by Ashley Dolan

From the beginning of Innovative PR’s work with Christian Campus House (CCH), I could tell the project was going to be different from any our agency coordinated. CCH brought the initiative called Something to Eat to the University of Central Missouri (UCM) campus last year. This project is a hands-on food packaging event where meals are assembled by volunteers on site, then shipped to communities in need. Last year the UCM campus came together and packaged more than 5,000 meals. Though the donated meals made a great impact on those in need, CCH knew they could give more.  CCH reached out to Innovative PR to help the event reach its full potential.

Something to Eat at UCM has been a unique experience for our agency. It’s such a visual and hands-on project that it’s fun just being at the tent, taking it all in. From the colorful signs that fill the tent, to the pictures of people who were fed last year, CCH has made this event a point of attraction. There are great photo opportunities for students that package meals and a tower that shows UCM’s progress in reaching the goal of assembling 13,220 meals.

Innovative PR provided the opportunity for participants to share their experience at Something to Eat on social media, which serves as a tool to recruit their friends to take part in the initiative. Groups and organizations really took hold of the option for the group sign-up. From the UCM Cheer Squad to sororities, church youth groups and entire classes, the idea of feeding people together became a reality this week.

Witnessing the excitement students and the community have for the Something to Eat project is chilling. News of the event spread like wildfire throughout campus. The first day of the event I couldn’t stop refreshing my Twitter timeline, as I watched the online conversation and use of #SomethingtoEat skyrocket.

The passion CCH has for the cause mirrors Innovative PR’s passion for public relations and giving back to the UCM campus. Our client doesn’t know this, but their enthusiasm has inspired many of our ideas, generated our passion, and this has created impressive results for Something to Eat.

So far more than 3,000 meals have been packaged and with all of the support from the community we can’t wait to see the impact that this event will make by the end of the week.

This experience has taught me so much about working together for a cause, but what it all comes down to is the power of giving back.

When you do good for others, good things happen.