KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney Dining Services donated 361 pounds of food Monday to Kearney Jubilee 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 third 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 reduced between dates in October and November, UNK donated a pound of food to Kearney Jubilee
“This project has done an excellent job of educating our students about recognizing hunger issues in our community and the importance of giving back to charitable organizations,” said Shonna King, marketing manager for UNK Dining Services. “By examining daily eating habits, there was an eye-opening realization of how much food we waste.”
Monica Musil, executive director for Kearney Jubilee, accepted the donation during the Project: Clean Plate celebration on Monday.
“We are so thankful for UNK and what the students are doing,” Musil said. “We are an emergency food pantry, and when people are in need they come to us. This donation will help replenish our pantry and benefit many people in the area.”
Kearney Jubilee served 2,274 people through September, an average of 252 people per month, Musil said.
“The 361 pounds we are receiving from UNK will last us one week. That’s the kind of need we have in our community,” Musil said.
Project: Clean Plate also aimed to educate UNK 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.
-30-
Source: Shonna King, UNK Dining Marketing Manager, 308.865.8434, 405.880.2381 (cell)
Writer: Todd Gottula, 308.865.8454, gottulatm@unk.edu
