As part of our Nutrition Education program, our Client Relations Committee held a nutrition education presentation on Thursday, September 23rd, at Lake Forest Elementary in East Gainesville. The students were all K-5 level ages and unfortunately the plan to exercise outside was rained out. But our Client Relations Committee, Isa Hasty and Mary Ogunrinde, along with two volunteers made the best out of the situation!
The presentation began with an introduction to and discussion about the Food Pyramid and the different food groups. Some of the children demonstrated they were already knowledgeable about the Food Pyramid which was great! The volunteers saw the opportunity to reach out to the children who weren't so knowledgeable about the food groups, such as the younger children, and also corrected some of the incorrect views about certain foods and food groups.
Our client Relations co-director, Mary, says, "We were able to teach them things like although a potato is a vegetable and potato chips technically count as vegetables, potatoes are not the best of vegetables; and we most certainly would prefer if the vegetables were not fried. As well as, the fact that green and other colorful, non-white vegetables are best for you."
After the presentation of the Food Pyramid, worksheets for the students to color and work on were handed out. Students 2nd grade and lower colored the food guide pyramid while students 3rd grade and above identified foods of a particular food group from a list of different everyday foods. After the students were finished with the worksheets, the group made and enjoyed some delicious fruit kabobs!
There were fruits like pineapple, apples, cantaloupe, and honeydew to choose from. The volunteers and students all gained some knowledge from this experience and overall everyone had a great time! Our Client Relations co-director, Mary, also stated that, "It was a very enjoyable time! The students were attentive and excited and I believe they all learned something about eating healthy and exercising."
The Client Relations Committee along with volunteers is planning one more child nutrition education presentation for the semester which will be held October 25th at the Porters Community Center for a group of about 20 students ages 6-11. They are also planning an adult nutrition education presentation for this semester. If you would like to get involved, email us at ufcampuskitchens@gmail.com and check out our calendar on our website ufcampuskitchens.yolasite.com. We're also on Facebook, if you'd like to keep up with us that way, just search for (or click here!) The Campus Kitchen at the University of Florida!
International Foods, International Hunger & Sustainable Solutions!
As a part of Gators for a Sustainable Campus' week-long Food Summit for Sustainability, “Food Week” we hosted our2nd annual "Stop Hunger Now!" banquet--this semester it was international style!
We accepted donations of $5 in advance, by contacting us, or $7 at the door in order to help us continue our mission to use food sustainability to help those in need in the Gainesville community, as well as educate our community on food nutrition.
Everyone enjoyed a delicious assortment of international foods, along with music from all around the world, while we also learned about international hunger and 3 sustainable ways to solve this problem: buying organic/local food (like at the Farmer’s Market), supporting sustainable agriculture, and not wasting food - either eat it all or donate it to an organization like Campus Kitchens or St. Francis House who will use it to feed those in need!
There was about 40 people (members, volunteers, & friends) in attendance and everyone enjoyed mingling, eating delicious food of different origins, and engaging in an intellectual, powerful, & motivating conversation!
Thanks to everyone who came out and check out the slideshow of pics and the National blog about the dinner below:
This Saturday, April 24, The University of Florida will wrap up its 40 days of ChangeEvent, a campaign that encourages participants to be active both socially and physically through campus-centered events.
One of the university’s final sustainable events, led by the Campus Kitchen at the University of Florida, was centered around (of course) food. The Campus Kitchen used the 40 days of activities as an opportunity to host its food week, which took place April 5 to April 9.
As part of the “Food Summit for Sustainability” leadership team members and student volunteers threw a Stop Hunger Now banquet to raise funds and awareness. This year, the team went international.
The CKUF reserved a university hall basement and asked for $5 (advance tickets) and $7 at door for a banquet of international foods and a hunger presentation to rally the Gator community around the spirit of Campus Kitchens.
Future and current Campus Kitchen leaders Allison Gibbs and Nicole Johnson at the Stop Hunger Now Banquet
Those who attended sampled fare from around the globe: Asian stir fry with shrimp, spaghetti, a broccoli and cheese casserole, curry potatoes, green beans and corn, quesadillas and salsa, rice and beans, roasted turkey, grilled chicken breast, Mojo Picante chicken, salad, croissants, bagels, chow mein, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies and brownies.
