Persuasive Speech of Value
Channel: Lauren Danczak
Date: 2015-11-05

Thesis Statement:  Food insecurity exists among 247,000 Nebraskans including college students and we have a moral obligation to help combat it. One way is by minimizing food waste.  
Introduction:  According to an April 2015 article published the Lincoln Journal Star, “Every day, nearly 247,000 Nebraskans, or 13.2 percent of the population, don’t know when or where they’ll get their next meal,” (Andersen, 2015).  Food security exists when people have access to enough nutritious and safe food to meet their preferences and dietary needs to live a healthy and active life (Gallegos, 2013).
Body:
I. Why are college students suffering from food insecurity and what are the effects?
A.  Rising external costs
1. tuition
2.  rent and housing expenses
3. transportation and fuel costs
B. first generation college students 
1.  may come from low income families
2. families may not be in a position to help financially as lower household incomes leave less money available to purchase food (Gallegos, 2013)
Shawn Radcliffe, of Healthline News, reported in January of 2014 that “Rising college tuition costs and a high cost of living has forced some students to make the choice between paying for rent and classes or paying for food. These students may not have the family support they need to keep nutritious food on the table when their budgets are stretched thin,” (Radcliffe, 2014)
Linda Boeckner, program leader of the Cooperative Extension Division of Nutrition and Health at UNL was quoted in the Daily Nebraskan as saying, “Food malnutrition can affect the academic performances of students.  It causes both mental and physical fatigue” and “can be stressful on the body and mind,” (Allen, 2014).
II.  Statistics
A.  According to a 2014 executive summary compiled by feedingamerica.org, “One in ten of the adult clients they serve is a student.  Two million are full-time and one million are part time.  Additionally, thirty-two percent of the households report having to choose between paying for food or paying for their education,” (Executive, 2014).
B. Working to alleviate food insecurity for students could make a difference in improving retention rates and educational outcome (Gallegos, 2013).
III. Ways to Help
A.  Be mindful of situations friends or classmates may be in- offer help to someone you may notice that has a need. 
In an email to Healthline, Megan Patton-Lopez, an epidemiologist at Benton County Health Services said, “Given the widespread use of food pantries on university campuses, I would suspect that the need is high,” (Radcliffe 2014).
B. Give donations to local on-campus food pantries if they exist
According to the University of Nebraska- Omaha website under Student Life, “Food insecurity is becoming more evident on college campuses, and UNO is no exception,” (www.unomaha.com, 2015).  
C. Work to keep costs down
1. In-season and local (Radcliffe, 2014)
a.  farmers markets, 
b.  roadside stands 
2.  Consider alternative food sources
Bountiful Baskets- $15 for $50 (retail) worth of fruits and veggies
3. Choose frozen fruits and vegetables- use only what you need. (Radcliffe, 2014)
According to a 2015 sustainability case study by Dina Belon of Buildings, “Purchase and prepare only what you need.  Think about food waste before it even hits the table.  Smart use of food is critical no matter the size of your operations,” (Belon, 2015).
Conclusion:  
 As we’ve learned, everyday 247,000 Nebraskans do not know where they will get their next meal.  This includes our classmates.  As we enter the holiday season there will be so many opportunities to make a difference for someone else.  We have a moral obligation to consider allocating some of our holiday funds to provide food for a fellow student in need.  Whether you make a donation to a food pantry, or know of someone personally who could benefit, we can all make a difference in the fight against food insecurity for college students. 

References
Allen, M. (2014, February 20). UNL dining services works to fight food insecurity. Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved from www.dailynebraskan.com
Andersen, E. (2015, April 16). Despite efforts, study finds hunger persists in Nebraska. Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved from www.journalstar.com
Belon, D. (2015). Five tactics to reduce food waste. Buildings, 109(7), 32.  Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com
Executive summary: Hunger in America 2014. (2014). FeedingAmerica.org. Retrieved from www.googlenews.com
Food insecurity support. (2015). University of Nebraska-Omaha website. Retrieved from www.unomaha.edu/student-life/student-safety/help-myself/food-insecurity-support.php
Gallegos, D., Ramsey, R., and Ong, K. (2014). Food insecurity: Is it an issue among tertiary students? Higher Education, 67(5), 497-510. Doi:10.1007/s10734-013-9656-2
Radcliffe, S. (2014). Nearly 60 percent of college students are food insecure. Healthline. Retrieved from www.googlenews.com