Rutgers looks to ‘Strike Out Hunger’

BY JOE FAVORITO

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

ON N.J. SPORTS MARKETING

Sports transcend virtually every social and economic stratum around the world. Nations have stopped centuries of bickering in order to use the playing field as a way to find common ground and settle differences. In most cases, the game is able to overcome language and cultural barriers, and give cultures a rallying point for seeking out change.

Sport also has the ability to rally cause marketing platforms unlike any other form of effective grassroots media. It is why every charity and every brand looks to the sporting event, from the World Cup to the local Little League, to raise funds, sell products and become more attached to a diverse and active base of supporters.

All those aspects are not lost on cause marketers in the Garden State, and this week we looked at Rutgers University’s annual spring food drive campaign, and how it has looked to sports activation for its theme this year, “Strike Out For Hunger.”

We spent a few minutes with Program Coordinator Kat Decker to explain the history of the program and how it works this spring:

Decker: Rutgers Against Hunger recently kicked off a spring food drive campaign on our campuses in Camden, Newark, and New Jersey called Strike Out Hunger. The campaign encompasses a baseball theme and will run at the University for nine weeks (April 4 – June 3). In keeping with the baseball theme, we created a “donation roster” highlighting items of the week throughout the drive (see attached samples).

NJNR: What are the goals in terms of collection?

Decker: Since its inception in 2008, Rutgers Against Hunger (RAH) has collected more than 42 tons of food and raised over $117,000 for New Jersey food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens across the state of New Jersey. The goal of Strike Out Hunger is to continue raising awareness of the issues of hunger in NJ and encourage the Rutgers University community to give back by donating food to assist our neighbors in need. (As this is the first time we are hosting this campaign, we did not set a specific weight goal).

NJNR: Who gets the food?

Decker: Food collected during Strike Out Hunger will be delivered to community food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens across the state of New Jersey. Donations received on Rutgers-New Brunswick campus will be delivered to NORWESCAP (Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren Counties), the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, and several smaller food pantries and soup kitchens throughout the Central New Jersey region. Food collected at Rutgers-Camden campus will be donated to the FoodBank of South Jersey (Salem, Gloucester, Camden, and Burlington counties), and food collected at Rutgers-Newark will be donated to Apostle’s House in Newark, N.J.

NJNR: What has been done in the past?

Decker: Although 2011 marks the first year for the Strike Out Hunger, RAH has hosted several other food drive campaigns since it began in 2008. RAH has partnered with Rutgers Athletics to collect nonperishable food items prior to football, and basketball games, collecting approximately 6500 lbs. as well as an ongoing partnership with Rutgers Recreation and its annual Big Chill 5K fundraiser. In October, the Rutgers Alumni Association will host ‘Run for RAH’ a 5K run/walk benefiting Rutgers Against Hunger. In the previous two years, Run for RAH has raised more than $7,000 and collected more than 850 lbs. of food. In addition, Rutgers Against Hunger hosts an annual Adopt-A-Family program, University Bookstore fundraiser, and University Housing dorm cleanout at the conclusion of each semester.

NJNR: How many collection sites are there right now?

Decker: In total, there are more than 150 RAH collection sites throughout the Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick campuses. For a complete listing of collection sites, please visit rah.rutgers.edu. Anyone can donate at RAH campus collection locations – you do not have to be a student, faculty or staff member.

NJNR: Has the Rutgers community been helpful and supportive?

Decker: The Rutgers community has embraced Rutgers Against Hunger’s mission of increasing awareness of food insecurity, encouraging activism and service to tackle hunger, stimulating research and providing immediate relief through food drives and fundraisers. In addition to RAH’s annual events, several student organizations host their own events on behalf of RAH and volunteer their services at RAH partner food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens. In addition to food drives and fundraising events, Rutgers University is committed to conducting research and offering classes on the issues of hunger and ways to combat them.

NJNR: How did u derive the baseball theme and what is the goal with it?

Decker: RAH was looking for a new and creative way to get the University community excited about spring and the program’s ongoing efforts to combat hunger in New Jersey. Food banks struggle with donations during the spring and summer months, so it was important for RAH to kick off a campaign that would increase donations during that time. RAH incorporated the baseball theme by adopting a nine-week (or inning) drive and creating a “donation roster” which highlights items of the week for each of the nine weeks throughout the drive. This would be a way to collect a variety of goods, as opposed to the usual canned vegetables and such. RAH is looking to increase donations by taking Strike Out Hunger to communities outside of Rutgers University and partnering with New Jersey Minor League Baseball teams. The Camden Riversharks will support Strike Out Hunger during their home games on Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 15. Fans that donate at least two non-perishable food items to RAH will receive a complimentary ticket for Saturday or Sunday’s game. The program is currently looking to also engage other large-scale athletic events, including the state’s other minor league teams, in a similar program as their seasons get started.

By taking the simple principal and a common theme that casual fans can identify with during the spring and early summer, Rutgers goals for collection can grow exponentially with no additional cost outlay. It is a smart and effective way to raise awareness, and increase the collection of goods, all using sport as the unifier.

Go Scarlet Knights.

Joe Favorito has over 24 years of strategic communications/marketing, business development and public relations expertise in sports, entertainment, brand building, media training, television, athletic administration and business. Visit him at JoeFavorito.com.