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Final Words

This blog aimed to examine the way visual culture plays a role in society's view of hunger as a social justice issue. I have learned so much and hope this aids in providing a visual representation of hunger in America. The following points have stood out to me as the biggest take aways from my research: 1. There are many, MANY types of visual media in which hunger and opinions/viewpoints on it can be found: photographs, political cartoons, social media posts, public art and billboards, etc. 2. As we progress into a world where hunger is becoming a more evident problem through people from all backgrounds, artists aim to show that it isn't just the people living in ghettos that are food insecure; it's people with jobs, students, children, and the elderly. 3. Community aid is a HUGE part of solving this problem, but not all of it. The community aspect of this problem introduces us to the fulfillment of the Catholic social justice themes of the common good, human dignity, solidarity, helping the vulnerable, and participation. 4. Food redistribution could potentially be the solving factor of hunger in America. We do not have food shortage issue, rather we have an access problem. By implementing gardens for fresh produce, gathering unused food from stores and restaurants, and even delivering these things to the elderly, the significant problem we have could be made a little less intrusive. 5. There are TONS government programs that also provide help, especially in regards to children and the elderly. Sometimes, however, things like Food Stamps may be difficult to qualify for. This is why the other means of accessing food is important. 6. Finally, there are tons of art around us begging us to participate in its cause. From a photograph of a man on a trash can where you realize you are throwing away food someone else could benefit from, to walking down the street and finding billboards for Meals on Wheels reminding you that volunteers are always needed, we run into it everywhere. Once you become aware of its significance, it starts to hit home a little bit more. I am so lucky to have had to step outside my typical means of research and find visual evidence of a problem that has been plaguing our nation (as well as the world) for decades.

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Historical View of Hunger and Social Programs

1920s: Nation transitioned from primarily agrarian to industrial. 　 The Great Depression, 1929–1935 1932: American farms were destroyed or plowed under due to low prices and a lack of markets. At the same time, the business crash in manufacturing and other industrial sectors drove unemployment rates to 24%. 1939: The creation of the first Food Stamp Program (face value, only surplus commodities) 1943: The early Food Stamp Program ended 1946: The federal government targeted food assistance to poor children through the passage of the National School Lunch Act in 1946. 1964: Food Stamp Act of 1964 made food stamps a permanent program. 1966: School Breakfast Program created 1969: President Richard Nixon convened the first-ever White House Conference on Food and Hunger 1970: Food Stamp Reform Act of 1970 (structural changes) 1975: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) established 1975: School Breakfast Program becomes permanent 1977: Current Food Stamp Program implemented 1979: Second Harvest became a national organization of "food banks" that operated with funding support from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. 1993: Childhood Hunger Relief Act This chronological view of hunger outlines the progression (and regression) of certain government-funded programs, as well as other organizations that aid in hunger relief. It also describes the situation that led to the problem that was never resolved. The source of this information provides an extensive look into the history and includes plenty of additional pieces that I have not added here. For more information: https://www.hungercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Hunger-in-America-Americas-Second-Harvest.pdf

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My goal isn't to be extremely political in this blog, but government plays a huge role in funding for many social reform programs involving the distribution of food, especially to children and the elderly. Many of these programs have been shaped throughout tons of trial and error over the past 60 years. Unfortunately, this social media blast shows the view of an individual working inside OUR government and the clearly unaccepting responses to it. The government should have common good and human dignity as the driving force in their decisions, rather than the benefits they may be reaping from it.

I have previously posted evidence that meals do, in fact, prove to have significant impact on school performance. Children are the future of our country and we need them to be successful to carry on what we leave behind.

These guys are literally asking what “benefits” (to the rich) Meals on Wheels provides and since it doesn't give any benefits (to the rich) they should be dismantled.

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I agree! America should. If the food is just going to waste, whats the problem with giving it to those in need?

