The document outlines a proposal for a Fall 2019 school-wide campaign at USC called UShouldCare aimed at raising awareness and funds to address homelessness and food insecurity among students. It details goals, recurring promotional activities, a week-long event schedule including photo walls and a charity concert, and a social media rollout plan to promote the campaign from April to November 2019. The proposal seeks to normalize conversations around housing and food insecurity to help students in need access available resources.

1. UShouldCare
USC Homelessness Initiative
Proposal for Fall 2019 School-Wide Campaign
Presented in May 2019

2. Table of Contents
Goals 2
Recurring Campaign Executions 4
UShouldCare Week Schedule 6
UShouldCare - Week 6
Fall - Gameday 7
Spring - Color Run 8
Fall 2019 Social Media Rollout 9
Appendix A. Email Blast Template 11
Appendix B. Email Blast Queue 14
Appendix C. Training Proposal for R.A. 18
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3. UShouldCare Campaign
Goals
1. Create awareness, social impact, and tangible change.
2. Share stories and hope.
3. Shift perception and culture.
Brand
Create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere on campus for all regardless of economic
background or living environment. As well as normalize the conversation over food insecurity
and homelessness around campus. We found that low-income students at USC are open to
resources and help, but they don’t want to be “highlighted” as “charity.” For example, in an
interview with a former homeless student, he ultimately wished there was inclusivity in regard to
the conversations around housing and food insecurity, not making it an one-sided conversation
to those who are in need.
Through our efforts, at the end of the campaign, ​when people see “UShouldCare”, they
should think:
- There are available resources for all students.
When people see “UShouldCare”, they should not think:
- The students suffering from food and housing insecurity are unequal.
Our overall goal is to touch the heart of the campus and increase full-campus awareness of this
issue to enhance the feeling of a supportive community.
Buzz
- Press coverage from the LA Times, The Daily Trojan, KPCC 89.3
- Twitter mention by 6 USC football players and coaches: J.T. Daniels, Amon-Ra St.
Brown, Dennis Pittman, Head Coach Clay Helton, Offensive Coordinator Graham
Harrell, Defensive Coordinator Clancy Pendergast.
- Encourage all the attendees of UShouldCare Week (see below) to post the event on
their different social media platforms, especially at the photo wall, which can be a wall
with campaign-relevant photos, a painted colorful wall, or a photo booth.
- Create a drawing wall, where children at the USC Youth Academy portray their images
of home versus homelessness. QR code will be presented on the wall for audience to
scan on their phones, linking them to pertinent information about the Homelessness
Initiative.
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4. Behavior
- Raise $25k for the Homelessness Initiative
- 500 mentions cumulatively on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #UShouldCare
- 500 attendees per activity during the UShouldCare Week
- All RA staff of USC Housing qualified for the virtual training modules during the
orientation week
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5. Recurring Campaign Executions
● Meeting attendance:
○ Attend meetings with groups and advisory boards such as Friends of Graduate
School (FoGS), Council of Academic Advisors and Graduate Dean’s Council--
orchestrated by Dr. Sally Pratt, Vice Provost of Graduate Programs
○ Target student organizations on campus to speak with organization leaders and
share resources
○ Hand out flyers that explain what the USC Homelessness Initiative does at these
meetings. Flyers will include information on the initiative, what resources exist,
how to utilize these resources, and who to reach out to with any questions. (See
Appendix B, purple flyer)
● Promotional content around campus:
○ Public Plaza Banners
■ Banners along the light poles on Trousdale Parkway and at the Ronald
Tutor Campus Center, promoting the UShouldCare message with
call-outs to resources
■ Public Plaza Banners could also potentially be for promotional purposes,
highlighting UShouldCare week
■ Design proposal will be submitted by April 30th for approval for the next
school year (sometime in August 2019 - May 2020)
○ Posters on transportation
■ Fliers can be posted on any one of four approved posting kiosks. These
are the only approved locations for posting:
● Kiosk 1 – Located directly south of the Norris Dental Science
Center (DEN)
● Kiosk 2 – Located in Herbert Plaza to the east of the JEP House
(JEP)
● Kiosk 3 – Located on Bloom Walk directly north of Harris Hall
(HAR)
● Kiosk 4 – Located on the walkway between Bloom Walk and
Archimedes Plaza (OHE)
○ Laminated informational sheets
■ To post in places such as bathrooms
○ Digital signage
■ Promotional or resource awareness
■ Digital signage requests should be made through the submission website
at least seven (7) business days prior to the proposed start date.
