UW-Parkside Student Debuts Short Film on Food Shortage
SOMERS – University of Wisconsin-Parkside student Reagan Becker created a short film illustrating how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the nutritional need of individuals, as part of a project for her Community-Based Learning course.
In CBL courses, students are tasked with projects that are designed to make a difference in their community. For example, instead of simply creating a brochure for a made-up company, students might producer materials for a local nonprofit organization that will be used well after the course has ended. However, due to limitations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, students in this CBL course didn’t have to create something for any one specific organization. Students were instead tasked with identifying COVID-19’s impact on nutritional access/intake and where differences makers could be found in their local community.
In the video, Becker shows how people’s diets and health have been affected by this pandemic, and added that her own diet has been impacted. “For lunch, I’d grab a handful of M&M’s, and call it a day,” said Becker.
While she later said that she has motivated herself to get more fruit and vegetables and cook more, she also added that many others may not have this luxury. Yet, she remains hopeful, and encourages people in the community to support one another. Becker ends the video with a message encouraging everyone to work with one another to make sure everyone has their nutritional needs met in our community.
“As a community, we’ve come together. The local Shalom center continues to serve meals to people in need, and the Kenosha school district continues to distribute food through their breakfast and lunch program to students and their families,” said Becker. “Selfless Kenosha County citizens have donated non-perishable goods to those in need.”
Organizations like the Shalom Center are provide opportunities to volunteer and get involved with serving the community. UW-Parkside is proud to foster students that serve the community and encourages others to get involved.
You can watch Becker’s video via the link below:
***
Media Contact:
Debra Karp
Community and Business Engagement Director
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
karp@uwp.edu | 262-595-2208