food insecurity

Visit from Chef Jet Tila supports students facing food insecurity

lclarkg — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:55:14 +0000

Visit from Chef Jet Tila supports students facing food insecurity lclarkg Thu, 05/21/2026 - 10:55

The scent of garlic and citrus filled Southside Dining Hall as students lined up to meet celebrity chef Jet Tila, who visited 91��’s Fairfax Campus on April 29.

Hosted by Mason Dining, the event brought Tila—chef, television personality, and bestselling author—to campus for a day of food, conversation, and connections with students.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Tila is known for his appearances on The Food Network’s Iron Chef America, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay. Students had three opportunities to meet and chat with Tila: at Southside Dining Hall, the Johnson Center, and Ike’s Dining Hall.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Tila’s visit also supported students facing food insecurity at George Mason. While Tila prepared meals at Southside for lunch, every meal swipe was matched by Mason Dining with a donation to the Student Support and Advocacy Center. As a result, more than 1,500 meal swipes were donated to benefit George Mason students facing food insecurity.

1,500 meal swipes were donated to benefit George Mason students facing food insecurity. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Mason Dining

Later, Tila hosted a live cooking demonstration and Q&A in the Johnson Center, where he talked with students and shared stories from his upbringing immersed in his family’s restaurants.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The day concluded at Ike’s, where the first 50 students received signed copies of Tila’s cookbooks.

Tila’s signature style of food fit in remarkably well at George Mason: bold flavors rooted in tradition, with a modern edge.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Learn more about Mason Dining

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Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC)

Grant from Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will reduce food waste and expand composting operations at George Mason

lclarkg — Thu, 07 May 2026 13:21:35 +0000

Grant from Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will reduce food waste and expand composting operations at George Mason lclarkg Thu, 05/07/2026 - 09:21

91�� received a grant of more than $1 million from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to support food waste prevention, food rescue, and composting programs on campus. The funding supports projects that reduce landfill methane emissions by reducing food waste, recovering surplus food, and composting any remaining food waste.

George Mason received the second-largest award of any Virginia institution of higher education.

Photo by University Sustainability

The Virginia DEQ has awarded nearly $8 million to 12 Virginia colleges and universities to reduce food waste across the commonwealth. The funding is provided through the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program.

Through this grant, University Sustainability and Mason Dining will lead a university-wide food rescue and composting program to reduce food waste, address student food insecurity, and keep compostable material from going in the trash. This includes the creation of a dedicated Food Rescue Hub, implementing artificial intelligence technology in dining halls to identify and prevent food waste, and adding critical personnel and infrastructure to expand and improve compost and food rescue operations.

"We are focused on developing a campus-wide system for addressing food waste—from prevention, to rescue, to composting,” said Amber Saxton, program manager for University Sustainability. “Working with campus stakeholders, we identified critical needs, and we will use [this grant] to address those needs and build a leading model for change together."

Bigbelly units help reduce waste on campus with recycling and composting options. Photo by Facilities and Campus Operations

The grant will fund improvements to composting operations. George Mason has some composting infrastructure, which helped increase its composting rate from 49 tons in FY2020 to 298 tons in FY2024. However, a recent waste contamination audit of a university dining hall revealed that 74% of dining trash was compostable food waste. Improving food waste diversion at dining halls will support University Sustainability’s Zero Waste goal of diverting 90% of all waste away from trash incineration and landfills.

The grant will also fund a dedicated full-time compost coordinator to address strategic planning, compostable purchasing, and contamination monitoring.

The funding for food rescue efforts arrives at a critical time for the Patriot Pantry as well. The Patriot Pantry, George Mason’s chapter of the Food Recovery Network, and Mason Dining are already working to address food insecurity on campus, but resources have not kept pace with the growing needs in this area.

The Patriot Pantry provides food and hygiene items at the Fairfax Campus and Mason Square and has experienced a 990% increase in use since it became a permanent student service in 2016. Plans are underway to open an expanded Patriot Pantry in the Johnson Center in early 2027, including the addition of free grab-and-go meals.

Volunteers from the Food Recovery Network have recovered extra food at campus dining halls and provided it to individuals in the surrounding community, but the new funds will allow these efforts to happen on campus as well.