● https://trojanevents.usc.edu/tcc/services-resources/digital-signage/
■ Content can run for up to two weeks.
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6. ● Training modules:
○ Proposals have been drafted and will be submitted for approval over the summer
to add an online training module for RA training, academic advisors and other
faculty to bring awareness of resources
● Email Blasts:
○ Targeted email blasts sent to specific, vulnerable student populations from the
office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs
■ I.e. Pell Grant recipients, URM students, and First-Gen students
○ Email blasts raising awareness and promoting available resources to student
groups that are registered at the student government
○ (See Appendix A)
● Social media:
○ Easy-to-share, discernable social media graphics will be posted on Graduate
Program and Undergraduate social media accounts
● Donation partnerships:
○ Donation boxes with signage and information flyers will be placed at certain
events that revolve around a community center, for example sororities and
smaller sports teams that have dedicated fan bases (i.e. water polo teams,
equestrian team, baseball teams, etc.)
○ These donation boxes could be semi-audience targeted as well—for example,
the equestrian team is all female so there could be a donation box for feminine
care products
● Cardinal Folder & Resource Lists
○ In contact with offices that distribute the Cardinal Folder for emergency response
and reporting to add housing and food insecurity resources (i.e.
http://www.uschomelessinitiative.org/​ and information to the Trojan Pantry) to the
templates
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7. UShouldCare Week Schedule
UShouldCare Week is a twice a year event hosted by the USC Annenberg Homelessness
Initiative, which features events around campus to provide volunteer opportunities and
destigmatize the issue.
● Campaign length: 7 days
● Proposed dates:
○ Fall – October
■ UShouldCare Family Weekend
○ Spring – March
■ UShouldCare Spring Fest (Coincide with the USG Springfest week)
● Involvement by:
○ Faculty members, especially professors
○ Student organizations
○ Local organizations
○ Local businesses
○ (See Appendix B)
UShouldCare - Week
○ Monday:​ Photo walls (i.e. social media friendly, “Instagrammable” backgrounds)
throughout campus for people to take pictures in front of and ultimately share on
their personal social media with the #UShouldCare hashtag. These walls will be
large, thin pieces of wood (10 feet by 8 feet or larger) with designs that people
would want to take pictures in front of. These
■ Have photographers on location to take high-quality photos with DSLR
cameras that we will then upload onto the facebook page of
Homelessness Initiative and the page of UShouldCare. We’ll invite people
to tag themselves in the photos posted and share the post on their own
social media page.
■ On the photo walls, include one large “#UShouldCare” icon or small
watermarks.
■ Include a title block under each photograph that says “UShouldCare
Week Fall 2018” (or relevant semester/year) that is published online
○ Tuesday: ​Raffle/giveaway of UShouldCare merchandise and/or $100 USC
Bookstore gift card, to enter you must post on Instagram/Twitter with
#UShouldCare
○ Wednesday: ​USC Village Takeover, Carnival games, all proceeds go towards
the initiative
■ Host a food drive collection site in collaboration with the food pantry. Ask
students and attendees to donate (1) canned food item to enter the event.
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8. ■ Work with the Trojan Event Services to
● Reserve on-campus outdoor space (many locations have been
reserved during the homecoming weekend)
● Book vendors, equipment, and event staff
○ Thursday:​ Dinner cookout with full-time faculty, all proceeds also go towards
initiative.
■ Hosted in front of Tommy Trojan, five professors from each college on
campus (ex. Dornsife, Annenberg, Marshall, Roski, etc) will host a
relaxing dinner catered by the university
■ Limited to 100 students, RSVP link emailed and sent out two weeks
before to full student body from their respective deans
○ Friday:​ Charity concert in McCarthy Quad featuring USC students
■ Potential performers include the Trojan Marching Band, USC Thornton
students (through collaboration with Ground Zero Performance Cafe) ,
and Katherine Ho (USC student who sang the movie “Crazy Rich Asians”
soundtrack and is also committed to community service student
organization like Remedy Through Music)
■ Photo and merchandise booth can also be set up as the size of our
concert might increase in the future
○ Saturday:​ See below – Fall is Game Day, Spring is the Color Run
○ Sunday:​ Partner with USC Caruso Catholic Center and USC Hillel for free
breakfast on campus (including St. Francis, who already partners with the Trojan
Food Pantry).
