Campus Kitchen Project at IUPUI

Abstract

The Campus Kitchens Project (CKP) is a national leader in community engagement and service through student-led initiatives to decrease waste in campus cafeterias. This is accomplished through food rescue and repurposing with the intention of distributing this food to those in need. Based in Washington D.C., Campus Kitchens Project has been working with 34 universities and colleges to establish student-run kitchen operations. This establishment of a CKP at IUPUI will not only recycle unused food and decrease waste on campus but will also create student leadership and community service opportunities. In addition, IUPUI students will receive hands on training in non-profit management and development of community partnerships. Additionally, this will expand IUPUI’s capacity to have an impact in surrounding communities and empower students with a commitment to service upon graduation. The effort to bring a CKP to IUPUI began in 2012 when Nancy Barton, a faculty member in the School of Physical Education and Tourism Management began a course redesign of her Consumer Health class to encourage students to explore topics of food rescue and hunger relief. In the resulting course, a feasibility study was conducted and a CKP was identified as an appropriate next step in addressing hunger in Indianapolis. Currently, the project is being developed by the Office of Sustainability and Service Learning Assistants in order to identify community partners and arrange for implementation at IUPUI. The CKP has now received administrative support and is scheduled to begin as a pilot project in the summer and fall semesters of 2014.