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Photograph credit: White Pony Express (c) Retrieved from: http://www.whiteponyexpress.org/food-rescue/ Unlike some of the other food redistribution programs in our country, White Pony Express in California takes a different approach to obtaining and distributing food. This system proves to be a different, more nutritious way of accessing food. Many people who are in need receive donated food, usually nonperishables in cans or boxes. These aren't adequate in terms of Dietary Guidelines set by the government. This organization has found a way to implement a new way of receiving and delivering food in its prime state. They operate everyday from 7am-10pm, in which collections of surplus foods from grocery stores, farmers markers, and school lunches can be picked up at the ring of a phone and taken to local nonprofit organizations or delivered to those who have called that day stating they need help. The operate under 4 criteria that make them great at what they do: #1 is Responsiveness. Each morning, they post a chart of the distribution area and what foods are preferred by the recipients in need that day. They are ready to respond within a short period of time after receiving a phone call. #2 is Fast. Deliveries are generally made within 2 hours of receiving the call from a market, store, or school with a surplus of food. They pick it up and deliver it immediately so that the food is still fresh. #3 is Fresh. Their direct distribution model and use of refrigerated vehicles allows for larger quantities of food, perishables and fresh produce to be delivered in prime conditions. It is evident by the picture above that they have foods that extend far beyond the can. There are salads, fruit juice and fresh produce that can be seen in this image, making it evident that they are achieving the goals they set out to do. The woman in the picture has a cane next to her, and this supplements the already known fact that those who are elderly and disabled need help getting to food the most.

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A Place at the Table (2013) Directed by Kristi Jacobson & Lori Silverbush This documentary was absolutely phenomenally directed, produced, and voiced. Stories of different individuals experiencing food insecurity are told from their point of view, which aids in providing a powerful message of its tragic nature. Voices and statistics prove to be this film's strong point and evoke a more personal response in which the viewer feels not only upset with the government's stance on the subject, but feels they should do something to help. In fact, in the first few airings of this film, a number was distributed to receive text updates providing the number of people in your area who don't have a lot of food and what you can do to contribute. In addition, the film was effective in making me question what is happening in our nation and whether or not the democracy that we pride ourselves on is really out for the common good of all of its people. Food assistance programs are extremely difficult to qualify for and neglect the fact that $24,000 annually isn't enough to pay rent, buy food, necessities, and completely take care of 3 people. When food assistance is available, the food these people can afford to buy is not nutritious and the process itself can be humiliating and cause a loss of human dignity. The first important fact brought up in the film was how hunger is stereotyped in our minds: as a skinny, malnourished, African child. This isn't the case of hunger in America, which is why most of our country and government is blind to it. The link between obesity and hunger was pointed out strongly throughout the documentary in its entirety. We don't think of those who are starving as obese, but truth be told, those living in poverty-ridden conditions with little access to food or the money for it, end up eating cheap snacks consisting of pure carbs and sugars, which aren't adequately nutritious, especially for a growing child. The effects of a hungry child on their academic performance is also addressed. The film provides plenty of statistics and evidence of how hunger in America continues to be a problem. A Place at the Table traces back food access issues all the way back to the Great Depression. It proceeds to talk about the programs in place from that time up until today and reasons for which they aren't working very well. The directors didn't leave out how community-based food distribution programs are more and more common today and how much of a positive impact those can have with the lack of government aid. However, they do attempt to provide a neutral stance in that. They don't aim to say that there are not individuals in government advocating for something to be done, but the power lies with senior government representatives who unfortunately believe funding is more important elsewhere. This is an issue involving the Catholic Social Justice issue of solidarity. A statement that will stick with me from this documentary is that inaction is worse than any kind of debt the government would have if they were to do more to provide for those who need it most. We have enough food in America for no one to go hungry, so why can't we distribute it that way? Information on A Place at the Table can be found here: http://www.takepart.com/place-at-the-table/ and http://www.foodisfuel.org ---- It can be rented on iTunes and Amazon for $3.99 (which is more than the allotted money per child public schools receive from the government for lunch - $2.68 at the time this film was made).

