Hungry For More Than Education?

Food insecurity is a national problem ubiquitous to people all over the country; recently, people have begun to study its reaching effects on many types of college students.

National studies have shown that over half of the students enrolled in college courses have to choose between educational expenses and food annually; 21% of those students make that choice for all 12 months in the year.

With 20.5 million people enrolled in college courses across the country, the number of students who experience food insecurity is pretty significant.

UMass Dining wants to change that.

Through a series of events and distributions, the UMass Dining Sustainability team hopes to tackle the issue of food insecurity on college campuses using a "Food Hub" platform.

This will consist of:

- September 30th; 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm: "Pay What You Will" pre-packaged meals using produce from UMass Permaculture and local farms on Goodell Lawn at the UMass Student Farmers' Market; includes recipe and nutritional information.

- October 14th; 12:00 pm - 4:00pm:  UMass Dining's Maroon Apron- a package with all the ingredients you need to make your own healthy, sustainable, delicious meal at home.  

• Each package includes gleaned and "imperfect" vegetables from a local farm, exact proportions of all ingredients, and a recipe.  For pick-ups come to the UMass Student Farmers' Market on Goodell Lawn.

- October 21st; 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Food Day Celebration: Apple Cider Pressing and Tasting - free apple cider pressing workshop and tasting on Goodell Lawn using imperfect apples from UMass' Research Orchard, Cold Spring Orchards! 

More events TBA; check this blog frequently for updated information! Or visit the UMass Permaculture booth at the UMass Student Farmers' Market on Goodell Lawn every Friday this semester from 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm to learn more!
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