● Others:
○ Donation Stations all around campus for the entire week
■ Items and amenities people want to give away
■ Foodbank - non-perishable foods
○ Bookstore:
■ Potential school supply donations
■ Selling Swag:
● UShouldCare Trojan Family Weekend 20__
■ Donations at register with a “UShouldCare” sticker
Fall​ - Gameday:
● Gameday video played in stadium featuring football players
- About UShouldCare
- Video features football stars like: J.T. Daniels, Amon-Ra St.
Brown, Dennis Pittman, Head Coach Clay Helton, Offensive
Coordinator Graham Harrell, Defensive Coordinator Clancy
Pendergast
- Video objectives:
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9. - Have players explain the widespread occurrence of
food and housing insecurity on campus,
- Emphasis that the Trojan Family exists and we are
a community that lifts each other up.
- Highlight the current resources that exist on
campus
- At the end of the video
- Put an easy to remember link online to write down in order
to find more information on the resources
- Prompt to post photos with #UShouldCare
- Say to follow the social media account and that a random
group of 15 people that follow will receive autographed
UShouldCare T-shirts at the end of the game
● Tailgating booth with potential partnership w/ Trader Joe’s, Target,
Ralphs, etc. for food donation (winners got early entrance to football
game, a chance to get on the football field)
● Near stadium, fair games with chance to win early access to game or on
field experience
● Panels/Programs:
● Mention resources at established panels
● http://familyweekend.usc.edu/docs/tfw2018_program.pdf
- “HEALTHY HABITS FOR SCHOOL, SLEEP AND LIFE”
- “MAXIMIZE THE USC EXPERIENCE”
- “USC STUDENT HEALTH FAIR”
- “USC ATHLETICS OPEN HOUSE AND FOOTBALL RALLY”
- “THE HAVEN AT COLLEGE: PARENT GROUP DISCUSSION”
● At these panels, bring flyers and explain the resources. Discuss based on
the topic and tone of the meeting. Be ON panels, not just a five minute
brief explanation.
● Representative speaking on behalf of the Homelessness Initiative should
either be a director or staff member, or a student currently facing or
having faced housing or food insecurity.
Spring​ - Color Run:
● Saturday:
● A five-kilometer, untimed event with powder in colors to throw at people
- Color Run event information: ​https://thecolorrun.com
- Color Runs have previously been hosted on campus but there has
not been one in recent years
● Race as an individual or by a team
- Teams can include:
- School clubs
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10. - Greek Organizations (sororities and fraternities)
- Joint Education Program (JEP)
- Departments
- CMGT professors
- Librarians
- Local businesses
- Trader Joe’s
- 901 Bar & Grill
● Flat fee to race or as a team group discount
- All proceeds go towards the USC Homelessness Initiative
- $10 per person to participate in race
- Group discount is buy 5 tickets, get 1 free ($50 for 6 tickets)
● All participants get a UShouldCare shirt
● More details on how to hold a Color run: ​http://bit.ly/USCcolorrun
● More details on buying color powder: ​http://bit.ly/ColorrunPowder
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11. Fall 2019 Social Media Rollout
Month Objective
April 2019 Final Proposals and rollout
● Creating final ideas for rollout that will occur during the Fall
Semester
● Finalizing relevant designs
○ Videos and testimonials from key individuals
○ Social media content output
● Converse with client and sponsors for approval over
content/executions
● Establishing an action plan for the new cohort in the fall
○ Passing on the torch - guidelines and compiled updates to
make the transition smoother
○ Setting the parameters for social media in the event that
major events take place between now and the new academic
year
* Dependent on whether the administration approves our work before the
semester ends
May 2019 Summer Break
June 2019 Summer Break
July 2019 Summer Break
August 2019 Registration Week (19-23)
● Recruiting new members to participate in the project
● Tentative plan to push social media content during this week
● Contact student organizations cross-campus for partnership
opportunities
● Resume talks with USC and partner organizations (especially with
organizations undergoing leadership change)
September
2019
Week 1: Soft push for project
● Finalizing full team for the 2019 Fall Semester
● Rollout of pre-planned initiatives
● Market Research(?): Surveys, focus groups, interviews?
