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When Dr. Alice Obenchain-Leeson, assistant professor in the University's Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) Program, learned of an opportunity for her students to analyze data for a non-profit organization - Food for Thought (FFT) - she jumped at the chance. She replaced a major team assignment with this research effort to give her students hands on experience in data analysis. "The ultimate goal is to help FFT gain greater insight into the impact the program is having on the children, families and communities it serves. They want to know – is FFT working?" said James "JJ" Vogltanz, one of the students who worked on the project. Vogltanz is an assistant vice president in the collection department and serves as a commercial collection manager at CIT Group, Inc. "Keep in mind that FFT is trying to achieve the goals of reducing hunger and helping those at academic risk," said Robert Taylor, also a student. "Based on the fact that those participating in the program meet certain 'financial need' criteria and that the number of students being served by this program increases every year, it is clear that they are achieving their first goal, ... they are helping those at academic risk." Taylor is the CEO at Gamewood, Inc. "Like many nonprofits, FFT is confronted with the challenge to obtain resources, specifically funding," Vogltanz said. "Their organization is all volunteer based and has been growing since its inception. FFT's main mission is to reduce both hunger and academic risk for the children they help in the Dare County School System. Our class also had the opportunity to talk directly, via conference call, with the executive leadership of FFT during one of our workshops at AU. FFT was very open to their current challenges and very thankful for the assistance of AU, along with Dr. O and the students of the class." During their research, the class came up with several recommendations for the organization including, suggestions on the food that appeared to be most liked, how to improve their questions on the parent and school administration surveys and better ways to transport (reusable cloth bags with handles) and/or distribute the food. Food For Thought works to reduce hunger and academic risk for significantly disadvantaged children in five Dare County, N.C. elementary schools. The operation relies on 300+ volunteers, and an all volunteer staff, who each week, pack bags of nonperishable food for the weekend for disadvantaged children. What began as a pilot project in 2006, with fewer than 150 participants, has grown to 450+ participants.
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