A Community Unites to Understand and Fight Food Insecurity

A Work of Art 2024

In April, the SPAM® Museum opened its doors to the Austin community to celebrate and advance the efforts to address food insecurity in Mower County. At the event, “A Work of Art: Creating Food Security,” hundreds of pieces of art created by Austin High School students, including drawings, paintings, pottery, essays and photography, were displayed to raise awareness about food insecurity. 

The event was a unique opportunity for all community members to engage with the issue of food insecurity, fostering a rich dialogue between generations, including educators, students, nonprofits, businesses and local leaders. Prompted by the artwork, discussions were not only about the challenges faced but also about seeking solutions — from local to global. The collaborative effort highlighted the power of art and education in mobilizing community action.

The Work of Art event was organized by The Hometown Food Security Project and Hormel Foods, in collaboration with Austin High School. The Hormel Institute partnered for the community event and led engaging activities for children and their families. Participating student-artists chose to give the donated proceeds from the art auction to organizations that supported infant and youth nutrition.

What is at stake for Hormel Foods

For decades, Hormel Foods has demonstrated a commitment to the causes of education and hunger. The company believes in the power of education and opportunity to shape the future of individuals and communities. Over the years, the company has consistently supported food relief efforts in Austin, various plant communities, and during numerous disaster relief efforts across the country and internationally. This event successfully brought together the issues of education and food security, showcasing the synergy between them in addressing critical community issues.

Hormel Foods leadership with the Hometown Food Security Project is a model for how companies can promote hands-on doing with philanthropy. Team members participated in all aspects of the project, from providing planning, organizational and management skills to showing up for on-site volunteer work. 

Student Artwork 

The art exhibit posed challenging questions about food insecurity, which were explored by students through different art mediums over the past months. Through paintings, photographs, drawings and essays, among others, the exhibit provided a personal perspective on this issue, capturing the students’ own experiences, insights and observations. 

“This initiative empowered Austin Public Schools’ students to express their own meanings of food insecurity or security,” said Gema Alvarado-Guerrero, co-lead of the Hometown Food Security Project. “Art has been a crucial medium for them to convey their definitions and involve their families.”

Essays

The Hometown Food Security Project has partnered with the World Food Prize Foundation and Hormel Foods to offer Austin High School AP Geography students the chance to participate in the annual World Food Prize Global Challenge. This initiative allows students to develop and present innovative ideas for a more equitable and sustainable food system. APS students shared their essays and engaged with event attendees and their families describing their work and their proposed solutions.

Students have attended the Minnesota Youth Institute to engage with experts and explore impactful solutions locally and globally. Selected students will advance to the Global Youth Institute, showcasing their essays and research to peers and attendees. This collaboration provides AP Human Geography students a valuable opportunity to make a difference, guided by the World Food Prize Foundation.

The Refrigerator Project: A Candid Exploration

Photography teacher Robin Brown initiated an ongoing series last year looking into the everyday lives of students through an unfiltered lens — their refrigerators. Students were asked to capture their refrigerators exactly as they are — no rearranging, cleaning, or curating of contents. Photographs exhibited provided a raw, unedited peek into one aspect of the lives of our young artists.

Drawing Exhibit: Hands of Change

Led by art teacher Jake Levisen, this collection focused on the critical role of our hands in supporting and uplifting others. Each piece showcased emotional, personal and worldly experiences centered on the theme of helping through action. The exhibit allowed participants to observe how hands are not just part of our bodies, but powerful symbols of care, struggle and connection. The works invited guests to reflect on the many ways we all can contribute to change, simply by extending our hands to help.

Posters for Change

Inspired by the recent food security presentation by Hormel Foods anthropologist Dr. Tanya Rodriguez, Robin Brown led a visual campaign crafted by the students of Photo 2 and Digital Media Creation, . Centered around four themes — “Hungry for Change,” “Full Belly, Happy Heart,” “A Call to Action,” and “Food Feeds the Body and Soul” — students were challenged to use photography to dive into the issues of food security and expression.

Pottery

Produced in a project guided by AHS teacher Jesse Smith, these vessels, each a unique expression of the fight against food insecurity, showcased the creativity of young artists and their dedication to meaningful change. 

Food Security and Health

The event also brought together leaders from the Mayo Clinic Health System, who have been key members of our coalition and a catalyst and advocate for change from day one, including its president, Dr. Prathibha Varkey. Understanding the intrinsic connection between food insecurity and health and how this plays out in our county continues to be one of the top priorities of the coalition.

Dr. Varkey emphasized the critical role of addressing social determinants of health in achieving better health outcomes:

“These basic social determinants of health include access to food, clothing, housing, transportation and, unfortunately, zip code. And these influence health outcomes so much more than traditional disease factors that many of us learn about in medical school. We take our responsibility to address healthcare disparities very seriously.”