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(Hunger Through My Lens/Ashley Smith) Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/picturing-hunger-in-america/ This photograph was taken by a nonprofessional photographer in Denver, CO. The garden pictured is used to give fresh produce to low-income households. This image was on display at the Capitol in Colorado in 2015. It is titled "The Land is Plentiful, Why Isn't Access?" There are empty plots of land, like this one, all across the country. The use of community gardens as a source of food for local families is increasing. With so much land around, access to food shouldn't be impossible. This photo makes us aware that it doesn't require a massive amount of land to feed those who are in need.

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These photographs were both taken near my house in Pittsburgh, PA. In fact, they are within 7 blocks of each other. I have come across many of these billboards in the area, and I think the message they have is utterly significant to this blog. These billboards are part of a Meals on Wheels campaign called "American, Let's Do Lunch." The ads are tailored for the county in which they reside. Meals on Wheels is a program that provides food and delivery for the elderly. There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about government budget cutting impacting the Meals on Wheels program. While this may not seem like a big deal, the elderly are a huge part of our population and according to the Meals on Wheels website, the number of senior citizens will DOUBLE by 2050. As is evident, elderly people become less mobile and become increasingly unable to fend for themselves, and/or do not have sufficient funds to provide themselves with adequate food. These billboards call out for those in the community to act and volunteer for the initiative. I think the way the signs are tailored to the specific area in which they are located provides some kind of responsibility for the person looking at it. Another important aspect I want to address is the prevalence of these billboards. They are EVERYWHERE. In one trip to the grocery store, you could view 5 or more of these signs. I think this is an outcry for help. The more you see an image, the more likely you are to wonder why or the meaning behind it. Also, I found it kind of amusing, at first, that the second picture's placement was under a McDonalds hiring ad. However, although very different, they call for a similar thing. Meals need to be provided and whether its through actual work or volunteered time, the distribution of meals in any case is an important aspect in combating hunger as a social justice issue in our country. For more information on Meals on Wheels America: http://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/

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Although most of my blog has been about who in America hunger impacts and to what extent, I decided to refocus my blog for the remainder of this semester to show current food distribution programs that aid in fighting the hunger problem. I have already addressed and will continue to address programs and people that work to help the issue, not solve it. I think that is an important factor in my goal, here. Solutions for a social justice issue that plagues our entire country isn't really feasible in the immediate moment, but small steps to aid in the effort to help some of those who need it is extremely important and I hope this blog shows the importance of food distribution techniques and programs here in America.

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I think I remember you telling us about this in class one day! Honestly, this seems like such a simple, easy way of helping those in need. It isn't necessarily a solution, but it is so heartwarming to know that there are people who see opportunities like this as ways of helping others.

Man Used His Olive Garden All-You-Can Eat Pass To Feed People In Need

We really hope this kind of carb loading becomes a fad.

Back in September, Matt Tribe purchased Olive Garden’s Never Ending Pasta Pass, which –- for $100 — invited customers to eat as much pasta as they possibly could over the course of seven weeks. But the Ogden, Utah man soon realized he could nourish himself and use the oodles of noodles to help homeless people, friends and strangers, according to his website, Random Acts of Pasta.

For more on Random Acts of Pasta go here. 

