Description of Project:
Our project focused on supporting Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), a non-profit, through a volunteer service event, online fundraising campaign and spreading awareness. The team organized a volunteer shift at Feed My Starving Children’s Schaumburg location in Illinois. The volunteer shift focused on packing meals that would be distributed to children facing food insecurity around the world. For this shift to be successful the team recruited 20 volunteers from our own network.
In addition to the volunteering, the team launched an online fundraising campaign using FMSC’s donation platform. The goal of the campaign was to raise $636, which would support two children for a year and give a family food stability for a year. To increase awareness and encourage others to donate we created two posters using FMSC design materials.
Description of Charity:
Feed My Starving Children is a Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing food and
ending childhood hunger worldwide. The meals that are packed at FMSC are developed
by food science and nutrition professionals to ensure they are nutritionally dense and
reduce the effects of malnutrition.
FMSC partners with food distribution partners all over the world to provide food to
children that are malnourished.
FMSC has facilities all over, but we as a team will be travelling to Schamburg facility to
pack meals.
Website: https://www.fmsc.org/
Address: 740 Wiley Farm Ct, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: (847) 519-9614
Factual analysis of success in terms of project objectives:
Overall, the project was successful throughout. From the planning stage to implementation and completing the volunteer event, the team worked well together to achieve our goals. We successfully recruited and signed up for a volunteer event with 20 volunteers to participate in the meal packing shift. Although, one volunteer fell ill the morning of the event, it was still successful. During the event, the group that we were part of was able to pack 162 boxes, which were 34,992 meals. This would provide 96 kids a daily meal for year.
Our online fundraiser was also successful as we were able to exceed our goal of $636. In total, we raised $828 to support Feed My Starving Children. This success came from sharing the donation link with our volunteers and our own personal networks.
Lessons Learned about Managing Projects:
One important lesson learned was the importance of early planning and communication. Coordinating volunteer schedules, recruiting volunteers, and organizing the fundraising campaign required clear communication among team members. Setting up communication channels and an established time to meet was key to ensure a successful project. We used a text message group for daily communications, shared documents through email and used class time for weekly meetings.
This project made it clear about the value roles and responsibilities within the team. Assigning responsibilities such as volunteer recruitment and coordination, documentation, and photography helped the team stay organized and ensured tasks were completed efficiently.
Advice for Future Teams Doing Similar Projects:
Future teams should begin planning their volunteer events and fundraising campaigns as early as possible. Early planning allows more time for recruiting volunteers and coordinating tasks. We shared an email with our volunteers that had important information regarding the event, like the time and location, safety materials and other FAQs to ensure that volunteers knew what they were signing up for.
It is also helpful to clearly define roles and responsibilities among team members to avoid confusion and ensure that tasks are completed on time.
One key lesson learned was the importance of planning for uncertainty, especially when managing people. For example, having backup volunteers is critical, as last-minute cancellations can impact participation. Scheduling extra volunteers helps ensure the event can still run smoothly. 