Week 2:
● Re-establish contact with the client
● Re-establish contact with speakers and partner organizations
Week 3:
● Film testimonials with allocated speakers (spotlights, day in the life)
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12. ● Finalize campaign materials for UShouldCare Week
○ Promotional deliverables should be ready - including posters,
flyers, infographics
○ Video spotlights for key speakers be finalized and approved
Week 4:
● Continuation of Week 4 of September
● Double-checking and rehearsing of all materials before rollout
● Mock-presentations - final rundown
● Final scheduling of all social media rollout
October 2019 Week 1:
● Rollout of all promotional material on: UShouldCare social media,
mediums of partner organizations and institution-wide channels
● Active on-campus promotion
○ USC Transit Bus Ads
○ Digital Signage
○ Public Plaza Banners
Week 2 (UShouldCare Week):
● 7 day initiative
● Monday: Activating all social media rollout on all platforms
○ Posting of week-long itinerary
○ Constant updates on activities
● Tuesday: Giveaway of Merchandise
● Wednesday: USC Village Takeover
● Thursday: Faculty Cookout
● Friday: Charity concert featuring only USC students singer eg.
Katherine Ho
● Saturday: Cookout with Faculty, Carnival games, all proceeds to the
initiative
○ October 19th: ​Football game against Arizona
○ Posting a message on the jumbotron during the halftime
show to ask for donations
● Sunday: Partner with a church for free breakfast on campus
November
2019
Week 1:
● Begin posting photos and video recaps of UShouldCare week
● Follow-Up content for the event for those who missed it before
○ Re-posting spotlights from UShouldCare Week
● Sending reminders on social media about donations
○ There should be a permanent link on all social media
platforms which directs to a donation site
● Conduct recap meeting with clients to discuss the content calendar
leading up to the holiday season
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13. Appendix A. Email Blast Template
Good afternoon,
We understand that students are often faced with stress related to their courses, extracurricular
activities, relationships with friends and family, and more. We are aware and concerned that
personal challenges to provide sufficient food and housing may be extreme pain points for
students.
Our university prioritizes the health, safety, and well-being of each member of the Trojan family.
We want you to know that you can reach out for help when you are facing problems related to
food and/or housing. We will make every effort to provide guidance, assistance, and referrals
on an individualized and confidential basis. We are here to support you and will work with you to
overcome obstacles, so you can focus on learning and achieve academic success.
If you’d like to schedule a meeting in person or on the phone, you can email me here at
ahodge@usc.edu. Our meetings will be fully confidential. If you would like to communicate in
other ways, please feel free to take a look at the website:
https://www.provost.usc.edu/initiatives/wicked-problems/homelessness/​ or share stories about
your experiences with our virtual ‘treehole’ where all information received will be treated with
care and anonymity. A letter, a sentence, or even a word is welcome, to help you feel connected
and not alone.
For further information, see the attached flyer below with information on how to utilize the
resources that we have set up for students.
Fight on!
Andrea Hodge
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14. 13

15. 14

16. 15

17. Appendix B. Email Blast Queue
Target Vulnerable Student Populations
Professor Andrea Hodge, ​Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs, is willing to send
targeted email blasts to segments of the undergraduate population, such as specifically Pell
Grant students, URM students, and First-Gen students, all of which she considers more
“vulnerable” to housing and food insecurity.
Target Student Organizations
Below is a list of some student organizations and contact emails (2019) we reach out to for
any form of partnership.
Criteria
- Non-profit student organizations
- Student-run charities
- International Student organizations
- Graduate Student organizations
Academic Organizations:
● American Society for Quality Student Branch
○ Contact: ​uscasq@usc.edu
● Communication and Cultural Studies Conference Committee
○ Contact: ​corry@usc.edu
● Improving Dreams, Education, Access, and Success (IDEAS)
○ Contact: ​ideasusc@usc.edu​, ideas.usc@gmail.com
● International Affairs Society
○ Contact: ​empineda@usc.edu
● Men in Social Work
○ Contact: ​Mensowk@gmail.com
● USC Active Minds
○ Contact: ​activemindsatusc@gmail.com
Cultural Organizations
● AIESEC USC (Alice)
○ Contact: ​usc-president@aiesecus.org