“With the grant, we will be able to focus [food rescue] efforts on campus and provide grab-and-go meals through the Patriot Pantry to students who identify as food insecure,” said Jonathan Elwell, director of Dining Services.

The grant will fund a dedicated space and equipment for a new Food Rescue Hub in Southside Dining Hall, as well as two part-time student food rescue specialists, who will work with staff from Mason Dining and volunteers from the Food Recovery Network to package, label, and flash freeze surplus food (prepared but never served). The food will then be transported to the expanded Patriot Pantry in the Johnson Center.

George Mason’s chapter of the Food Recovery Network works to address food insecurity in the community. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

"The DEQ grant adding capacity to provide flash-frozen dining hall meals perfectly aligns with our relocation timing and goals,” said Dwayne Hamilton Jr., assistant director for basic needs services with the Student Support and Advocacy Center.

Any food waste not rescued in this new system will be collected as compost and hauled to a local industrial composting facility, diverting waste from landfills and incinerators.

Campus partners, including University Sustainability, Mason Dining, Auxiliary and Business Services, the Patriot Pantry, Recycling and Waste Management, the Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning, and student leaders from the university's chapter of the Food Recovery Network will work together to implement these new food waste prevention and composting systems.

“Our goal was to rethink how we handle food from start to finish,” said Saxton. “By bringing partners together and building a shared vision, we created a sustainable model for change that will serve our university for years to come.”

Food rescue and composting at George Mason

University Sustainability

Topics

University Sustainability

Mason Dining

Patriot Pantry

Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC)

Students in Honors College class examine food insecurity on college campuses

sbrown79 — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:19:21 +0000

Students in Honors College class examine food insecurity on college campuses  sbrown79 Wed, 11/19/2025 - 13:19

At college campuses across the nation, as many as 30-40% of students grapple with food insecurity, unable to consistently access nutritious and culturally relevant meals due to financial constraints.  

At 91��, students in Tawnya Azar’s Honors College 260 Society and Community Engagement course are focused creating awareness campaigns around hunger and food scarcity. The course aims to empower students through writing and collaborative efforts, fostering a critical examination of the challenges surrounding food access and inspiring tangible solutions. Other community engagement course sections engage students on topics such as civic engagement, philanthropy, and using dialogue for understanding and connection.

Azar partnered with George Mason’s Patriot Pantry and Greenhouse and Gardens Program where students completed 15 hours of volunteer work as part of the class. 

The course explores different models of community engagement including the approach of mutual aid, a community-based system where both parties involved benefit, which Azar says is “arguably the direction the field is heading in. Mutual aid is the more effective model for serving a community's needs.” 

Mehmood Shajih volunteering at George Mason's Honeybee Pollinator Garden on the Fairfax Campus. Photo by Shayla Brown.

“George Mason’s students continue to be more and more diverse, coming from different backgrounds, and as the economic pressures that they face increase, food insecurity is also going to increasingly become an issue in this country, especially among college students,” said Azar, term associate professor in the Department of English. 

 “We also have to have challenging conversations about what the limitations to everyone having access to free nutritious meals or to reliable, nutritious meals all the time can look like,” said Azar. 

“Although there can be a lot of negative stigma and stereotypes associated with the issue, many of my students very generously shared experiences they or family members have had with access to reliable, nutritious food sources,” she said. 

Another one of their community partners is Community of Faith Food Pantry in Herndon, which recently received a commendation from the state of Virginia via the state legislature for the work they’ve done to address food insecurity. 

Azar, who previously worked for Community of Faith, said the organization offers fresh produce, meat, eggs, and dairy products and serves about 300 families every week. They rely exclusively on volunteer support and charitable donations, she said.   

The students developed an awareness campaign to inform members of the George Mason community about food insecurity as well as increase awareness and access to existing food resources for food insecure community members. 

Junior Mehmood Shajih called the class “the most important Honors course I’ve taken because it’s talking about an issue that is so prevalent in colleges.  

“It taught me that about 40% of college students face food insecurity throughout their four years, which I was very surprised to learn,” said the psychology major who worked with the Greenhouse and Gardens Program. 

