Freshman Receives Grant to Help Fight Food Insecurity in Atlanta

Combining her passion for service, interest in raising awareness about food insecurity, and her dedication to the Oglethorpe community, freshman Jourdan Russell took to organizing a meal packaging event on campus. The event, funded by Russell receiving the Serve For Good grant, is held in collaboration with Operation Feed ATL, an organization that distributes meal kits to schools and provides emergency aid. After weeks of budgeting, careful consideration of items to purchase, and meeting with leaders of Operation Feed ATL, Russell’s initiative will finally come to fruition on April 3 at 1 p.m. in the Intercultural Center. 

“I wanted to create a chance for students to positively impact students and families in the greater Atlanta area who experience food insecurity,” Russell said. “Oglethorpe’s students who attend the meal packaging event will have the ability to become more aware of and involved with Operation Feed’s work, [raise] awareness about food insecur[ity], and empower students to participate in helping people impacted.”

The term “food insecurity” is an official label introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to describe a “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” The degree of severity and consistency that an individual or household may experience food insecurity can vary. Hunger is something that may result from food insecurity and the USDA acknowledges hunger as a separate, but related, phenomenon. 

Russell recognized that food insecurity is a prevalent issue that impacts many individuals, including students. According to Feeding America, 1 in 8 people face hunger in Georgia, with nearly 1.5 million individuals in the state being food insecure. 

“When I saw the Serve For Good grant application, I knew it was something I felt called to pursue,” Russell said. “In high school, I did a group volunteer project at a food bank. It was a rewarding experience. I wanted to recreate that for the OU community in a way that eliminated barriers to access. It’s on campus so hopefully all can participate.” 

Overall, Russell hoped that the students’ involvement in initiatives that address food insecurity does not stop once the meal packaging event ends. 

“Getting students to meaningfully engage with this work has positive implications,” she said. “It will allow students to exercise their empathy for other students and might encourage them to become involved with Petey’s [Food] Pantry on campus. I hope to see students feel inspired, empowered, and having some fun serving the greater Atlanta community.”