Group Members: Jack Craighead, Brooke Haas, Catrina Hedspeth, Tyler Hogan, Rey Peralta-Hernandez, and Leila Saidashea
Problem Identification
The problem we have decided to help solve has to do with the effects of COVID-19 and the devastating unemployment rates. How can individuals make an impact within their community to help others get essentials?
Problem Analysis
Due to the pandemic, the need for assistance has skyrocketed, due to job loss, reduced wages, and businesses closing. Assistance programs that provide aid such as food, clothes, and other essentials to those in need, are overwhelmed by the sudden increased demand for essential items. Even though this problem is too big for any one person to solve, everyone can do their part to help. Many have seen the effects that job loss has on families in our communities. With the increased need for supplies, food banks have been asking for more donations. We chose this topic because it is a worldwide problem that we can contribute to by helping in our local communities.
Solution Criteria
The criteria for the small win was that it had to be something that everyone could accomplish in a timeline of four weeks that helps the overall larger problem that has been identified. Due to the current pandemic, many options must be modified to help keep individuals socially distanced and safe.
Solution Suggestions
The proposed solutions that are doable in a timely manner could include donating food to local food banks or volunteering at the food banks to help distribute food to our own neighbors. Due to the current nationwide change shortage, another solution would be to round up our change at the grocery stores for donations when the cashier offers. Grocery stores around us are also setting out bins for customers to purchase food that will go to the local food banks. Currently many churches are offering free meals to their communities and they are always in need of help with food prep and distribution.
Solution Selection
We came up with a variety of possible solutions to solve the problem of food shortages. After considering volunteering, making monetary donations, gathering change, or donating food and clothes we decided that the solution that is both effective and convenient was gathering food and clothes to donate. It seemed to be a better solution than donating money because with donating food you do not have to worry about what the money is going to be used for. We also chose to donate food and clothes rather than volunteer, which was for the better because volunteers cannot volunteer for anything unless there are supplies to provide. After careful consideration, our small win solution was gathering and donating food and clothes.
Solution Implementation
To implement our solution, we first wanted to make sure that whatever food we gathered would meet the criteria of what the local food banks needed. After some research was done, one of our group members posted the links to lists of supplies that were needed at nearby food banks. We gathered food that was specifically needed in the community. For some group members that couldn’t gather the needed items, they gathered and donated other helpful food or supplies. After everyone gathered their donations and dropped them off, we shared photos of what we donated, and saw how much we were able to contribute as group.
Conclusion
The pandemic left many people out of work and short on money. Many members of the community had to rely on local programs for support during these tough times. Our group decided that our community would benefit from donations of food and clothes. Due to Covid and conflicting schedules, we each collected donations on our own and donated to our local charity. Some of us collected or purchased food to donate to our nearby food banks. Others were unable to donate food because there were no food banks nearby, so they donated supplies directly to people in the community. Even our relatively small amount of donations to our community was able to make a difference.