“It also allowed me to explore different ways to help out, but then this class goes a step further because we also approach it through community writing and group campaign tables that we did across the George Mason campus, where we passed on the information we were obtaining in class,” he said. 

The students' interactive games in the format of the Jeopardy! game show. Photo provided.

The student groups were able to get creative in their outreach efforts, making interactive games in the format of the Jeopardy! game show in the Johnson Center, which included questions about food insecurity. 

Through this course, senior biology major Rori Martinez-Breitenstein started volunteering at a Fairfax food bank, Food for Others, completing tasks such as picking up donations from grocery stores and local vendors and packing lunches for K-12 students experiencing food insecurity in Fairfax County. 

“I find working with Food for Others very rewarding, and I've also had the opportunity to make a lot of connections with different people who are also there because they want to support the community,” said Martinez-Breitenstein, who is also volunteering at George Mason’s Potomac Heights Organic Vegetable Garden tending to the vegetables. 

Martinez-Breitenstein is also a residential advisor on the Fairfax Campus and is collaborating with Patriot Pantry on a food and resource drive, collecting non-perishable food items as well as personal hygiene products for students in the residence halls who might not have access to these products otherwise, she said. 

“I'm passionate about public health. My main goal will always be working toward making sure everyone has equitable access to the necessary resources for their highest level of health and quality of life,” said Martinez-Breitenstein, a public health minor.  

Shajih and Martinez-Breitenstein say they plan to continue working with these organizations even after completing the course and hope to get their family and friends involved in community service as well. 

“I’m honored to be involved in something that's bigger than myself,” said Martinez-Breitenstein.  

Topics

Honors College

food insecurity

Greenhouse and Gardens Program

Community Engagement

innovative classes

Students

Off the Clock: Volunteering at a community farm, Carissa O’Neill is a good seed

lclarkg — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 16:11:10 +0000

Off the Clock: Volunteering at a community farm, Carissa O’Neill is a good seed lclarkg Wed, 07/17/2024 - 12:11

Carissa O’Neill started her job at 91�� as an office assistant in University Life one year ago. In this role, she manages schedules, plans events, and more. Outside the office, O’Neill volunteers to do a different variety of tasks: planting seedlings, sinking stakes, laying out irrigation hose, harvesting crops, and weeding greenhouses.

O’Neill volunteers at The JK Community Farm in Purcellville, Virginia—a 150-acre working farm that donates 100% of its produce to local food pantries. The farm is managed by three staff members, and most of the farm work is done by volunteers. Produce is donated for distribution to community members facing food insecurity.

Carissa O'Neill (with husband Justin O'Neill) volunteers at JK Community Farm in Purcellville, Virginia. Photo provided

How did you first get started with this volunteer activity? How long have you been doing it?

I had never worked on a farm before! But I like to work with my hands, have a great desire to learn about growing and harvesting food, and there are a good number of small farms around this part of Virginia. I found JK Community Farm when I was looking for farming jobs one day. I didn’t find a job that made sense for me, but volunteering has been a great alternative. I’ve been doing it since 2021. It's a great way to get outside, and what a boost to know that you're helping someone get access to fresh fruit and vegetables.

What's a typical day look like when you volunteer at the farm? How many different crops have you harvested?

I spend a few hours a month there, usually on a Saturday or Sunday. When you get there, you gather with the other volunteers and wait for one of the staff members to assign you a task. They take time to show you how to do it, and off you go! I've helped harvest produce like potatoes, asparagus, and sunflowers, and I've planted crops like onion and bell peppers.

O'Neill did not have any prior experience working on a farm, but she wanted to learn about growing and harvesting food. Photo provided

What has been the most memorable experience you’ve had in this volunteer work?

Harvesting asparagus for the food banks—I never knew how it grew, or that it can regrow itself from the stalk you cut.

What lessons have you learned?

I’ve learned the importance of addressing the lack of fresh produce available for those who need food assistance. Of course, food banks have shelf-stable items, but what a blessing to also have fresh fruit and veggies to offer.

What else do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I also love to sew, cross stitch, watch television, and do escape rooms.

