Lipscomb University students partner with Second Harvest to raise money Feb. 14

Valentine’s Day will mean a lot more than romance to Lipscomb University’s law, justice and society students in 2010. It will mean an opportunity to feed up to two million hungry Tennesseans struggling this winter.

 

The members of Lipscomb’s community activism class have been hard at work for almost a year on Hearts 4 Hunger, a non-profit campaign to collect monetary donations to benefit the hungry throughout Middle Tennessee during the leanest time of the year.

 

The students are urging local congregations to join the Hearts 4 Hunger campaign by holding a special contribution Sunday, Feb. 14, for the Second Harvest Food Bank. After learning that the post-Christmas lull is one of the most difficult times for Second Harvest to collect food donations, the students established the Hearts 4 Hunger campaign to combat hunger in Middle Tennessee during this non-traditional time of year.

 

“Through the partnership with Second Harvest, anyone can feed their hungry neighbors by donating to this campaign,” said Shelby Farrell, a junior from Nashville and a committee chair with the Hearts 4 Hunger campaign. “Every dollar donated provides four meals to hungry men, women and children. Imagine if everyone attending church on Sunday, Feb. 14, gave just a dollar to the Hearts 4 Hunger campaign. We could provide millions of meals in a matter of minutes for our closest neighbors who are struggling to meet their basic needs.”

 

As part of Lipscomb’s law, justice and society program, these students, who hail from Nashville, Franklin and Dickson as well as other states, have carried out this grassroots campaign from the ground up: designing a Website (www.hearts4hunger.org), creating promotional materials, developing a marketing concept (“Open your heart to hunger.”), and personally calling hundreds of congregations to recruit participants in the Valentine’s Day contribution.

 

In Tennessee, more than one in five Tennesseans under the age of 18 are at risk of suffering from hunger, equaling almost 300,000 children in the state. In Davidson County, 15.7 percent of the population lives below the poverty rate, making out-of-season donations to Second Harvest essential to provide every child in need with a nutritious meal.

 

“America has recently shown its vast potential for generosity after the Haiti earthquake. I hope on Valentine’s Day the hearts of the people of Davidson County will be moved once again to provide help for the hungry closer to home,” said Charla Long, executive director for the Institute for Law, Justice and Society and mentor for the students conducting the campaign.

 

The students in Lipscomb’s law, justice and society program regularly blend course offerings with participation in community service in order to make a difference in the world. By combining an undergraduate legal education with classes in history, psychology, sociology, Bible and more, students discover ways they can effectively institute legal change resulting in social change and vice versa.

 

If you, your congregation or your organization is interested in participating in Hearts 4 Hunger, please register at www.hearts4hunger.org or contact the Lipscomb students through the Institute for Law, Justice and Society at 615.966.2500.