Communities in New York, New Jersey, California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and Maryland will receive the grants, which fund the development and implementation of plans expanding access to healthy food through increased participation in federal nutrition programs and other creative initiatives.

In six of those states, Campus Kitchens craft their own creative initiatives to improve access to healthy foods. And, using the manpower of student volunteers and repurposed resources (kitchen space and donated food), they execute these programs at a very low cost.

Just what are Campus Kitchens doing in comparison to the USDA’s most recent grant efforts? Below are some examples.

• Maryland Governor’s Office for Children, Baltimore, Md., $923,812; This project will help Maryland increase participation in the National School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program that provides meals to hungry kids in the summer, and improve access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The Campus Kitchens Project has two campuses in Maryland: Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore at Shady Grove. At Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, student volunteers run Friday Healthy Cooking classes for a local middle school. While it’s not breakfast every day, two graduate public health students help lead the classes, which provide recipes and nutrition education. Recently, students learned of the health benefits from bananas by making banana muffins and peanut butter banana smoothies. Read more here.

• Centro del Obrero Fronterizo, Inc., El Paso, Texas, $110,065; This project will help South Central El Paso administer a culturally relevant nutrition education campaign for food service workers and families, strengthen partnerships and coordination among organizations, and help increase access to fresh, affordable foods for families in need.

The Campus Kitchen at Baylor University in Waco, Texas saw an opportunity to strengthen community relationships througha community garden, and in January they broke ground on the project. Garden organizers will plant English peas, spinach, radish, and kale among other veggies to prep their garden for its main purpose: nutrition education. Among other organizations, Waco Arts Initiative will work with the Campus Kitchen to connect underprivileged youth to hands-on learning activities in the garden. The Campus Kitchen will in turn receive most of the garden’s yield. Read more here.

• United Way of King County, Seattle, Wash., $987,380; This project will focus on initiatives described in the Hunger Relief Now! Plan, and seeks to reduce hunger among low-income children, senior citizens, immigrants, and refugees.

  

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Every week, the Campus Kitchen at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash. holds an outreach dinner at a local church to bring the community together and help combat hunger. The dinner gives the coordinator the opportunity to provide information about other social services in the community, like bus passes and library hours. Clients at the dinner come from a range backgrounds, and many stay after the dinner to help clean up. Read more here.

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The Director of Dining Services learned from Coordinator Amy Bachman that the Campus Kitchen was shopping for a new freezer at the beginning of the semester.

“We were looking to buy a freezer and asked if they could get it cheaper. We were expecting maybe a discount?” says Bachman.

A month later, Dining Services had researched freezers based on the Campus Kitchen needs and space, purchased a new General Electric freezer, and delivered it to the Campus Kitchen’s small off-campus space free of charge.

Bachman says the delivery of the freezer at this time is critical because the Campus Kitchen had just one freezer for preparation and storage space.

“We get a lot of bread donated to us that has to go through our freezer as we use it in meals,” says Bachman. “It has allowed us to take in all of our bagels that we get donated and store them a lot closer to where we are doing the pickups.”

Bachman also says the Turkeypalooza food drive the Campus Kitchen will host to get turkeys and stuffing for its community partner, the Franciscan Center in Baltimore, would not be possible without the extra freezer space.

“If we only had our one freezer we would have needed to take the turkeys directly from the donor to the agency,” says Bachman.

Beyond the holidays, the freezer will hold produce from the Johns Hopkins University Campus Garden for the Campus Kitchen to serve during new, weekly nutrition education classes taught by volunteers at Waverly Middle School.

Now that her freezer dreams are fulfilled, Bachman says her kitchen is working on recovering more food from local restaurants, but offers this advice to other Campus Kitchens on seeking donations:

“You don’t really know what you’re going to get unless you ask for it and let people know what your needs are.”

Read more about the donation here.

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Sometimes graphics speak louder than words.

Ever looked around your adopted community and wondered how much families spend on dining out vs. grocery shopping? Campus Kitchens look at factors like these weekly as they decide who to serve, what’s on the menu, and how to infuse a meal drop off with nutrition.

Recently, Flowingdata.com, a web site that translates social questions into easy to digest answers, released a statistical visualization poster titled “What America spends on Food and Drink.” The graphic breaks down spending for large cities for dining out (restaurants and carryout) and groceries, while making the text bubbles larger or smaller based on population size.

