, processing, and delivering seasonal produce to homebound senior citizens on
Meals on Wheels delivery routes. The food that they provide increases the nutritional content
of their clients’ meals, and is purchased from local farmers to support the local economy.
Adams County is considered the "Fruit Belt" of the North, and is ranked first in
PA and fourth in the nation for apple production, along with peach production.
Despite the amount of food produced in the region, 9.5% of the population
lives below the poverty line and qualifies for federal assistance programs.
The number of residents eligible for SNAP almost doubled from about 4,000
individuals in 2008 to 7,700 individuals in 2014. About 11% of the county
population is food insecure, while 25% of county children and senior citizens are
food insecure. A county needs assessment, completed in 2012, found that 96%
of Adams County adults do not consume enough fruits and vegetables daily.
There is an abundance of produce grown in the county, but not nearly enough
of it ends up in the hands of residents. Access to the produce is hindered by
other expenses taking priority over food (housing, electricity, gas, water) and
by limited means of transportation throughout the county.
GREEN GOODIES

GETTING STARTED
Identify shut-in seniors interested in participating in the program.
Work with partner farmers to determine cost and availability of produce
for the program.
Create a fundraising strategy to cover costs.
Survey seniors about produce preferences. Have a list of all seasonal
produce offered in your area based on your conversations with partner
farmers.
Schedule a day and time to pick up produce from the farmers at farmers
markets.
Recruit volunteers to assemble produce bags and deliver.
Identify a day and time for delivery.
Design evaulation tools.
Distribute a pre-program survey for participants.
Communicate with partner farmers weekly to see what is available for
the current delivery. Order accordingly, taking client preferences into
account.
Pickup, assemble, deliver produce bags, and spend time with clients.
KEEPING IT RUNNING
Continue to recruit and train volunteers.
Conduct a post-program survey for participants to measure outcomes,
including how often they are able to obtain fresh produce, how it is being
used and how often they feel they are eating healthy meals.
Secure ongoing funding or maintain partnerships.
10.3%
FOOD INSECURITY
RATE
9.5%
POVERTY RATE
GETTYSBURG
COLLEGE
ADAMS
COUNTY, PA
26

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
27
Lessons Learned
Food access and security can be particularly severe in rural areas
according to FDA reports. The environment, combined with the
elderly, particularly the home-bound or low-mobility, created a hot
spot for the Campus Kitchen at Gettysburg to target. Buying produce
from local Adams County farmers to transport to the most at-risk
residents via Meals on Wheels was logical, supporting the community
that supports us as we create a nutrition safety net.

- BEAU CHARLES, STUDENT VOLUNTEER
“
“
MEASURING
SUCCESS
Making connections: Connecting with current community partners and utilizing existing
infrastructure is very helpful in implementing the Green Goodies program.
Know your community: Connect with senior citizens to gather their preferences for
types of fruits and vegetables and then package custom bags of produce. By doing this,
your program can better meet individual needs and ensure that less food is wasted.
Build relationships: Delivering to seniors on existing Meals on Wheels routes allows
volunteers to connect over conversation and feedback. In order to increase the
interaction with Green Goodies recipients, students can go door to door at the
beginning of the summer to gather preferences and start to build relationships.
GREEN GOODIES

28
Outputs
Impact
“
“
The Green Goodies bags allowed me to eat healthier meals.
- GREEN GOODIES PARTICIPANT
The Green Goodies Bags of seasonal produce provide a wonderful
nutritional boost for our home-delivered meal consumers. The meal our
office provides meets the 1/3 RDA requirements, but relies on frozen and
canned fruits and vegetables, so the fresh produce is a real treat. Because
our consumers are mostly homebound, having the items delivered to their
door is another great help. People look forward to the packages each
week and have told us they re-arrange appointments just to be sure they
are home when their goodie bags arrive!
- LINDA THOMPSON, COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATOR,
ADAMS COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING, INC
100%
would like to
participate in the
Green Goodies
program should it be
offered in the future
87%
are able to eat fruits
and vegetables more
than 4 times per week
(up from 36% before
the program)
91%
are able to eat
healthier meals
since receiving the
Green Goodies
bags
Outcomes
1,497
pounds of produce
recovered
300
bags of produce
delivered
30
older adults served
ResultsinYearOne