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Photographed by: Joachim Eskildsen (2011) Retrieved from: http://time.com/3782964/below-the-line-portraits-of-american-poverty/ These images come from a photo collection titled "Below the Line: Portraits of American Poverty" by Joakim Eskildsen (2011). Although I've spent time focusing on hunger, I think it is important to point out the underlying cause of hunger: poverty. This amazing photo essay puts together portraits of poverty that extend beyond the realms of race, age, and situation. The article above describes Eskildsen's tactic being to put faces to the powerful statistics revolving around poverty. Some of these photographs, with the help of their captions, have a way of pulling you in to the devastating realization that this is a significant issue and these individuals do not deserve to be living this way. The photograph that pained me the most was the man standing behind his wheelchair. The caption gives us insight that the bridge he is standing in front of, is actually where he lives. When people don't have the money to keep a roof over their head, I can only image how they get access to food or medical care. In Susan Sontag's "On Photography," many relations between the world and photography are addressed. "Photographed images do not seem to be statements about the world, so much as pieces of it..." (4). These images above are pieces of a true reality and are how the world around us can be captured in a moment. It isn't merely something that happens, but rather a piece of what is happening. These captured moments are taking vulnerable people and making them part of the world. Interestingly enough, Sontag describes the concept of "participation," as something a photographer does with its subjects or environment, even if they aren't actively participating in the situation (10). This is important here because Eskidsen doesn't set out to make a change, but participate in a different way by documenting it. In fact, Sontag describes, "to take a photograph is to participate in another person's morality, vulnerability, mutability" (15), which is exactly what these photographs represent. Also, Sontag describes photographs that cause "the world [to become] a series of unrelated, freestanding particles..." (23). A photo essay, however, takes a bunch of these freestanding particles and puts them together to provide more of a narrative of interconnectedness. She reflects, "Photographs, which cannot themselves explain anything..." (23). Standing alone, they might not be able to create a story, but together, they open us onto a world that involves more than a single particle in time. While she says, "Only that which narrates can make us understand" (23), and I do agree to the fullest extent, a photo essay provides us with different angles of the same issue or situation in order to be more compelling evidence of the world around us.

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Copyright: jimmarg@aol.com (2009) Retrieved from: http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/hunger-united-states-early-grades

This political cartoon expresses a huge problem in our culture today. Although most people are aware that hunger is/was an issue in our country, mainstream media sometimes leads the public to believe that this problem is addressed and becoming less prevalent overtime. However, even with programs such as SNAP, WIC, and food pantries across the country, there are still people who are suffering from food insecurity. This art can be related in many ways to images found in the For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights online exhibition. I think, most evidently, this cartoon can be compared to the Evidence and Persuasion section. It both reports information that people might know little about and exposes the harsh reality that the problem persists in our culture. Specifically, this image can be compared to the Words and Image section of the exhibition. The artists of the civil rights period knew photographs were not enough to influence and persuade the public alone. It was evident that words with pictures could create narration that would enhance the effectiveness of the photograph. This is what political cartoons, especially this one in particular, aim to do. There is a gap in the story when a photographer presents an image of people standing in line for the food pantry, or people using SNAP benefits to have a meal. Without this kind of art, strong emotions cannot be expected that will evoke response. The artist of this cartoon was able to use words to let people know their point of view on the subject, which he wanted to persuade people to realize and understand. In addition, this cartoon could also reflect the section in the exhibition titled In Our Lives We Are Whole: The Images of Everyday Life. This section aimed to “make visible what had remained mostly unseen in the culture at large.” Popular culture only offers part of the story, and images such these help fill the gaps left behind. Both African Americans during the civil rights movement and those struck by poverty face the problem that their experiences are misrepresented in popular culture and mainstream media. Also, I found that this image parallels to Arthur Rothstein’s Bootblack (1937) photograph. Both pieces of art reflect the idea of the “third effect.” The third effect is the term that describes the conflict a viewer is faced with when reality or facts are presented in juxtaposition with what the world wants to be seen as. While we are hit with articles and proof that something is being done about hunger, it still exists and this proves as evidence for the idea that reality is much different than what is being reflected in day-to-day media.

For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights online exhibition: http://fatwts.umbc.edu/online-exhibition/

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I've posted about the significance of hunger in students attending college before, but I think this image gives an accurate representation of the hidden experiences poor students are forced into. Sometimes, in order to do an assignment, a student needs a book costing hundreds of dollars, and one could imagine how that hinders the ability to purchase necessities, including food and shelter. With the rise in the cost of education, this is becoming more prevalent and I feel as though it is something our society needs to address if we plan to put educated and healthy young adults into the world who are capable of having a normal life post-education.

There’s no way to avoid it. As the cost of college grows, research shows that so does the number of hungry and homeless students at colleges and universities across the country.

Still, many say the problem is invisible to the public.