The numbers give Campus Kitchens some healthy insight into how their communities are eating, whether they enjoy their food in raw or prepared form, and where some of the greatest fresh food access issues are.

While numbers indicate Austin as spending the most per year on food, Atlanta spends the highest percentage while dining out, and Detroit – in connection with recent economic hardships – is spending the least.

The University of Detroit Mercy also happens to be a possible site for a Campus Kitchen opening, which would help alleviate some of that need. Other Campus Kitchen cities profiled by this graphic include (in declining order from how much they spend): Washington, D.C., Boston, New Orleans (future site), St. Louis, New York, Chicago, and Baltimore.

Based on recent U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics (April 2010), however, this graphic presents another concerning issue for hunger relief advocates like Campus Kitchens. The April assessment shows that for a 12-month period, food for an average family of four on a thrifty spending plan could cost upwards of 7,000 dollars. The graphic shows only about half of the major cities actually spend this amount, and many, like New York, Chicago, Baltimore, and Detroit, fall below that mark. Is this a good indicator of how much hunger relief is needed in each of these cities? Is there a way to level things out?

Just some food for thought.

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CKUVM isn't always this proper. They know how to break it down.

We’ve seen some truly outstanding feats of cinema. Among them: the Campus Kitchen at Johns Hopkins University’s old time parody on walking, talking vegetables and the truly unforgettable I’m on a Stove (not I’m on a Boat) from the Campus Kitchen at Gonzaga University.

Thanks to the Davis Center’s Service Leadership and Civic Engagement Programs at the Campus Kitchen at University of Vermont, and the styling vocals of the student center staff (including the Campus Kitchen’s very own Sarah Heim), another Campus Kitchen video has joined the ranks of parody stardom: We’re Bringing Service Back (Justin Timberlake style).

While the video highlights all programs associated with Service Leadership and Civic Engagement, the Campus Kitchen is front and center as students “Take it to the food shelf.” Don’t understand what that means? Watch for yourself.

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The Princeton Review recognized that more and more high school seniors choose their colleges based on how environmentally conscious they are. Of those surveyed, 24 percent of students said that a college’s commitment to the environment would “very much” impact their college decision. This gave the university ratings company reason to devise a method for evaluating a schools greenness, using campus commitment to sustainability, the degree of environmental academics, and efforts to reduce a school’s carbon footprint in the future.

Campus Kitchens are the poster child for campus sustainability, environmental service learning, and reducing waste on campus, so it’s no surprise that eleven of 26 kitchens were deemed among the 268 Greenest Colleges in America.

CK Coordinators show of their new, more efficient (green!) kitchen at Gettysburg, during their Earth Day event

So what makes campuses “green”? Aside from having a Campus Kitchen?  Some of the things The Princeton Review sited are: availability of locally grown food, green buildings on campus, formal committees on sustainability, environmental degrees, biodegradable containers, and alternative modes of transport on campus.

Below is a list of the eleven current Campus Kitchens to make the cut. Three more likely Campus Kitchens in Fall 2010 also made the list: Elon College, Louisiana State University, and Tulane University.

College of William and Mary

Gettysburg College

Johns Hopkins University

Marquette University

St. Lawrence University

Union College

University of Florida

University of Massachusetts Boston

University of Vermont

University of Virginia

Wake Forest University

It’s not easy being green.

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With nearly 7000 pounds of food recovered, inching closer to 2000 meals served, the Campus Kitchen recently celebrated its one year birthday.

“We are such a food orientated organization, so we decided to celebrate the big day by doing what we do best … eating!”  says Chandni Mahtani, Campus Kitchen leadership team member.

Student Leaders Celebrate their One Year Anniversary

The Campus Kitchen hosted an outdoor, dairy-free cook off to raise funds from teams wishing to test their culinary prowess. The Campus Kitchen team also used the day to mark the one year milestone since opening, and recognize hard work well done.

Student organizers got some distinguished guests to attend; the cook off was judged by Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels, Chef Michael Gueiss, and Director of Dining Programs David Furhman.

The Judges Enjoy Matzoh Ball Soup

While the judges received the first helpings, everyone at the event filled up on veggie burgers and munched on Aramark donated food while catching up on just how far the Campus Kitchen came in one year.

What did the cook off winners send to the judges table? They served their distinguished guests matzoh ball soup and an avocado and chocolate cake to take home the prize.

The winning avacado chocolate cake

Says Mahtani, “The two dishes were incredibly tasty and got two thumbs up from all three judges. The cooks of these dishes, Aliyah Sanders and Margaret Xu won $25 gift certificates.”

