By SARA GIBONEY
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney Dining Services donated 67 pounds of food to The Salvation Army thanks to students’ efforts to reduce food waste on campus.
The Residence Hall Association and UNK Dining partnered on Project: Clean Plate, which is in its second year. The goal of the program is to reduce food and liquid waste in the Market @ 27th Street, the dining hall in the Nebraskan Student Union.
For every pound of waste that was reduced between September and November, UNK donated a pound of food to The Salvation Army.
“We are so proud of the students for all their hard work on Project: Clean Plate,” said Jen Kacere, residence hall complex director. “We have seen a difference with the amount of food and drink that students are taking on a daily basis. Our final number also showed us that they are in fact wasting less.”
Andrea McClintic, The Salvation Army Board president, accepted the donation during the Project: Clean Plate celebration on Monday. The Salvation Army in Kearney has a food pantry that offers second harvest food from local restaurants and pantry items.
“We’re very honored to be able to work in cooperation with UNK and Project: Clean Plate,” McClintic said. “Our slogan is ‘Doing the Most Good.’ We always appreciate partnering to do good work in the community.”
Project: Clean Plate also aimed to educate students about fighting hunger.
Before the initial tracking, RHA and UNK Dining Services asked students to take a pledge to reduce waste and informed students how to waste less food. In September, the amount of waste accumulated during lunch and dinner was tracked for two days. Waste was tracked again in November.
Last year, the RHA and UNK Dining Services donated food to Crossroads Center Rescue Mission.
The Salvation Army operates over 7,500 centers in communities across the country. The Salvation Army serves 60 million meals to anyone in need through its many soup kitchens, sit-down meal programs, food pantries, mobile meals and community gardens.
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Source: Jen Kacere, 308-865-4806, kacerejn@unk.edu
Writer: Sara Giboney, 308.865.8529, giboneys2@unk.edu
