Food insecurity is a major issue in the United States. Across our 14-state footprint, Parkhurst Dining strives to address this epidemic through a variety of wide-reaching initiatives, including work with local food banks and partners who rescue consumable food from waste. We’ve been passionate about confronting food insecurity for many years, before corporate social responsibility became widely practiced.
At both our higher education and corporate sites, food insecurity can take on many forms in these communities. Just as we encourage chef customization for guests, our active teams develop their own programs for tackling site-specific needs. Here are a couple examples of how our Parkhurst sites address food insecurity:
Loyola’s York Road Initiative
“Parkhurst’s corporate mission and values align directly with Loyola’s. One of the ways they demonstrate this is by supporting food insecurities on campus and in our community. They work with students to provide additional funding to their meal plans and donate food to local charities including the York Road Initiative, where Loyola partners with our neighbors to strengthen the community.”
Mike Mansfield, Associate Vice President Auxiliary Operations at Loyola University Maryland
The York Road Initiative at Loyola University Maryland works with residents to research and develop sustainable models for food access and security in the Govans neighborhood. Started in June 2022, the Govans Community Fridge provides resources like fresh produce, hygiene products, and water, serving both York Road residents as well as Loyola students. The fridge operates on a “take what you need, share what you can” basis, and anyone is welcome to donate or take from the fridge.
In addition to the York Road Initiative, Loyola’s partnership with the Center for Community Service and Justice (CCSJ) involves donating excess packaged food to the York Road Community Fridge; they also work with the Maryland Food Bank and some local churches, like Simmons Memorial Baptist Church of Baltimore City, to donate excess food from the dining halls.
Lafayette College’s Pard Pantry
Founded in 2019, Lafayette College’s Pard Pantry is designed to provide students with necessary food and supplies while they remain on campus during school breaks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pard Pantry became an indispensable resource to students who could not return home; today, the dining team stocks nonperishable items, including microwaveable meals and more, for students staying on campus during fall and winter breaks.
The Pard Pantry also partners with the Food Recovery Network Student Group, which is active across five Parkhurst sites. Lafayette’s pantry program works with the Food Recovery Network to deliver unserved food to Safe Harbor and 3rd Street Alliance, two local programs for the homeless and at-risk, twice a week and has taught student groups how to make lasagna and other dishes.
“I believe programs like Food Recovery are vital aids that address both food waste and hunger,” says Derrick Brown, General Manager at Lafayette College. “By recovering surplus food from businesses and individuals, we can nourish our communities and reduce environmental impact.”
Along with all these partnerships, Lafayette’s “swipe it forward” program empowers students themselves to donate meal swipes for a determined value to a shelter.
Parkhurst Dining is as passionate about food as it is about people, and addressing food insecurity is an intersection for both passions. We’re happy to assemble our resources and team members to help others in need.
To learn more about Parkhurst partnerships, read our Thankful for series.
