UGA student-led agency helps turn food waste into life-saving support with Atlanta nonprofit | Arts & Culture

With all the ambitious students attending the University of Georgia, it’s no surprise when students work together to apply what they’ve learned in class to real businesses. One such group of students has hit a key balance of university involvement, real-world experience and fulfilling work. 

Talking Dog is a student-run agency that provides advertising and public relations campaigns to their clients. The agency, which is made up of mostly upperclassmen, is split into teams catering to different clients ranging from local businesses, like the Georgia Theatre, to the high-profile companies, such as the Porsche Sports Driving School. 

One team of like-minded individuals at Talking Dog turned their interest in nonprofits into an organized campaign to promote and improve the reach of Second Helpings Atlanta, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in metro Atlanta. 

The SHA campaign team consists of seven students, each with highly specialized positions. The students work together to complete one goal — furthering SHA’s mission of turning excess food from waste to life-providing nourishment for the hungry in Atlanta. 

“Everything that we’re doing has a positive impact on the Atlanta community and on the organization itself. I think that’s really fulfilling, and that really drives our team and motivates us to do the work that we do.” 

— Gina Karseboom, advertising major

Gina Karseboom, a senior advertising major from Atlanta, serves as the account executive for the SHA team at Talking Dog. As the point of contact between her team and SHA, Karseboom has seen first-hand the impact of their collaborative efforts towards making a change in Atlanta. 

“Everything that we’re doing has a positive impact on the Atlanta community and on the organization itself,” Karseboom said. “I think that’s really fulfilling, and that really drives our team and motivates us to do the work that we do.” 

Another senior team member, Maddie James, works as the public relations specialist for the Talking Dog SHA team.

“It definitely feels like what we’re doing matters,” said James, a public relations major from Dallas. “If I don’t get this press release out then people might not know about it, and then [SHA] might not get as many donations and people will go hungry.” 

The United States Department of Agriculture estimates 30–40 percent of the food supply in America is wasted. In addition, they estimate from 2015–2017, 13 percent of Georgian households were food insecure — meaning they lack a consistent supply of adequate food to sustain healthy living. The percentage of children living in food insecure households is even higher.

“It feels like there’s more of a sense of urgency or a sense of responsibility,” James said. “You are actually helping people by doing your job.” 

One responsibility of the Talking Dog team which tangibly made a difference for SHA was their Giving Tuesday campaign. Many nonprofits in the U. S. benefit from an influx of charity the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. 

The job for SHA’s Talking Dog team was to consistently promote SHA’s mission and the benefits of donating to a local charity. 

By the end of the Giving Tuesday campaign, SHA had raised $18,707 — more than doubling the amount raised the year before. 

“It was actually very gratifying just to know that we are greatly helping the Atlanta community, while we’re getting more experience in our field at the same time,” Karseboom said. “Also to know that all the hard work that we put into it received measurable results.”

As students themselves, the team can set a precedent for other Athens residents who might someday relocate to Atlanta.

“We are spreading the word and getting UGA students to learn more about it,” Karseboom said. “If they move back to Atlanta, and they want to get some volunteering in their life or do something for the community that this pops up in the back of their mind.”