National Survey Shows High Rates Of Hungry And Homeless Community College Students

Illustration by LA Johnson/NPR

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(Screenshot from https://www.michaelkors.com/_/N-nfrq9t)

Who knew that Michael Kors had a hunger campaign? For each of these watches that are sold, 100 children are fed through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Although this initiative takes on world hunger, Michael Kors’ ambition to helping the hungry began decades ago here in America. In the late 1980s he started God’s Love We Deliver, which is a nonprofit organization that provides nutritious meals to ill people.

I think this idea of fashion and role models as a means of fighting one of our country's biggest social justice issues is absolutely amazing! I have always been a Michael Kors fan, but now that I am informed of his initiatives to help those in need, I am even more inclined to give him my business!

“I’m very proud that our watch hunger stop campaign has helped WFP deliver over 15 million meals to children in need. The compassion and support shown for this important cause is inspiring.” - Michael Kors

Information retrieved from: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/16/world/iyw-world-food-day/ http://destinationkors.michaelkors.com/watch-hunger-stop/

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It's about time we do something about wasted food!! This is beautiful.

After the Oscars parties, hundreds of homeless people dined on gourmet leftovers

The Oscars isn’t exactly the type of event where you’d think people care about wasting food.

Yet after stars dined on short ribs, taro root tacos, gold-dusted truffle popcorn and more, the untouched leftovers were whisked away and redistributed to hungry Los Angeles residents.

Thanks to actress Freida Pinto, no piece of lavish party food went to waste this year. 

The actress joined forces with Copia, a food recovery startup, to ensure the luxe leftovers from several of the Oscars weekend parties could be given to LA residents in need of food. Read more (3/2/17 11:26 AM)

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Photograph by: Joey O'Loughlin Retrieved from http://www.citylab.com/politics/2016/03/what-urban-hunger-looks-like-now/474846/ I thought the series of photographs on this page were incredible on the basis that I would have had no idea that this was a line for a food pantry without reading the caption. This photograph was taken in New York City. The houses in these photographs look like they belong to middle or upper class citizens. The area is taken care of very well. We tend to associate poverty and hunger with run-down, beaten up neighborhoods. But in reality, it is right under our noses! For this reason, America is blind to these issues. Aside from standing with carts for food, I would've never imagined that these people were waiting in a long line for a bag of food. This article informs us that 1.4 million New Yorkers rely on food assistance from food banks and food pantries because of the increase in the cost of living. Photographer Joey O'Loughlin stated, "I think most Americans have an image of hunger that’s based on Dust Bowl images—Jacob Riis, the breadlines, Dorothea Lange’s photographs, so when it’s people who are wearing black or pink puffer coats, we don’t get it. When it’s people carrying their bags of food next to you on the subway, or talking on their phone, and they look like everybody else you see out in the city, we don’t get it. Hunger in this city is hidden.”

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Credit: No Kid Hungry (2013) Retrieved from http://join.nokidhungry.org/site/PageNavigator/SOS/Breakfast_2013.html

Anyone interested in the social issue justice of hunger and poverty could easily look of the statistics of the prevalence of hunger in our nation. However, I think this approach is more powerful.

This information graphic is almost what I would consider "fun." It uses colors and organization methods to pull your eyes from one place to another. It makes you want to look at it. Most infographics I have come across use a series of the same objects in certain colors in order to represent a statistic that is easier to conceptualize. However, this one only does that in one case. It is meant to educate the general public and signify the importance of breakfast. It isn't necessarily tackling hunger on an empathetic level, but it uses facts to orient the viewer to an obvious problem in food distribution.

The organization No Kid Hungry gathered statistics on the CONSEQUENCES of not having breakfast on children in school - and the facts are astounding. Breakfast clubs in school exist because of these statistics. Eating breakfast makes kids less likely to miss school and more likely to do better in math. In regards to students’ futures, kids who eat breakfast earn $10,000 more annually in their adult lives than kids who don’t. If we want what’s best for our children, it is absolutely necessary that we provide them with breakfast, as well as other meals. Organizations like No Kid Hungry advocate on behalf of hungry children in America.