A DJ played international music during the banquet, and later, about 40 attendees learned of international hunger and sustainable ways to solve the problem through an interactive presentation.
Below are some links to the videos the CKUF team showed: Eaten in One Week Vandana Shiva Al Jazeera English, food solutions Campus Kitchen overview
Our first annual community dinner was such a success! We had a great turn out; many clients & many volunteers! So awesome! We held it at the Boys & Girls Club of Woodland Park on March 18th from 5-7pm.
We served 96 meals & then packaged up a bunch of leftovers into to-go meals that we left for the Boys & Girls Club & donated to St. Francis House.
I had a blast at the community dinner! Everyone did! Overall, it went very well & was so much fun!! The kids were great!! =) I loved playing with them & capturing the fun they had on camera. And everyone who came out was awesome! Great job volunteers, fellow CKers, & those in the community who made this possible & so successful! ♥
Also, the Community Dinner made the National CK Blog! Check out the blog & pics below! =)
At their latest meal service – and First Annual Community Dinner – the Campus Kitchen at the University of Florida suited up one very special server: a boy from the Woodland Park Community and member of the Boys and Girls Club in Gainesville, Fla.
The boy, who wore plastic gloves and a hairnet to hand out the drinks, was just one of the children who spent the early evening playing and eating in the park alongside University of Florida college students looking to form a greater connection to their adopted community.
The Campus Kitchen team arrived at Woodland Park before 5 p.m., when the community was invited to arrive, to set up an assembly line for meal service, buffet style. On the menu that day: chicken marsala, stuffed shells, scalloped potatoes, roast beef, corn, green beans, manicotti, dinner rolls, brownies, cake, and a gingerbread cranberry bar dessert. The young volunteer poured iced tea and lemonade.
As the food warmed up, the Campus Kitchen volunteers played music to get the community dancing. A couple girls even showed off a practiced dance. After playtime and food time, volunteers packaged up leftovers to store in the refrigerator of the Boys & Girls Club annex. The rest of the leftovers went to St. Francis House, a homeless shelter and community partner.
One volunteer, Veronica Barrere, describes her experience:
“I met one girl who just grabbed me by the hand in a matter of seconds after saying ‘Hi’ to me. I let some kids take pictures with my camera, gave them piggyback rides, let them play with my hair…I also remember a little girl asking me, ‘Why are you guys having this dinner for us?’ I told her: ‘Cause it’s fun.’ I didn’t quite know what else to say, but she was satisfied.”
Well we just wrapped up our first week of shifts in February - it was a great week! We had a lot of familiar faces volunteering and some awesome new ones who I hope become returners!
So in honor of this month of LOVE, I thought I should fill you all in on what your love and beautiful, giving hearts have done so far this 2009-2010 school year!
This past week, we made 130 meals.
In the month of January, we made 260 meals.
In the fall semester of 2009, we made 1456 meals!!! That's over the TOTAL meals that the Campus Kitchen at the University of Florida made during the 2008-2009 school year! Unbelievable!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for being a part of this amazing achievement and helping to provide SO many meals for people who are in need of our help and forever grateful to you! You all are amazing! From the bottom of myheart, I send a thousand thanks and LOVE!
If you have been thinking about getting involved but haven't been able to make a meeting, there's no time like the present! Come be a part of this inspiring movement! Our next general meeting is Monday, February 8th at 8:00 p.m. in Matherly Hall, room 16. As always, email us with any questions at UFCampusKitchens@gmail.com.
Good Food, Great Idea: Student-Led Solution to Hunger Hits 1,000,000 Meal Milestone
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Thursday, October 22, student volunteers in 20 cities across the nation will prepare and deliver the one-millionth meal to neighbors in need through The Campus Kitchens Project, a national student-powered hunger relief organization.
The Campus Kitchens Project partners with high schools, colleges and universities to share on-campus kitchen space, recover unused food from cafeterias, work with local farms for produce and engage students as volunteers who plan menus, prepare and deliver meals to the community.
