TELFAIR PROPOSAL
CONTENTS THE PROBLEM THE SOLUTION THE SITE THE LOGISTICS
1 IN EVERY AMERICA DOES NOT ACCESS T ENOUGH F
RY 6 ANS T HAVE TO FOOD
USDA.Mark Nord, M. Andrews, S. Carlson. Household Food Security in the United States, 2009.
THE PROBLEM HUNGER. Each passing week, in the early hours of the morning, I awake to sounds and sights of multiple people sifting through the trash cans behind my building looking for food to eat. This is an example of how close hunger is to the community. Hunger is everywhere. Sadly, this is a cold hard fact. Many take their food for granted since they have been fortunate enough to always have a meal available for them. We often think that hunger only affects those that are without a job or shelter. This is not the case; anyone can be hungry. More often than not, it is those who work hard for a small amount of money or those who have worked hard their whole life only to have very little. Children are also a part of this group of unknown hunger victims. They tend to mask the hunger with happiness, innocence, and youthful appearance. Hunger is a problem that must be fixed.
WE ARE HUNGRY
USDA.Mark Nord, M. Andrews, S. Carlson. Household Food Security in the United States, 2009.
HOUSEH AMERIC HAVE AC ENOUG
15% OF HOLDS IN CA DON’T CCESS TO GH FOOD
THE SOLUTION FOOD DRIVE. REINVENTED. In the United States, almost half of our food is thrown away; this includes canned and boxed items that go unopened. Food drives have happened before. You buy a few extra cans, take them to work or school and you give them to someone else to distribute. My solution to help aid in ending hunger in Savannah is another food drive, but one that is educational, carries a message in its execution, and acts as an interactive display for the donaters and general public.
Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia runs food drives through the use of donation barrels placed throughout multiple counties. I see the barrels as something more than simply for collecting food; I want to use them for a message. The food drive is centered around a large scale installation utilizing the barrels as the medium and the message. The following pages go into greater detail in showing the form, execution, and location of the large scale installation and food drive. The effect will hopefully be profound.
56’-
72
BARRELS WILL BE NEEDED TO BUILD* *All of the barrels will be supplied by Second Harvest in Savannah
-0” TOP VIEW
FRONT VIEW
10’-0”
SIDE VIEW
INTERACTION MORE THAN A DONATION. Normally one would simply place food into a barrel and walk away. But this is different. The unusual amount of barrels is cause for curiousity and investigation. As shown, the barrels spell out the word “HUNGER.� The donater is able to walk around and amongst all the barrels reading various facts about hunger, which are wrapped around a few select barrels, but is not able to read the message directly. That in itself is part of the message. We are surrounded by hunger, but we can not always see it or we ignore it until prompted to step back and really see what is around our culture and community.
The donater is asked to do just that. Surrounding signage asks that the viewer take a step back and view the barrels from an elevated area. This is where the message will be revealed and the barrels will no longer act as a simple food donation station. The solution is put within the structure of the problem at hand. More than anything the hope is to ignite action, conversation, and realization among the members of the local community. But in order to do that, the installation needs a site that lends itself to the embracing of such a strong message. The following pages discuss the perfect placement for this large scale societal awareness and action vehicle for the community.
35% OF AMERICA HAD TO C BETWEEN AND RENT
ANS HAVE CHOOSE N FOOD T “Number of Hungry Families Increases in US,” Bread for the World, 10/04/04, 10 Emily Gersema, “USDA: Number of Hungry Families Rising,” Bread for the World, 10/04/04, http://bread. org/hungerbasics/hunger_stats_2002/ap.htm.
THE SITE THE JEPSON CENTER. Such a large scale project in both physicality and message requires a site that lends itself to such an idea. This is where the Telfair Museums, particularly the Jepson Center, shine as a perfect site for the installation. As a museum, the Jepson Center is a well known example of cultural awareness, education, and acting as a host for the emerging ideas within the local community and beyond. The Jepson Center brings in vast numbers of visitors which only increases the exposure of new ideas and awareness beyond its beautiful gallery spaces. Which brings up the next aspect that is meant for the unique food donation drive: the atrium space. The open area is a display space in its own right. The large windows and vast floor create a stage for works that greet the numerous vistors of the center and set the pace for their experience. Overall, the Jepson Center is the perfect place for the hunger awareness food drive to take place. The spaces, actions, and people within are the best setting that the project needs. The following pages show just how the execution of the project within the main atrium space works.
THE APPROACH BEGINNING OF THE EXPERIENCE. The Jepson Center’s atrium is open for all to see by way of large, uninterrupted panes of glass. The installation utilizes the architectural aspect for all that it is worth. Select barrels facing the facade are wrapped in an orange band displaying facts about hunger. The bright color intrigues any passerby or intended viewer with its stark contrast to the white stone. A printed poster or vinyl typography is strategically placed on the glass adjacent to the installation as to draw the viewer in further and provide a “teaser” to the reasoning of its presence.