Did you know? George Mason’s Greenhouse and Gardens Program offers volunteer opportunities for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. The program partners with the Patriot Pantry to help address food insecurity within the George Mason student population. Volunteers grow food sustainably, harvest and distribute produce, and more. Visit the University Sustainability website for more information.

Topics

Off the Clock

University Life

Faculty and Staff News

Volunteerism

food insecurity

Patriot Pantry partners with Capital Area Food Bank for food delivery

ckearney — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 19:28:06 +0000

Patriot Pantry partners with Capital Area Food Bank for food delivery ckearney Thu, 11/30/2023 - 14:28

91��’s Patriot Pantry, in cooperation with the Capital Area Food Bank, is delivering groceries to food-insecure Mason students and their families.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“We started from a place of understanding that students have a lot of demands being put on their time and on their resources and began with the simple premise that addressing food needs would increase their success rates,” said Sabrina Tadele, director of strategic initiatives at the food bank, a hunger relief organization that works with community partners throughout the Washington, D.C., region.

The food bank delivers shelf-stable groceries and fresh produce to Mason, which, in cooperation with DoorDash, are then delivered to students’ homes within a 15-mile radius of the Fairfax Campus.

“[DoorDash] has been very, very generous with nonprofits, including the whole national network of food banks,” said Tadele.

The Patriot Pantry was the focus of Mason Vision Day 2023, a day of focused philanthropy for the Mason community. Funds raised on Mason Vision Day helped to secure student meal vouchers for on-campus dining, provide gift cards for local grocery stores, and to supply the Patriot Pantry, which is operated by the Student Support and Advocacy Center within University Life.

As part of Mason Vision Day, the food bank matched $30,000 of the funds raised in the form of credits in its online ordering portal, expanding access to a greater variety of foods.

“Food insecurity is often an experience compounded by other forms of basic need insecurity, such as financial instability and unstable transportation,” said Dwayne Hamilton Jr., assistant director for basic needs at Mason’s Student Support and Advocacy Center. “The Home Delivery Program promotes consistent and healthy food intake while addressing financial and transportation barriers that impact access. Confronting these obstacles enables students to devote their full attention to their academics.”

Mason staff fill orders and arrange for food delivery to students. CAFB conducts surveys with students at the beginning and end of each semester to measure the degree of a student’s food insecurity, as well as students’ subjective measures of well-being: physical health, mental health, and ability to focus in class.

Mason will provide academic data with anonymized identifiers, including information on students’ enrollment intensity, time to graduation, and attrition and retention.

“We spent a lot of time with our evaluation specialist designing the surveys the students will receive,” said Tadele. “We have to be able to understand whether [the program] works or not.”

“One of our broader goals with these partnerships is that we want to give students the support they need to finish their programs and then earn living-wage jobs and be able to contribute to our local economy. It’s a cyclical effect,” said Grace Brown, CAFB strategic initiatives manager.

This article originally appeared in University Life's Succeed magazine in a slightly different form.

Make a contribution to the Patriot Pantry

Donors helped address food insecurity at Mason during Mason Vision Day 2023

ckearney — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 18:55:25 +0000

Donors helped address food insecurity at Mason during Mason Vision Day 2023 ckearney Wed, 07/19/2023 - 14:55

Each year the 91�� community has the opportunity to support a cause that matters to them through Mason Vision Day.

Led by the Office of Annual Giving, Mason Vision Day 2023, held on April 6, highlighted the challenges posed by student food insecurity—which is a growing issue at Mason and at college campuses across the nation. This year, Mason Vision Day raised $290,000 for Mason causes with nearly $90,000 dedicated to student food insecurity.

Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to a sufficient amount of food, which in turn can create other obstacles for students making it difficult for them to focus on their studies and fulfill their potential.

“We know that nationally, one-third of college students contend with food insecurity at some point during their collegiate career,” said Rose Pascarell, vice president for University Life at Mason. “We are so appreciative that Mason Vision Day could raise money, and awareness, for this pervasive and persistent problem we know exists on our campuses as well.”

