This week we have been learning about different issues we have in our community of Waco, Texas. As a group, we felt that hunger is a big issue in Waco and wanted to find a way to advocate for this issue and work to find a way to improve food insecurities. We spent some time discussing different root causes of this issue and decided to focus on poverty. We believe that there is a connection between poverty and hunger. To prove this we researched some facts comparing poverty and hunger. In the United States, the poverty level is 46.7 million and 48.1 million are struggling with food insecurities. In Waco, Texas, 29.4% of individuals live below the poverty line and 19% of people are food insecure.

• 1 in 6 people face hunger.
• These 8 states have the highest food insecurity rates: Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Missouri, Georgia, and Ohio.
• More than 2.3 million Texas students are on Free and Reduced Lunch.

After brainstorming how we can advocate and fight hunger in our community we decided to open a local grocery store called Oasis. We named our store Oasis because Waco is a food desert and every desert has an oasis. Oasis will be fully based on donations. Oasis will be open Monday-Sunday, 8-5. It will provide healthy food options for a low cost. Oasis will also provide job opportunities. We began collecting donations during iEngage camp and collected $33 and 43 cans of food that will be taken to the Empowerment House in China Spring and Shepherds Heart in Robinson by group members until our store opens.

• Healthy food options:

• Job opportunities:

• Volunteer opportunities:

"I picked hunger because it needs to be fixed."- Grady Wilson

"I think hunger is an issue because it affects people everywhere not just in Waco."- Ryland Pledger

"Hunger is a serious subject because it can happen to anyone and not only effects adults but children too."- Brookelyn Merenda

"I want to help people with hunger because it hurts my heart to see it."- Julianne Rogers

"I am sad to say hunger is a big issue in American and it effects people badly and I think everyone everywhere should please pitch in and help it is a huge problem. Thank you."- Meagan Cannon

"I learned that hunger is a problem in Waco."- Tyson Grogan

• Volunteer
• Donate funds
• Donate fresh foods and vegetables
• Donate time

Email: icivics@baylor.edu
Website: http://blogs.baylor.edu/iengage/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iengagebaylor