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
29
PROGRAM
DESIGN
Researchlinksolderadults'socialbehaviorswitheatingbehaviorsandshowsthat,ingeneral,
people tend to eat more in the presence of others. To target social isolation, Lunch Buddy
pairs a socially isolated older adult, or “buddy”, with a Campus Kitchen at UGA (CKUGA)
student to share a weekly lunch-time meal together. Pairing an older adult with a volunteer
provides an opportunity for social interaction and serves as the link the older adult needs
to connect to their community and area resources. Furthermore, having a “buddy” during
lunch increases the amount of food consumed by the older adult, which will improve overall
nutrition. Volunteers also gain exposure to older adults and awareness of the challenges
faced by this population. The impact of the program is evaluated through a pre- and post-
survey that asks the seniors questions related to their food intake and mental and physical
health, and has demonstrated the effectiveness of Lunch Buddy in promoting health and
well being.
As many as 17% of older adults are considered socially isolated. Research
indicates that this has as significant of an effect on food security as poverty
does.Ruralseniorsaredisproportionatelyaffectedbysocialisolationbecause
of their location. The surrounding areas outside the Athens perimeter are
less populated and are physically further from the service and cultural center
of the region, providing additional challenges to rural residents.
THE
CAMPUS KITCHEN
at the UNIVERSITY
of GEORGIA
SM
Partners
The Issue
LUNCH BUDDY

GETTING STARTED
Gather academic research to inform and support the program.
Identify agencies that can screen and refer isolated older adults to an
intergenerational exchange program.
Secure a food provider for client meals or a kitchen that caters to the dietary
needs of older adults and offers to-go options.
Find your volunteers. Lunch Buddy volunteers need to be genuinely
interested in the relationship they have with their Buddy. CKUGA asks that the
volunteer be willing to commit for at least 3 months’ worth of visits.
KEEPING IT RUNNING
Set clear volunteer responsibilities and train volunteers to comply with an
agency’s client confidentiality policy, and to set boundaries in a Lunch Buddy
relationship in order to protect the client.
Equip your volunteers. Training tools are a must and should be a complement
to any volunteer paperwork required by a partner agency. Make sure
volunteers have both an ID badge and a “business card” that the volunteer
leaves with the Buddy to remind them of their visit.
Develop your monitoring and evaluation tools. Evaluation tools should
measure the outcomes for both clients and volunteers.
Create a monitoring system that allows a staff member to track how a Lunch
Buddy relationship is going in addition to one-on-one check-ins with staff.
21.7%
FOOD INSECURITY
RATE
37.8%
POVERTY RATE
UNIVERSITY
OF GEORGIA
CLARKE
COUNTY, GA
30

When we talk about food insecurity, there are so many causes. Isolation
can lead to a host of mental illnesses. Our research found that older
adults were not eating as they should, and we wanted to reach people
not integrated in the community or attending a senior daycare program.
The ultimate goal of Lunch Buddy became to model behavior of good
eating habits for older adults.

- NATHALIE CELESTIN, AMERICORPS VISTA AT UGA
MEASURING
SUCCESS
Seek out partnerships: When looking to add new clients, it’s helpful to partner with
agencies that already have established relationships with seniors, like Meals on Wheels.
These agencies can provide you with names and insights into individuals who are facing
social isolation.
Establishguidelines:Whenimplementingsharedprogramsbetweentwoormoreagencies,
set clear reporting guidelines and responsibilities. When transferring leadership and
responsibilities within your organization, clearly communicate the reporting requirements
and how the outcomes are being tracked, particularly with shared programs. Store
Buddy’s address or profile information in a secure location, which can be a huge help in
tracking participation.
Volunteer recruitment: Not everyone is right to be a Lunch Buddy volunteer. The strategy
of the Lunch Buddy program at CKUGA and the Athens Community Council on Aging is
to not actively recruit volunteers, but rather to wait for students who have a genuine
interest to contact the program.
Lessons Learned
LUNCH BUDDY
“
“
RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
31

32
It made me feel good having someone who cares about me.
- PAULINE GORDON, SENIOR LUNCH BUDDY
Outputs
This has been an incredibly eye opening and enjoyable experience. I have
always appreciated and admired elders, but I have developed a newfound
outlook after volunteering for this program!
- CASON PARKS, UGA STUDENT
Outcomes
Impact
435
volunteer hours
290
Lunch Buddy visits
100%
of seniors felt they
had a meaningful
relationship with
others
88%
of volunteers felt they
had a meaningful
relationship with their
senior
83%
of seniors felt more
connected to the
community since
receiving visits from
their Lunch Buddy
“
“
ResultsinYearOne

