While access to fresh, nutritious food can feel out of reach for many, Farm to You is planting the seeds of change in the Eastern Panhandle. Martin Hall Agency students continue their work to engage the community and bring the program’s vision to life for the third semester.
Founded in 2018, Farm to You is a grant-funded program that provides farm-fresh produce and nutritional resources to WVU Medicine patients at supporting clinics to target chronic illness. Through partnerships with WVU Medicine and local farmers, the program is determined to cultivate community engagement and offer a "food is medicine" approach to individuals in the Eastern Panhandle.
The program operates on a rotating schedule, servicing eight clinics with its mobile food kitchen. The truck is set up outside of clinics, where patients can drop in and choose from a variety of fresh produce options delivered by local farmers that morning. Additionally, produce is accompanied by unique recipe ideas that not only complement the given veggies but also target chronic illnesses.
The Martin Hall Agency has been working with Farm to You since the program’s launch. Student-led teams have carefully crafted a comprehensive branding strategy and identity that have guided the program’s messaging. Additionally, the agency has supported the program on various projects, including social media content and traditional print media. During the fall semester, students placed a special focus on video storytelling.
The Farm to You team partnered with David Smith’s advanced video storytelling class to create a series of long—and short-form video content during the semester. Both teams of students took trips to the Eastern Panhandle to capture content at participating clinics and farms. Then, under the direction of Smith and MHA faculty member Geah Pressgrove, students collaborated to produce the video storytelling campaign.
The video series will be part of a larger, semester-long campaign run by the Martin Hall team. During the fall semester, the focus was establishing engagement from Eastern Panhandle community members to increase brand awareness and promote the "food is medicine" approach. The team has targeted its efforts on media relations strategies and fostering partnerships with local organizations.
The Martin Hall Agency is offered as a capstone and elective course for students studying advertising and public relations at West Virginia University in the Reed School of Communications. The course offers students hands-on, real-world agency experience to prepare them for future careers. Students work on client teams throughout the semester and apply to specific positions that complement their strengths.
“I think my main takeaway from the MHA experience is that teamwork truly makes the dream work,” Farm to You Account Director Elizabeth Sperry said. “It has been awesome to collaborate with such an amazing team and see each other develop over the semester.”
This semester’s Farm to You team includes:
- Account Director, Elizabeth Serry
- Public Relations, Director, Kendall Tilson
- Public Relations, Specialist, Taylor Isaly
- Digital Director, Brian Curley
- Digital Media Specialist, Chloe McHale
- Creative Director, Ethan Hibbard
- Multimedia Specialist, Gabriella Sergent
- Brand Manager, Myles Brown
The Martin Hall Agency appreciates Farm to You's partnership and looks forward to continuing to support its initiatives.
“It’s been a joy to oversee the student's work with Farm to You over the past three semesters,” Pressgrove said. “The opportunity to see their creative ideas come to life and guide them through working in an agency is invaluable.”