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Every Girl Scout Gold Award has a Root Cause...What's Ours?
Every Girl Scout Gold Award has a Root Cause...What's Ours?
Very often one of the root causes of the lack of food in food pantries is lack of knowledge. If poverty is not acknowledged and goes unnoticed, especially by teenagers, the issue is not addressed. As it is put by the Girl Scouts in the Sow What journey, in the pursuit of the Harvest Award, Girl Scouts are encouraged to discover their place in relation to the "global food network." Through this award and additional research, I think there is a lack of information of what food pantries need. By communicating with directors, I've learned that pre-prepared, healthy, and complete meals are needed more than people realize. Very often, fresh foods are needed more than canned foods contrary to popular opinion. Through my research, I have also discovered there is a lack of consistency in the timing of food donations. According to the CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, there are times where food donations spike and other times when there is a great disparity, one of these time periods is especially during the spring and summer.
How We're Addressing Our Root Cause
How We're Addressing Our Root Cause
First and foremost, we are addressing the root cause by creating a group that works to bring awareness to the community and global issue. Luckily, during the Sow What journey, I was able to build a network of individuals I knew were intelligent and knowledgeable in the field. Supported through system of weekly communication, on a weekly basis, we find out what food is needed our local food pantry. Whether that is a full and healthy pre-prepared meal to be served the next day for a designated amount of people or pre-prepared take home meals that can be picked up at the food pantry, our system works as a need-based system. This way, we are addressing the problem of consistency at kitchens. Additionally, we are facilitating relationships and communicating with food pantries on what is truly needed. With the help of SignUpGenius, our team picks times to serve meals during a time when it is needed most. By making meals and serving, not only are we facilitating relationships with the people we would serve at the centers but between the teenagers of the group. Through the group bond not only will we all have fun but learn basic life skills.
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