A PLACE AT THE TABLE

Confronting the root causes of hunger and obesity

About the Project

“The Take Your Place campaign has had a wonderful catalytic effect for the Food Policy Council. In order to get things done, you have to really know and trust each other. The only way to do that is to collaborate on activities like this. We’re actually becoming friends instead of sitting around a stodgy office focusing on the negative.” — Jill Egland, United Way of Kern County, CA

A Place at the Table reveals a shocking fact: not only are there 50 million Americans who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, but many are also susceptible to higher rates of obesity and lower levels of child development. With a goal of tackling the root causes of this complex issue, we launched the Take Your Place Community Campaign, a yearlong effort to prompt cross-sector problem solving. We brought the film to 25 communities nationwide, and engaged city leaders, advocates, the health industry, and school districts in solutions-oriented conversations and activities designed to sustain community involvement. Ultimately, our campaign generated greater collaboration in each community and helped drum up public support for local policy initiatives.

Featured image courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Our Work

  • Field research and stakeholder interviews
  • Local and national partnerships
  • 7 networking webinars
  • National braintrust
  • 15 local braintrusts with food systems stakeholders and leaders
  • 25 community screenings across the country, from Oahu, HI, to Keene, NH
  • Decision maker screenings
  • Community action guide and event planning guide
  • PR support and communications training
  • Evaluation of Partner and Audience Level Outcomes

Outcomes

  • Local leaders took action in four communities
  • New programs launched to tackle hunger and obesity in at least four communities
  • 62% of communities saw higher levels of coordination and collaboration among local organizations up to 7 months after community screenings took place
  • 77% of communities reported related activities that resulted from their screenings
  • 4 out of 5 audience members who were previously unaware of the direct relationship between hunger and obesity had increased awareness
  • Audience members were 40% more likely than those who didn't attend a community screening to have an attitude shift in support of greater federal government responsibility to address hunger and obesity
  • 91% of audience members continued talking about the issues in the months after seeing the film

Key Partners

  • Participant Media
  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  • PolicyLink
  • Bread for the World
  • The Food Trust
  • Witnesses to Hunger
  • Farm to School Network
  • Food Corps
  • Environmental Working Group

Film Trailer

Filmmakers Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush
@PlaceAtTheTable
Film Website

Gallery

AV PUBLICATIONS

  • "Take Your Place" Community Action Guide

    The "Take Your Place" Community Action Guide gives background on the issues brought up in the film and sparks meaningful discussions about the urgency of hunger and obesity in the United States. The guide includes background information on hunger and obesity, discussion questions on the film, suggested small group activities, snapshots from the field and suggestions for taking action. Download the guide here.

  • "Take Your Place" Event Planning Guide

    The "Take Your Place" Event Planning Guide is a step-by-step manual on planning and executing a thoughtful and effective community screening. Download the guide here.

  • Take Your Place Community Impact Report

    Highlights key findings from our campaign in an infographic. Download the infographic here.

  • "Take Your Place" Community Study

    Highlights findings from our campaign in a 30-page study. Download the study here.