All the proceeds from people registering foods and coming to the cook-off went to JHU Haiti Aid, with a total of $130 which will go straight to Haitian reconstruction efforts.

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#5: I get to work with food ALL THE TIME… and yes that does mean I sometimes get to sample the merchandise.

#4: I get to SAVE tons of food from being wasted.

#3: I work in an amazing office at the JHU Center for Social Concern, which is the hub for all community engagement activities at Hopkins, and which is staffed by awesome folks that enthusiastically support our cause.

#2: I have the privilege of working with an amazing team of students who DONATE their time and energy toward fighting poverty in our community.

#1: I know that my efforts are helping to make a difference BOTH by our immediate efforts AS WELL AS by the legacy that we’re building which will carry over to future Hopkins generation

Jessica Zha (Pictured in the middle sorting boxes) at work in the Campus Kitchen

Description:

The Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Social Concern (CSC) seeks an AmeriCorps*VISTA member to serve as a primary coordinator for its Campus Kitchen chapter. The Campus Kitchens Project (www.campuskitchens.org) is a national student-driven food recover organization dedicated to connecting community agencies with surplus food collected for college campuses, private business owners, gardens and farms. The food is prepared by students to make for nutritious meals to be delivered to schools, shelters, churches, and other community organizations in need.

Additional Qualifications:

The AmeriCorps*VISTA will work with the Campus Kitchen at JHU’s student leadership team to:
-Manage pick-up, cooking, and delivery shifts.
-Work with the leaership team to outreach t new donors and new food recipients.
-Convene an advisory board on a quarterly basis.
-Recruit new student volunteers.
-Advise two work-study students on managing cooking shifts and grant writing.
-Work with the student groups who manage a garden plot and do gleaning trips.
-Assist in fundraising.
-Keep track of kitchen inventories.
-Be a resource to other Maryland campuses who may want to start a Campus Kitchen.
-Participate in two campus days of service.
-Be able to work occasional evenings.

How to Apply:

For more information about AmeriCorps*VISTA, please visit www.americorps.gov. For more information about the Campus Kitchen at JHU, visit www.campuskitchens.org/schools/jhu. For more information about the CSC, visit www.jhu.edu/csc.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to William Tiefenwerth, CSC Director at btief@jhu.edu.

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This year, over 900 volunteers are expected to produce over 12,000 meals. Some will use MLK Day, January 18, to kick off their projects. Others will spend the days to follow launching into their semesters of service. Regardless of the timeline, we can’t wait to hear the stories of success: how a child used a computer for the first time to explore the world of nutrition, how ex-offenders discovered a passion while preparing a community meal alongside professional chefs, or how a campus kitchen implemented its first meal service shift.

What do the MLK Day grantees have to live up to? Read below for a summary of what happened last year, during CKP’s first MLK Day.

701 CKP volunteers logged over 3000 hours of service in their communities as part of the largest turnout ever for an MLK Day of Service.

We’re especially excited about the projects at our brand-new campus Kitchens at Baylor University, , University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Florida. They prepared food for community garden volunteers in Texas, deep cleaned a community table in Wisconsin, helped job seekers prepare resumes in Baltimore and served their very first CK meals in Florida.

At the University of Vermont, students renovated the dining hall at the local Food Shelf. They repainted the paneling and drew murals on three of the large panels, featuring pictures inspired by the book “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.”

Inspired by Obama’s impending inauguration, new volunteers made MLK day at St. Louis University’s Campus Kitchen one to remember.

What better way to honor the 80^th birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and celebrate the inauguration of our very first African-American president than to answer their call to service? What better way to define our national character than to recycle waste? What better way to satisfy our spirits than to feed the hungry?

Where were you on MLK Day 2009?

Let us know what you’re planning for MLK Day 2010!

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The family of 20 campus kitchens that make up The Campus Kitchens Project saw a lot of highs and lows, cabbage and carrots, PB&J’s and pastas, tomatoes and turkeys in 2009. The year of an ill economy, swine flue epidemic, and a healthcare overhaul also marked a period of successes for CKP.

We think 2009 was a pretty good year for The Campus Kitchens Project – and it’s all thanks to the dedicated staff, students, volunteers, and community partners who helped make hunger relief a real and growing force in each community. Together, the campus kitchens reached the million meals milestone, hung up our chef’s hats in five new kitchens, and ushered in greener and more local food movements. It’s hard to believe we accomplished so much in 2009. But what’s harder to believe? All of it was done in addition to the usual meals cooked and delivered by students each day.

