Rock On! Band Together to Fight Hunger: Results from a Food Insecurity Awareness Project

• Main Author: April Tallant
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Georgia Southern University 2011-07-01
• Series: International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• Subjects: Service-learning; Food insecurity; Volunteering; Fundraising
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ij-sotl/vol5/iss2/12

The purpose of this research was to evaluate a service-learning project conducted at a public university in the southern United States of America. A sample of 46 undergraduates enrolled in two sections of a liberal studies personal nutrition seminar course participated in a food insecurity awareness project. The service-learning component entailed volunteering at a community kitchen. In addition, students planned, organized and implemented a band concert fundraiser for a regional food bank. Students designed tee-shirts, fliers, and concert tickets. Classroom components of the project included assigned readings, seminar questions, quiz and discussion, and a guest speaker. Students completed a survey at the conclusion of the project. Results showed that volunteering and fundraising, as ranked by students, seemed to be among the most important components to help students understand food insecurity. The findings suggest that students increased their awareness of food insecurity through the mix of pedagogical approaches used.