Funds identified for student food insecurity will support campus resources like the Patriot Pantry, which provides students with access to food and hygiene items. Mason Vision Day donations will also help provide meal swipes for students so they can dine with peers, purchase gift cards for local grocery stores, and receive individualized guidance beyond food such as assistance with child care, job placements, mental health and housing.

The concept of a focused Mason Vision Day began in 2020 during the height of the pandemic when the Mason community came together to secure and distribute emergency funds and resources for Mason’s most vulnerable students.

The Patriots Helping Patriots initiative distributed a variety of resources to assist students and families, such as offering access to food, educational materials, and counseling resources. Within eight weeks, Mason’s Alumni Association and Office of Alumni Relations distributed nearly $2 million to aid students with tuition, housing, food, and other emergency needs. The event’s success led to the idea of rallying the Mason community around one vision each year—Mason Vision Day. While Mason Vision Day offers a common focus, it also embraces all philanthropic initiatives on campus, encouraging students, faculty, alumni, and donors to support what matters most to them at Mason.

“Focusing Mason Vision Day on a central initiative offers the opportunity to move the needle and really make a difference in a specific area,” said Trishana E. Bowden, president of the 91�� Foundation and vice president for advancement and alumni relations. “This is the true meaning of philanthropy—we recognize a need and come together to help one another.”

Mason Vision Day was also supported the Capital Area Food Bank. The food bank is an established anchor of hunger relief infrastructure across the Washington, D.C., region. Through a partnership with Mason to address campus food insecurity, Capital Area Food Bank matched $30,000 of the funds raised on Mason Vision Day through credits in its online food ordering portal.

“The response from our community was terrific,” said Pascarell. “In particular, I’d like to express my appreciation for our work with the Capital Area Food Bank and their generosity in supporting our students. Our growing partnership will make an incredible impact on our university’s ability to provide students the resources they need to be successful.”

Events like Mason Vision Day 2023 and programs like the Patriot Pantry give students the opportunity to thrive and continue to pursue their dreams.

“91�� is a community of caring, compassion, and hope,” Bowden said. “This year, our gifts will have a direct impact on many of our students. I am grateful and honored to be part of this extraordinary community.”

To support Mason students please go to giving.gmu.edu.

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Capital Area Food Bank announces a boost for Mason Vision Day—and beyond

ckearney — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 20:15:28 +0000

Capital Area Food Bank announces a boost for Mason Vision Day—and beyond ckearney Wed, 04/05/2023 - 16:15

Support Mason Vision Day

Read about Mason Vision Day

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May 29, 2025
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March 29, 2024
Patriot Pantry partners with Capital Area Food Bank for food delivery
November 30, 2023
Donors helped address food insecurity at Mason during Mason Vision Day 2023
July 20, 2023

91�� has an important ally in its work to counter food insecurity among its students: The Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) has announced that it is partnering with Mason to address campus food insecurity and will match the funds raised during Mason Vision Day.

“We are thrilled to have a partner in Capital Area Food Bank, because our organizations share a common understanding that it takes more than a meal to solve hunger,” said Rose Pascarell, Mason’s vice president for University Life.

The CAFB is the anchor of hunger relief infrastructure across the Washington, D.C., region, providing more than 50 million meals to communities in the area each year. Like Mason, the food bank approaches the problem of food insecurity through multiple channels and achieves its mission through many kinds of partnerships—including those with food distributors and retailers, farms, institutions, individuals, and other nonprofit organizations.

CAFB’s generous investment around Mason Vision Day is just a start: CAFB is building on existing relationships with community colleges in the Washington, D.C., area, and looking to Mason as one of the first four-year public institutions with whom it will partner to offer services and resources.

“The success of our region’s students creates positive ripple effects for individuals, families, and our local economy that will last well into the future,” said Radha Muthiah, president and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank. “The CAFB is committed to partnering with institutions like Mason to ensure that hunger is never a barrier to a student’s academic achievement, or to fulfilling their highest potential.”

It is through these partnerships, and multiple solutions and community partners, that Mason hopes to move beyond food distribution to focus on tackling the root causes of hunger and inequity.

