UW–Madison journalism students help Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens announce the expansion

26 Sep 23 183 0 0

UW–Madison journalism students help Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens announce the expansion

Cool Story - UW–Madison journalism students help Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens announce the expansion

The Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens announced that they have expanded their operations and bought 15 acres for a new garden with the aid of a communications and social media plan developed by journalism students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A nonprofit maintained entirely by volunteers, the Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens (MAFPG) donates fresh produce from its gardens to 30 food pantries in Dane County. The organization now wants to boost sustainable growing efforts, improve fruit and vegetable output, and offer more educational possibilities with this new purchase of 15 acres for its Forward Garden. They were aware that they should spread the word about their expansion, but they were unsure of how to do it.

The NGO was able to develop a publicity strategy for the addition of their new garden and sustainability initiatives thanks to their collaboration with students in the Public Relations Strategies course at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Katie Schmitt, a volunteer who assisted in starting the project, adds that "this class is a tremendous asset to our nonprofit." Working with such a gifted group of students allows us to not only take advantage of their abilities and learning interests but also, hopefully, to provide them with experience that will help them find employment after they graduate.

According to Linda Hershberger, the course's liaison with MAFPG, working on the project allowed students to directly impact the lives of Dane County citizens. Students helped build a strong foundation for MAFPG's branding, public relations, and sustainability efforts in the future, something the nonprofit hadn't been able to do before through promoting the organization's initiatives.

Students from UW-Madison working with a nearby nonprofit is "definitely a win-win situation for our community," according to Hershberger. This, in my opinion, is the Wisconsin Idea's ultimate goal—that education may occur through strategic collaboration that benefits both parties.

Debra Pierce, Distinguished Teaching Faculty of the SJMC and the course's instructor says she always strives to work with Wisconsin-based companies and organizations with her classes to help them overcome different communications difficulties. Through these collaborations, students can benefit Wisconsin-based organizations while tackling problems in the real world.

MAFPG was able to learn more about strategic communications, which will enable them to increase their efforts in the future. Students in the course acquired excellent hands-on experience in public relations, social media, and creative industries.

"It was a good teachable moment for us, too, from the students who are in that field right now, and we could absorb their expertise," says Darcie Van Dop, a marketing and PR specialist for the MAFPG.

Students at MAFPG's media day attracted the interest of two local TV stations, a digital magazine, a local newspaper, and a radio station after spending the whole spring semester preparing for it. Through the publicity, the nonprofit will be able to raise awareness of its volunteer opportunities, efforts to promote sustainability and assistance it offers to regional communities.

The above article is selected by CoolDeeds.org. The information and the assets belong to their respective owners (original link).

Get inspired by these stories and start your own cool deeds. Let’s fill every neighborhood with good and cool activities. Start your first GroupUp activity or event, invite others, register participants & share your cool deeds so others can follow. Use CoolDeeds.com absolutely free tools to start your initiative. All for FREE, click here to start now.

Step 1: CREATE THE EVENT/ACTIVITY:

Get inspiration and pick a date and create an "Event / Group Up" at www.cooldeeds.com. It is absolutely FREE. There are so many ideas on www.CoolDeeds.com, let's take one and go with it or come up with your own ideas and start something good and cool in your neighborhood. Click here to get started.

Step 2: ANNOUNCE & INVITE:

Share it on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts to announce. Send an invite to your friends, neighbors and family to join the "Event / Group Up".

Step 3: PERFORM EVENT & FEEL GOOD:

Perform the event, take images, videos, and share on www.CoolDeeds.com to inspire the world so others can do the same in their community and neighborhood.

You did it.......Even if you did this alone, you should be proud of yourself as we surely are. Let's start creating an "Event / Group Up" today. Please note CoolDeeds.com is absolutely FREE for all the above activities. Our only purpose is to spread good and cool activities everywhere.