The Food Ark hosts its fourth annual CAM Jam

The Food Ark Organization, a student-led-and-run 501(c)(3) will be hosting its fourth annual CAM Jam on Sunday, June 9, from 8-11 PM at the Contemporary Art Museum in Downtown Raleigh.

CAM Jam is an annual fundraiser-dance that has been occurring since 2016 when Broughton Food Ark alum Mackenzie Dion fruited the idea while interning under CAM executive director Gab Smith. Dion is the founder of Broughton’s Food Ark chapter, and heard about the original Food Ark chapter at Enloe from its founder and current Food Ark CEO Ching Tse.

After starting as a club at Enloe and moving into chapters at Broughton and NCSSM, The Food Ark officially became a nonprofit in 2016 under the direction of then-Enloe student Daniel Liu. The organization now has eight chapters stretching from Winston-Salem, NC, to Freeport, IL. Enloe and Broughton both have food insecurity rates of around 33%, respectively.

While the Food Ark primarily focuses on food insecurity, its efforts are multi-faceted; it alleviates one of America’s most pernicious social issues locally via gardening, food pantries, education, and community outreach. Its mission statement is as follows:

“We GROW organic food in gardens that we create and maintain in schools and across cities to bring students to what brings us food. We CONNECT with those who have common goals to bring more awareness and action by partnering in projects to serve the neighbors who are in need. We INSPIRE and cultivate youth in the next generation to become powerful and passionate leaders to continue this movement for food justice throughout the rest of their lives.”

CAM Jam is one of the ways The Food Ark maintains its annual budget for food pantries, events like the Innovation Challenge, grants, and other food donations. The dance includes a photo booth, a crafts station along CAM’s W. Martin St. gallery, a dance floor, snacks and beverages on a lower recessed level, and priceless, indelible fun. Tickets can be purchased online for $20 or at the door for $30, and students must bring a valid student ID with them for entrance. Anyone in high school is eligible to attend.

Tickets: https://41772.blackbaudhosting.com/41772/CAM-JAM-2019-09Jun2019.

Photo source: The Food Ark.