The top five moments of 2009:

1. Millions Milestones: We did it. We’re millionaires. Something about the end of the decade and exponential increase of kitchens serving meals helped us reach two “millions” milestones. In May, CKP’s pounds of food recovered spilled just over the million mark. Then, in October, something more impressive: kitchens came together in Washington, D.C. (during the CKP National Leadership Conference!) to serve the millionth meal. View footage of the event here.

2. CKP became a MLK Day of Service Grantee: Campuses are great at preparing meals day in and day out, but sometimes need an extra infusion of cash and support to kick services into high gear. Enter the Corporation for National and Community Service and their MLK Day of Service grants.

The award allowed CKP to give thousands of dollars to campus kitchens and other organizations around the country. In the first year of the MLK Day grant, CKP’s group of sub-grantees gathered over 1000 volunteers to carry on the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., bridging barriers, empowering individuals, and strengthening communities. Students at the Campus Kitchen at Jacksonville University held two community barbeques in an effort to build trust between the isolated student population and their neighbors. Looking forward to MLK Day 2010, CKP will aid organizations in gathering hundreds more volunteers to work against hunger relief and provide other basic human needs.

3. Five New Campus Kitchens Open: The Campus Kitchen’s Project has seen years of growth, but none were perhaps as robust as increasing the existing kitchen fleet by one third. CKP opened five new kitchens: University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, University of Florida, Baylor University, Johns Hopkins University and Lee University in January 2009. In less than a year, each kitchen has already carved out its own niche as a valuable asset in the community, jump-starting gleaning programs, planning for culinary job training classes, becoming sole providers for community soup kitchens, and developing a strong base of student leadership. We can’t wait to see what these kitchens have in store for next year!

4. Walmart Becomes a National Partner, Fuels Expansion: In addition to the Sodexo Foundation, the initial funder and supporter of The Campus Kitchens project, the Walmart Foundation has committed $300,000 to helping CKP open up six new kitchens in the next two years. Local Walmarts have supported many kitchens through food banks in the past, but this national grant amplifies the company’s commitment to hunger relief. The first kitchen Walmart will help open: The University of Massachusetts, Boston at the end of January 2010.

5.  High School Volunteerism Program – In 2009, CKP dipped further into the fountain of youth with the creation of a program allowing high school students to work with their local university campus kitchens to deliver meals. Meanwhile, the students could log volunteer hours often needed to graduate. Two high schools in the Washington, D.C. area, one in New Orleans, and another in Boston have either shown interest or committed to the program.

Thanks again for a wonderful year. Can’t wait to see what the next one will bring!

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Dear CKJHU Leaders, Helpers, Volunteers, and Friends:

December 17, 2009 – 2:19 pm

I’m sorry to say that this semester of operations for the Campus Kitchen at JHU is already drawing to a close, but we really have a lot to celebrate as the holidays approach.

Amazingly, during this semester — our first semester of full operations –- by our joint efforts we’ve:

• Recovered 1,285 lbs of food from being thrown away
• Gleaned over 2,500 lbs of produce from farms
• Prepared and donated 687 meals
• Volunteered over 270 hours of our time

So, congratulations to all of you for your hard work and dedication; for believing in our cause; and simply for being excited about the Campus Kitchens Project, and wanting to support us!

I’d also like to thank you on behalf of our community partners, who were the recipients of the food that we recovered and prepared:

• The Church of the Guardian Angel, Remington
• Remington Radio Class, Remington
• B-Spirit A2y, Park Heights
• Manna House, Barclay
• Barclay Elementary/Middle, Barclay
• Crossover Basketball, Barclay/Homewood
• Margaret Brent, Charles Village
• Second Shiloh, Coldstream Homestead Montebello
• Franciscan Center, Charles Village

With our efforts, some of these organizations were able to provide food for their clients for the very first time. Others were able to keep up with regular meal distributions despite the current economic struggles that they face. And some were simply able to save some money that can go directly towards more programs for community empowerment.

We’re saying goodbye for now, but we’ll be back in January with more food recovery, more cooking shifts, and some new delivery shifts, so be on the lookout for us and spread the word.

We hope you have a joy-filled and safe holiday season, and we can’t wait to see you next year!

Jessica Zha
Campus Kitchen at JHU Coordinator

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