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
33
The Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee University (CKWL) developed a Mobile Food
Pantry that distributes grocery bags of fresh produce and nonperishable food items to
remote areas of Rockbridge County. They transport food via a refrigerated truck to three
communities; Buena Vista, Goshen, and Natural Bridge Station. The Mobile Food Pantry
is creating an accessible opportunity for rural community members, especially those who
have difficulty accessing traditional food assistance. The Mobile Food Pantry fills this
gap in service with new infrastructure, adapting to the difficulties of providing essential
services in rural areas.
In the 2008 Rockbridge Poverty Assessment, transportation emerged as the
number one challenge faced by impoverished and traditionally underserved
communities in the Rockbridge area. Rockbridge County is a large county
yet it lacks a reliable and affordable public transportation system, and the
cost of gas was identified in a 2013 report by the Rockbridge Area Relief
Association as a barrier to accessing the traditional brick-and-mortar food
pantry in Lexington, VA.
MOBILE FOOD PANTRY
The Issue
THE
CAMPUS KITCHEN
at WASHINGTON
SM
and LEE UNIVERSITY
PROGRAM
DESIGN
Partners

34
GETTING STARTED
Meet with community partners: churches, fire departments, local
organizations addressing food insecurity, community service organizations,
health care and public health services.
Develop a Mobile Food Pantry Committee of invested community members
to be the sounding board for decisions.
Work with community partners to identify volunteer vehicles or ideally a
refrigerated truck that can be reserved or donated.
Choose delivery sites that are central to the greatest number of food
insecure clients. Start at one site, and gradually expand to others.
Solicit feedback on how to best modify the pantry for each community.
Create a guidebook with general guidelines as well as best practices from
established pantries.
Advertise to churches, newspapers, and campus news to recruit clients and
volunteers.
KEEPING IT RUNNING
Establish regular leadership team shifts.
Sort food donations to pick out items that could be used for pantry.
Assign a point person on each delivery day to supervise packing up vehicles,
and manage volunteers on site.
Conduct food drives and fundraisers to sustain ongoing resources.
Apply for grants to purchase supplemental food and other necessary items
(gas, advertisements, etc.).
WASHINGTON
AND LEE
UNIVERSITY
ROCKBRIDGE
COUNTY,
VA
13%
POVERTY RATE
10.4%
FOOD INSECURITY
RATE

RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
35
Lessons Learned
Software (or technology): CKWL invested in a broadcast calling software, that
sends a broadcast call to everyone who signed up for the Pantry to remind them
of upcoming deliveries. This simple fix greatly benefited and stabilized the Mobile
Food Pantry Operations by increasing consistent participation, and decreasing the
time that volunteers needed to wait at each site.
Meal Planning: By achieving consistent participation numbers, the program is able
to more accurately plan the correct amount of food for each site.
MOBILE FOOD PANTRY
The Mobile Food Pantry is the Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee’s
vision to reduce barriers to service for members of the community who
experience food insecurity. We started the program in an effort to better
serve folks living on the margins.

- JENNY DAVIDSON, CO-CURRICULAR SERVICE COORDINATOR,
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
“
“
MEASURING
SUCCESS

36
At our last distribution to the Goshen Public Library on May 15th, the
Librarian pulled me aside to tell me of an anonymous call she had
received from a woman who received a bag previously that afternoon and
then got home to actually look in it - and was amazed and brought to tears
by the amount and quality of food that was in the bag.
- JENNY DAVIDSON, CO-CURRICULAR SERVICE COORDINATOR,
WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
Outputs
This is a wonderful service to have in our small town. I am thankful for each
item and wish there was a way to let the volunteers know how much of a
difference they make.
- MOBILE FOOD PANTRY PARTICIPANT
Outcomes
Impact
620
individuals served
230
families served
1,000
pounds of food
distributed per month
3
program sites
70%
were able to eat
healthier foods
as a result of the
program
90%
feel the program
had a positive
effect on their lives
97%
would
recommend it to
a friend
“
“ ResultsinYearOne

REFERENCES
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RURAL HUNGER
SOLUTIONS
37

14. Greer B, Poling R (2002). Impact of participating in the Expanded Food and Nutrition
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(http://www.mowaa.org/document.doc?id=193)
38
Placeholder

Using Existing Resources to fight hunger today
We use existing assets, including recovered food, existing commercial kitchens, and
passionate student volunteers to provide our clients with a balanced meal.
Going Beyond the Meal to increase food security tomorrow
Our students develop innovative programs that address the underlying root causes of
hunger, from nutrition education, to community gardens, to anti-isolation programs for
seniors.
Developing Student Leaders to solve the systemic problem for the next generation
THE CAMPUS KITCHENS PROJECT
CORE VALUES

Rural Hunger Solutions

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