"There are people in every community that need nourishing meals. And every college campus has un-served food in its dining facilities and eager students in its classrooms. At Campus Kitchens, we put them all together," said Robert Egger, founder of DC Central Kitchen, which created The Campus Kitchens Project. "It's exciting to see this milestone reached."
Since 2001, the Campus Kitchens Project (CKP) has provided healthy meals to their neighbors in need by harnessing the spirit of student volunteerism within local communities. Now in its eighth year, CKP operates on 20 college and high school campuses, providing meals to individuals and families in their communities. Thanks to the support of Sodexo, General Mills and the Corporation for National and Community Service, Campus Kitchens continues to grow. More information on The Campus Kitchens Project is available at www.campuskitchens.org.
Campus Kitchens Travels to D.C. for Millionth Meal
Oct. 27, 2009
By Jenna Thompson
Reporter
Two members of Campus Kitchen traveled to WashingtonD.C. the previous week to help serve the one-millionth meal since the national Campus Kitchen Project was founded in 2001. The workers served Lo mein noodles to a Spanish shelter in the city, and returned to Waco with ideas and inspiration for the Baylor chapter.
"The whole weekend was very informative," said Service Learning Liaison Amanda Allen, one of the representatives who traveled to D.C. "It was good to connect with other schools."
Allen and Oklahoma City junior Anna Imose, a Campus Kitchen student coordinator, arrived in D.C. Thursday in time to help serve the celebratory meal. The next day was filled with more than six breakout sessions, both before and after lunch.
"The best part was all the different things that the other schools are doing," Imose said. "A lot of schools are into sustainability (and) reusable containers. Instead of using plastic and Styrofoam (they invest) in lunchboxes."
Session topics included food awareness on campus, leadership training, applying for grants and forming relationships with local restaurants and businesses. The two Baylor representatives are excited to return and implement the new things they have learned.
"I would like to see some sort of job training element in the future," Allen said.
There is a movement toward serving more quality, healthy food as well. Vegetables are more expensive than chips and soda, so there is a natural lack of vegetables in low-income diets. Some schools are working with farmers' markets to implement a program in which they accept food stamps to combat this problem, Imose said.
Allen was particularly impacted by the story of the founding of Campus Kitchen. Robert Egger, a businessman and owner of several hotels and restaurants, attended a church in D.C. that had a soup kitchen and food delivery program. One day he accompanied members of his church on a food delivery.
"He said he noticed a couple of things," Allen said. "He noticed that [volunteers] knew the names of the people, and that it wasn't a stereotypical picture of poverty."
Eggers was struck by the fact a volunteers kept saying "see you tomorrow" to those receiving food, and didn't like idea that this need would continue to exist. Working with the businesses he owned, Eggers founded and served as president of the D.C. Central Kitchen.
"The program came out of a growth of D.C. Central Kitchen, taking the concept of a community kitchen and make sure no resources go to waste," said Ariel Gold, affiliate program manager. "Now we are up at 20 schools."
Sen. Jim McGovern, who deals with hunger policies, was also involved in the conference. He was able to secure government funding for a Campus Kitchen in Massachusetts.
"He encouraged us to invite our congressmen to come and do a pickup or delivery shift with us, even for an hour," Allen said.
The trip served not only as inspiration for the Baylor chapter of Campus Kitchen Project, but as encouragement as well.
"They were able to give us not only empathy, but [advice]," Imose said. "Creating programs is difficult, but definitely possible."
Chapters of Campus Kitchen Project in cities across the nation fixed and served the milestone meal on Thursday. In September alone, 5,519 lbs. of food have been recovered in 20 cities and served to those in need.
In the past few weeks, the chapter of Campus Kitchen at Washington and LeeUniversity in Lexington, Va. have developed a giving agreement with Walmart that has already resulted in the donation of 3,040 lbs. of grocery products, according to the Campus Kitchen Web site.
Chapters at universities around the nation customize their programs to serve the needs of their local communities. The Baylor chapter serves their meals at Restoration Haven, a community center in Waco.
"Our goal is to help them become a non-profit organization, not just a new student group," Gold said. "We work with new campus kitchen chapters getting started. The local schools are the innovators, but we bring everyone together."