● Association of Indian Students
○ Contact: ​india@aisusc.org
● Association of Indonesian Students
○ Contact: ​indonesian.trojan@gmail.com
● Asian Pacific Graduate Student Association
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18. ○ Contact: ​apgsa@usc.edu
● Asian Pacific Islander Social Work Caucus
○ Contact: ​apisowk@usc.edu
● Association of International Graduate Students
○ Contact: ​aigs.usc@gmail.com
● Black Social Work Caucus
○ Contact: ​usc.bswc@gmail.com
● Black Graduate Student Network
○ Contact: ​trojanbgsn@gmail.com
● Chinese Graduate Student Association
○ Contact: ​usc.cgsa@gmail.com
● International Social Work Caucus
○ Contact: ​iswc@usc.edu
● Iranian Graduate Student Association
○ Contact: ​igsa@usc.edu
● Korean International Student Association
○ Contact: ​kisa@usc.edu
● South Asian Student Council
○ Contact: ​socalsasc@gmail.com
Political Organizations:
● Civil Rights and Liberties Club
○ Contact: ​corno@usc.edu
● Ignite USC
○ Contact: ​ignite@usc.edu
Professional Organizations:
● Annenberg Communication Graduate Student Association
○ Contact: ​acgsaphd@gmail.com
● Clinical Social Work Caucus
○ Contact: ​cswc.usc@gmail.com
● Marshall Graduate Student Association
○ Contact: ​mgsa.ft.president@marshall.usc.edu
● Master of Public Health Student Association
○ Contact: ​maphsa@usc.edu
● Mindful Marshall
○ Contact: ​mba.mindfulmarshall@marshall.usc.edu
Recreational Organizations:
● Actively Moving Forward
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19. ○ Contact: ​uscamf@gmail.com
Service/Volunteer Organizations:
● A Community Place
○ Contact: ​acommunityplace@gmail.com
● Explore Kindness @SC
○ Contact: ​uscexplorekindness@gmail.com
● Global Human Rights Brigades
○ Contact: ssarshar@usc.edu, ​chavando@usc.edu
● Homeless Outreach Partnership For Education and Empowerment
○ Contact: ​uschope2@gmail.com
● Homelessness Action Committee
○ Contact: ​homelessnessactioncommittee@gmail.com
● Motivate & Empower
○ Contact: ​PR@motivateandempower.org
● National Alliance on Mental Illness
○ Contact: ​namiusc@gmail.com
● Trojans United
○ Contact: ​trojansunited@gmail.com
● USC Share a Meal
○ Contact: ​shareamealUSC@gmail.com
● Homeless Outreach Partnership for Education and Empowerment
○ Jehni Robinson: ​uschope2@gmail.com
Social Organizations:
● Korean Graduate Student Association
○ Contact: ​usckgsa1@gmail.com
● Mindful Student Group
○ Contact: ​griffinrdamron@gmail.com​, ​nraphael@usc.edu
Student Government:
● International Student Assembly
○ Contact: ​isa@usc.edu
Other On-campus Organizations
● Office of International Services
○ 213-740-2666
○ ois@usc.edu
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20. ● Homelessness Policy Research Institute
○ Gary Painter
○ gpainter@usc.edu
○ Director, USC Price Center for Social Innovation; Director, Homelessness
Policy Research Institute
● USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society
● USC Policy
○ USC Support and Advocacy (USCSA)
○ USC Student Affairs
● Kimberly Freeman, Associate Dean, Chief Diversity Officer
Contact: freemank@usc.edu
○ Under Dornsife (who runs the food pantry)
● First-Generation College Student Union
● Trista Beard
■ Associate Director, Norman Topping Student Aid Fund
■ Advisor of USC First Generation Student Union
■ Contact:
● (213) 740-1743
● tbeard@usc.edu
■ Peer mentorship program
○ Tiaira Muhammad
■ President, USC First Generation Student Union
■ tiairamu@usc.edu
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21. Appendix C. Training Proposal for R.A.
USC Annenberg Agency’s Training Proposal for Resident Assistant
We strongly suggest that USC Annenberg Agency continues along its relationship with RAs to
build out a training guide for the RAs to follow and when they should follow it.
1.​ ​Introduce Brenda to the RA during RA orientation to explain the mission of USC Initiative to
Eliminate Homelessness, as well as motivating the RA in joining the actions
2.​ ​Produce flyer, brochure, and pamphlet to educate RA for emergency situations (Ex. What
should you do if a student experienced conflict with his / her roommate and having no place
to stay? What should you do when a student approaches you for financial assistance?)
3.​ ​Implement online courses for RA, which includes tutorial and assessments that each RA has
to be passed before the semester started
-​ ​The tutorial should demonstrate narratives and examples that demonstrate how
an RA should perform during a real life scenario
-​ ​The assessment should be interactive, which requires the RA to make a correct
choice in various scenarios
-​ ​The qualified RA would earn a certification from the USC Initiative to Eliminate
Homelessness
4.​ ​Implement annual in-person training to reinforce RA’s knowledge on handling various
situations
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