JSC Feeds Families ramps up for the finish line
2014-08-06
An ice cream social, silent auction and decorated truck parade … what do these things have in common? All three are examples of the fun, creative ways that members of the Johnson Space Center family have chosen to rev up support for the JSC Feeds Families “Knock Out Hunger” campaign.
JSC is trying to meet the daunting goal of donating 60,000 pounds of food items to the Galveston County Food Bank and Clear Lake Food Pantry as part of their “School’s Out, Hunger’s Not” campaign. The JSC Feeds Families operation officially kicked off on June 30 and will culminate with a grand “Stuff the Truck” event at the Gilruth Center on Aug. 27 (more to come on that event as it draws near).
Sadly, there are many people in our local communities who struggle to provide basic necessities for their families. In Galveston County alone, nearly one in five of our neighbors needs some type of assistance with food for their families, and nearly half of those who will benefit from the assistance are children. Some people in our community have to make the choice between food, medicine or paying rent. Check out the statistics at the bottom to get a better idea of the magnitude need in our surrounding area.
JSC team members have the incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those who need a little help. Many JSC organizations are hosting competitions or other fun activities. Engineering is going to “Truck Out Hunger” by asking each division to fill up a pickup truck with food items, decorate their truck and participate in a parade. There is a prize at stake that reportedly includes refreshing beverages. Procurement hosted an ice cream social on July 30, which greatly increased awareness and involvement in this worthy cause. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity is collaborating with the Strategic Opportunities and Partnership Development Office to host a “Champions Rise to the Occasion Silent Auction” on Aug. 14. The silent auction will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Building 1, Room 620, if you’d like to stop by and put in a bid. For those looking for a more active way to participate, Starport is hosting a 5K Fun Run on Friday, Aug. 8, for badged JSC team members. The entry fee is a 10-pound bag of non-perishable food items. But you have to hurry, because registration closes on Aug. 7.
These are just a few of the very innovative ways that organizations at JSC are encouraging all of us to get involved and help our neighbors in need. How can you be a champion for those who need a little extra help? Every item that you place in one of the collection bins will help. Or, you can participate in your organization’s special events or competitions to make reaching our 60,000-pound goal entertaining and worthwhile at the same time. No time to swing by the grocery store? You can purchase food-donation vouchers at the Starport Gift Shops (for $5, $10, $15 or $20). Want a more tangible gift to give? Pre-packaged bags of food items are also available in the shops.
Every can, every box or bag of food will help JSC reach 60,000 pounds. Every person—on-site or off-site—can help make a real difference in the lives of those in need.
How great is the need? In the Gulf Coast region:
Lisa Spence
NASA Johnson Space Center
JSC is trying to meet the daunting goal of donating 60,000 pounds of food items to the Galveston County Food Bank and Clear Lake Food Pantry as part of their “School’s Out, Hunger’s Not” campaign. The JSC Feeds Families operation officially kicked off on June 30 and will culminate with a grand “Stuff the Truck” event at the Gilruth Center on Aug. 27 (more to come on that event as it draws near).
Sadly, there are many people in our local communities who struggle to provide basic necessities for their families. In Galveston County alone, nearly one in five of our neighbors needs some type of assistance with food for their families, and nearly half of those who will benefit from the assistance are children. Some people in our community have to make the choice between food, medicine or paying rent. Check out the statistics at the bottom to get a better idea of the magnitude need in our surrounding area.
JSC team members have the incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those who need a little help. Many JSC organizations are hosting competitions or other fun activities. Engineering is going to “Truck Out Hunger” by asking each division to fill up a pickup truck with food items, decorate their truck and participate in a parade. There is a prize at stake that reportedly includes refreshing beverages. Procurement hosted an ice cream social on July 30, which greatly increased awareness and involvement in this worthy cause. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity is collaborating with the Strategic Opportunities and Partnership Development Office to host a “Champions Rise to the Occasion Silent Auction” on Aug. 14. The silent auction will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Building 1, Room 620, if you’d like to stop by and put in a bid. For those looking for a more active way to participate, Starport is hosting a 5K Fun Run on Friday, Aug. 8, for badged JSC team members. The entry fee is a 10-pound bag of non-perishable food items. But you have to hurry, because registration closes on Aug. 7.
These are just a few of the very innovative ways that organizations at JSC are encouraging all of us to get involved and help our neighbors in need. How can you be a champion for those who need a little extra help? Every item that you place in one of the collection bins will help. Or, you can participate in your organization’s special events or competitions to make reaching our 60,000-pound goal entertaining and worthwhile at the same time. No time to swing by the grocery store? You can purchase food-donation vouchers at the Starport Gift Shops (for $5, $10, $15 or $20). Want a more tangible gift to give? Pre-packaged bags of food items are also available in the shops.
Every can, every box or bag of food will help JSC reach 60,000 pounds. Every person—on-site or off-site—can help make a real difference in the lives of those in need.
How great is the need? In the Gulf Coast region:
- More than 900,00 people live in poverty
- One in five people in Galveston County alone need some type of food assistance in a year
- About 137,000 people receive food from the Houston Food Bank each week—almost half of whom are children
- Nearly half of the households receiving help have at least one working adult
- Sixty percent of those people seeking help report having to choose between buying food or paying utilities
- Forty-three percent report choosing between food or medicine/medical care
Lisa Spence
NASA Johnson Space Center
Last year's "Stuff a Truck" event was a huge success. Image Credit: NASA/David Dehoyos
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream at the BA Ice Cream Social. Image Credit: NASA