How Second Harvest Has Become Apart of Me

 Over the course of running this campaign for Second Harvest, I have had so many opportunities to hear so many different stories, backgrounds, and overall everyday lives of all people locally. I have had the privilege to talk to a few clubs and local businesses about our mission and why their support could help us support Second Harvest and their mission to feed so many hungry mouths, especially during the most festive time of year. Even when I was able to go back to my home in Long Island, New York, I was able to spread the word even more to my family, old jobs I worked at, and friends who were also kind enough to share my story. I also had the honor of participating in my cousin's soup kitchen, which he had founded back in New York, that has been open for about three years now and has become a staple tradition in our family to serve a few days out of the year at Hilocation. It has allowed me to grow closer to relationships and grow closer to being a better human being, which is the core of my morals. To say this whole operation has been easy would be a bit of an understatement, but the reward of seeing happy faces makes it all worth it. Through our social media posts from my Instagram and tTwitteraccounts I have been able to proudly connect and collaborate in unforeseen ways I could have never imagined. 

When I first learned about this project, I was a bit skeptical at first, considering our goal of one thousand dollars was a tall task, but I have never been more grateful for the experience. I truly have made memories that will last my lifetime and have grown to share the message of this organization. 

Of course, we are still striving for our goal each and every day with bright enthusiasm and passion to continue our journey. I plan on doing more projects like this even after this class because it has truly impacted my life greatly.

 Best Regards,

Christopher Walker 

Final Group Blog

 Final Group Blog:

As our crowdfunding campaign for Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee comes to an end, our team is incredibly proud of the effort and progress we made along the journey. Our work enabled us to fight hunger and create friendships amongst our small group of members.

Our goal was always clear and simple, and that was to raise awareness about food insecurity and help fight that insecurity by gaining donations. We worked hard to connect with students and encourage them to support such an important cause through our online campaign, 2 PED Walkway events, and our social media efforts. Each donation, no matter the size, helped provide meals to families who need them.

Throughout this project, we learned just how much impact consistent effort can have, even when the results aren’t immediate. Some days were slow, some posts barely reached anyone, and some conversations on PED Walkway didn’t lead to donations, but every attempt got us closer to a donation. We were able to commit, adjusted our approach, and we were able to turn small moments of progress into contributions for Second Harvest. This experience showed us how important teamwork, communication, and persistence are in any campaign, especially when working toward a mission that helps people in our own community.

We look forward to seeing the future endeavors Second Harvest gets involved in, and will continue to support the foundation in every way that we can. Five for Harvest may not be organizing any future events, but the impact our fundraising has had on the community and our own experiences learning about how crowdfunding works will last a lifetime.

William Woodcock, Tommy Rivera, Andrew Bricker, James David, Chris Walker

Small Holiday Actions That Make a Real Difference

 As the holiday season gets closer, people start thinking about finishing exams, planning trips, and enjoying time away from school. It is a busy stretch of the year, but it is also the time when generosity matters the most. Working on our Second Harvest Food Bank fundraiser has reminded our group how powerful small acts of kindness can be, especially during this season.

Second Harvest plays a major role in helping families in East Tennessee who struggle with food insecurity. The need often increases during the holidays, when many families want to enjoy the same comfort and warmth that others experience. Even a small donation can create multiple meals for people who rely on this support. It is easy to assume that only large donations make a difference, but our project has shown us the opposite. The smallest contributions have often been the ones that helped us build steady momentum.

Throughout this fundraiser, we have seen how students, friends, and community members can have an impact just by giving a few dollars or sharing our link with others. Every action helps us move closer to our goal, and every bit of progress helps families who need it the most during the holidays. For our group, this has been one of the most rewarding parts of the project.

We are still working hard to reach our goal, and this is a great time for anyone who has not contributed yet to take a look. Whether someone donates or simply spreads the word, both actions help families in a very real way during a time of year when many people are hoping for a little extra support.