VIEW FROM STREET
THE ENTRY CURIOSITY GROWS FURTHER. Directly past the main doors is a vital visual point within the Jepson Center atrium. The vast space directs the eye around to gain an understanding of the scale. The barrels are directly to the left once opening the main doors, but not in the way of any circulation. This point, much like the approaching view, is a key visual point of interest. The barrels facing this view are wrapped with bands of orange containing a message or fact about hunger. The barrel on the far right directs the user to donate, then walk around the barrels, and finally view them from above.
VIEW FROM ENTRY
VIEW FROM LANDING
VIEW FROM 2ND FLOOR
Child Food Security in the U.S. 2005-2007, Feeding America through the ConAgra Foods Foundation, 2009
CHILDR 4 AND U GEOR UNABL ENOU
16.9% OF REN AGES UNDER IN RGIA ARE LE TO GET UGH FOOD
THE LOGISTICS HOW AND WHEN. There are many factors taken into consideration for the execution of such a large installation: time, man-power, transport, removal, publicity, and various other aspects. Given the modular design of the installation and the cooperation with Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, many of these concerns are taken care of with relative ease. The following pages address these issues in multiple scenarios.
THE SET UP MAKING IT HAPPEN. TRANSPORTATION Moving 72 donation barrels is no easy task, but with the help of Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia and a few of their donation drivers, the pick up and transporting of the barrels will be quick, easy, and efficient. What if the drivers are busy? The transportation is still possible. I will rent a reasonably sized UHAUL and load as many barrels as possible and transport them myself to the site. If colleagues are available and willing to help with their own vehicles, I will call on them as well to aide in the transport of the barrels.
MAN-POWER & EXECUTION After the transport is complete, the process to assemble the installation requires very few people. However as with many things, the more hands that can help, the better. An ideal team for assembly is 5-10 people, but the installation is able to be completed by one person. Due to the modular design of the installation, the layout and execution of the project is simple and not time extensive. The material design of The Jepson Center in particular makes the layout of the barrels easier. The floor in the atrium has tiles that are 1’ x 2’, creating a perfect grid for the 2’ diameter donation barrels. Following the lines in the floor and looking at a plan of the installation, workers can construct the project quickly.
TIME Depending on the transportation and the amount of workers building the installation, the total execution of the project takes a minimum of 3 hours to a maximum of 8 hours.
THE DURATION WHEN AND HOW LONG? IMPORTANT HUNGER EVENTS Hunger never leaves us, but there are special times when it is an even graver issue than usual. HUNGER ACTION MONTH The entire month of September is Hunger Action Month. This is a perfect time to execute the installation as the attention to take action is already occurring. SUMMER MONTHS Many children depend on public schools for breakfast and lunch during the school year, but what happens after the schools are closed for the Summer break? To have the installation occur during multiple dates throughout the Summer under the project “NO HUNGER SUMMER� would be extremely helpful in creating meals during the Summer for children who do not have access to sufficient and healthy food. WINTER HOLIDAY MONTHS A time where feasting is the norm, we tend to realize that there are many others who are not as fortunate. We want to help those people have the same feeling we have during the holidays. With the installation executed at any point throughout the months of November and December, the public would be able to give a little more than they already do.
TIME PRESENT With ever-growing hunger rates and the installation using a large amount of donation barrels, the duration of the food drive has a certain limit. Depending on the schedule of the designated site and needs of Second Harvest, the installation can remain at a site for a minimum of 4 hours to a maximum of 1-2 weeks.
THE PUBLICITY GETTING THE WORD OUT. PRESS RELEASE With help from Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, a detailed press release discussing the concept behind the installation and the corresponding food drive has already been published. Upon finalizing of time and location, the release will be sent to multiple news outlets around Chatham county and surrounding areas to get the message spread about the food drive.
MAIL AND NEWSPAPER A more traditional approach, multiple postcards are designed and mailed two weeks to a month before the date of the food drive throughout the city and surrounding counties. An ad in the newspaper is also created to spread the word about the event.
VIRAL MEDIA Through the effective use of Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia’s Facebook page, an event is created with the specified date with instructions on how people are able to help end hunger.
ENVIRONMENTAL Similar to the orange bands around the donation barrels within the installation, trash recepticals througout the city will be fitted with an orange band that displays information about hunger or food waste such as “In America, more than 40% of food is thrown away.” Information about the event or a link to more info through Second Harvest will also be on the band. Posters will also be designed for the designated time and event, i.e. NO HUNGER SUMMER, and placed around the city in many strategic locations of food consumption.
THANK YOU YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART. Hunger is a very real and very present issue locally and beyond. Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia continues to fight to end this unfortunate circumstance for many people, but with the help of others like myself and you, they can get even closer to supplying more and more people with the basic need of food.
CONTACT MICHAEL FEAVEL MICHAEL.FEAVEL@GMAIL.COM 972-762-4172 KAREN FRANKLIN KFRANKLIN@HELPENDHUNGER.ORG 912-721-1796