Essay Instructions: the project is, The Solar Powered Juice Truck. Below there are some questions and answers to some of them where it explains the research.
However some questions needs to fill up. So please fill them up by stating which you are filling it up.
The questions that needs to fill up are 5-6-7-8-9-10-12
Some of the answers may be longer than some of the questions. If you need me to add a page please let me know Thanks!
Since english is my second language please write it with easy words and sentences. Also please cite everything and add the website link to the bibliography section. Do not use books as a resource only websites please.
YOUR BIG IDEA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
During the first nine weeks of the class, you learned about the skills and strategies of social entrepreneurs and innovators who are changing the world. Now it’s your turn to apply these lessons.
“You must do the thing that you think that you cannot do.”
??" Eleanor Roosevelt
1.Your vision for changing the world ??" an executive summary.
In ten years, this vision will have collaborated with the non-profit and for profit sector in developing sustainable sourcing and nutrition programming for schools within a particular zone.
2. The brief elevator pitch
The Solar Powered Juice Truck’s mission to provide every child equal availability of pesticide free produce as part of a healthy, balanced diet. We see the Solar Powered Juice Truck as a vehicle for this mission, introducing a holistic model of food relationships to school systems, by sourcing from local farmers, enforcing concepts of renewable energy and composting, while simultaneously exploring the culinary and nutritional value of a diverse diet with a community’s schools, teachers, and parents.
3. Statement of need
Soda consumption in schools and in the home is a popular childhood habit that has been linked to behavioral issues as well as the obesity and diabetes epidemic. Researchers from The Journal of Pediatrics have found that out of the 3,000 children from 20 major cities, 40% enjoyed at least one soft drink per day.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, from 1989 to 2008, calories from sugary beverages increased by 60% in children ages 6 to 11, from 130 to 209 calories per day, and the percentage of children consuming them rose from 79% to 91%. Sugary drinks (soda, energy, sports drinks) are the top calorie source in teens’ diets (226 calories per day), beating out pizza (213 calories per day).Children who drink 1 to 2 cans of soda per day are 60% more likely to become obese in a 1.5 year follow up, and diabetes type 2 risk is increased by 26%.
The question is how sodas have become so prevalent. Dating back to the Farm Bill of 2008, both Coca Cola and Pepsi have been lobbying the Farm Bill, in order to remain a permanent fixture in SNAP (food stamps). “Back in 2008, Coca-Cola spent $513,000 lobbying the Farm Bill; Pepsi spent $437,000. The Center for Science in the Public Interest estimated that $4 billion in SNAP money was spent on soda purchases in 2010, even though the intention of SNAP is to supply nutritious food.
One in three American children and teenagers today is overweight or obese, and a child’s school lunch has been proven to be be one of the greatest risks. Due to budget pressures in schools from the 1970s to early 2000s, a la carte menus branded by fast food companies such as Taco Bell and Dominos, began to dominate public school systems. The USDA is attempting to set nutritional guidelines of two vegetables per meal, and the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act awards schools that have met these guidelines, yet this boat is also slow moving. Mostly, the initiatives offer no extra money to the cause of enhancing school nutrition.
Food treated with pesticides has been seen as a potential risk to children as well. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, pesticides are a toxin and may harm a developing child by blocking the absorption of important food nutrients necessary for healthy growth. Studies have also linked pesticide treated food with neurological and biological disorders.
The typical American diet is low in fiber and phytochemicals that are derived from plant-based substances and can prevent against numerous diseases. Produce for Better Health Foundation recently conducted a study in 2010 and found that only 6% of individuals reach their recommended target for vegetables and 8% achieve their recommended target for fruit.
The cheaper replacement for soda in schools has been juice boxes, which are pasteurized, lacking in enzymes and minerals, and can be just as high in sugar as soda, according to many nutrition and obesity experts. A diverse, nutritious beverage needs to be offered to children to release them from the “fructose addiction,” according to Dr. Josh Wagner.
Whelan from the School Library Journal states, on average it takes 15 to 20 tries to introduce a new food to a child. This means we don’t have time to waste, let alone ingredients.
4. Why have you chosen your specific approach to addressing the need defined above?
A diversification of funding for The Solar Powered Juice Truck is necessary in order to sustain the model. Because SPJT’s goals on a long term spectrum are about transforming school systems’ access to produce for children’s diets, our goals must address both private and public issues. Education, Policy, and Access are all larger infrastructural issues that must be addressed in the SPJT model.
5. Comparison of your idea with everything else that exists -- Identify what other solutions have been attempted, and why they have not been completely successful. Identify other nonprofit groups or social change activists who have been working on the problem. You will need to show how your efforts are different from the rest.
This may seem challenging. You may feel that the most brilliant ideas have already been invented. If this is true, then why is there still an urgent problem? Can you take ideas that have been successful in other places (best practices) and apply them in a new context? Can you build on the successes of innovators and visionaries who have come before you?
This is absolutely essential, and it will require excellent research. In business terms, you are going to do a “market analysis” ??" an analysis of your competition. Of course, these other groups are not going to be your competitors at all, especially because this is a transformative project. Most likely, these will be your greatest allies, mentors, and collaborators who will be working with you to solve the problem.
You need to list as many of these visionaries, innovators, activists, and social entrepreneurs, and find out what they are already doing to tackle your problem. Then you need to show what has worked, what hasn’t worked, and why. Then come up with creative ideas of how you can do it better.
6. Explain how your approach to addressing the need defined above is truly innovative or unique.
Provide specific examples of innovative activities or strategies that will make your approach more effective than approaches taken by other organizations.
Diversification strategy
7. Your strategic plan for action ??" Tell us about your short-term and long-term desired outcomes and goals. These should be drawn specifically from your Theory of Change. What is your target audience? What is your project timeline? Include all of the specific activities that you will undertake. Create a step-by-step action plan. Discuss the major obstacles that you anticipate. How will you overcome them?
The first goal would be to integrate healthy juices into schools, by working with public schools and faculty to make healthy juice a daily drinking practice, as opposed to the soda alternative.
The second goal would be sustain this model by using both public and private means, working with large juice companies, energy companies, and public school food budgeting.
A long term goal would be to collaborate with regional farmers in the construction of juice recipes, using local and traditional roots, herbs, fruits, and vegetables in order to simultaneously support the local food economy and make something delicious, accessible, and easily digestible for the surrounding community.
8. Measurement of results -- How do you measure your outcomes? How do you know if you have succeeded? Are there concrete, specific details that you can show to indicate that you have made a real difference in people’s lives?
Health measurements
Quality of life measurements
Since soda consumption is so prevalent with young children, and has been recently attributed to increased aggression and behavioral problems, we would monitor how increased fresh juice consumption affected children’s overall performance in schools. The research would have to be done over at least a year in order to see results. Our program would also affect the way food was discussed in schools, and the relationships between students and teachers.
9. Your budget ??" How much money will it take to realize your vision? Why? Create an itemized start-up budget, and a second year operating budget, figuring out how much it will cost for each essential element of your plan to succeed. How will you raise this money? What will happen if you don’t raise the entire budget? Do you have an alternative plan?
Sponsorship
10. Your experience and credibility ??" Why are you the right person to do this? What gives you the credibility to undertake such an ambitious project? How can you convince us that you are someone who can succeed? In other words, why should someone invest $50,000 or $500,000 in you and your idea? How can we be assured that you will spend that money wisely and make a positive impact?
12. Challenges ??" What are the greatest challenges you will face, and how will you overcome them?