“Food insecurity is a complex problem that we simply can’t address through one solution,” said Pascarell. “Partnership with organizations, like the Capital Area Food Bank, that understand the scope of the problem and provides leadership in our region to make a difference, goes a long way toward helping us address food insecurity more holistically on our campuses.”

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Campus News

Mason Vision Day

food insecurity

Capital Area Food Bank

Enhancing food security through aquaponics

ckearney — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 18:16:25 +0000

Enhancing food security through aquaponics ckearney Thu, 03/30/2023 - 14:16

On Thursday, April 6, 2023 Mason celebrates Mason Vision Day—an opportunity for the Mason community to come together each year to identify and support a deserving initiative on campus. This year’s efforts address campus food insecurity, supporting Mason students who have limited access to sufficient or quality food. Food insecurity on college campuses is a rising, problematic trend that Mason is committed to combating.

George Mason University Sustainability and the Greenhouse and Garden’s Program are contributing to these efforts, promoting healthy eating and helping Mason Patriots achieve food security. One way this team is enhancing food security on campus is through the recent installation of a new aquaponic food system located at the Presidents Park Greenhouse (PPG) on the Fairfax Campus. The PPG is an on-campus site for year-round food production that grows approximately 1,000 lbs. of fresh produce annually.

To support this new initiative, the PPG received generous contributions from Mason Facilities, the Patriot Green Fund, and the Auxiliary Enterprise Management Council. Donielle Nolan, Greenhouse and Garden’s program manager, is spearheading this sustainable effort.

Greenhouse and Gardens Program manager Donielle Nolan demonstrates the aquaponics system.

Mason Facilities leadership is proud of the Greenhouse and Gardens program, and its contributions to campus food security and education. "Our greenhouse is an incredible asset to the campus community,” said Greg Farley, director of University Sustainability. “It is very unusual for a university to grow—and serve—fresh produce to a campus. We work hard to contribute to student food security, and to teach Patriots of all ages how to grow and prepare fresh, nutritious foods. That makes Mason unique.”

Nolan’s newest staff members include 15 goldfish that grow plants organically, without the use of soil, creating a fertilized environment for many of University Sustainability’s greens. In the aquaponic system, the fish produce waste that nitrifying bacteria then convert into nutrients for the plants. The plant roots absorb these nutrients, and in doing so filter the water so it can be safely recirculated back to the fish.

The aquaponics system includes a 200-gallon fish tank and three grow beds for the plants—producing harvestable, donation-ready items including vegetables, leafy greens, and herbs.

The Greenhouse and Gardens Program partners with the Patriot Pantry, a university program that provides food-insecure students access to nonperishable food and hygiene items and raises awareness about food insecurity within the Mason student population. The pantry is housed under the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) in the Division of University Life. The Patriot Pantry serves hundreds of students every semester. The Greenhouse and Gardens Program helps fill the gap by providing free fresh produce for those who are food insecure via the Greenhouse and Garden’s Program online portal. Donations include, but are not limited to tomatoes, lettuce, kale, bok choy, and soon strawberries.

Greenhouse and Gardens Program is always taking volunteers to help with its operations.

In order to grow and harvest the produce, the PPG relies heavily on its volunteers. Anyone can gain hands-on experience with both hydroponic and aquaponic systems while volunteering. Inside the greenhouse, participants can learn how to compost indoors with worms, harvest crops, sow and transplant seedlings, solve pest issues using natural organic methods, and support a thriving farm-to-table sustainable food operation. Another perk of volunteering is the chance to try the produce grown and take some home, as there is usually a surplus.

“Most of the produce goes to donations for the Patriot Pantry, and when students volunteer, they get to take home harvest-ready produce and herbs,” said Nolan. "We are always seeking ways to connect fresh food sources to those in need on campus.”

Another way University Sustainability and the Greenhouse and Garden’s Program is addressing food insecurity on Mason’s campus through educating students on healthy, sustainable food preparation in the form of on-campus cooking events.

“Our program educates students about healthy eating to promote overall well-being and sustainability. Many students are hesitant to request or accept healthy, sustainable donations due to limited knowledge regarding preparation and cooking with fresh ingredients,” said Nolan. “In addition, many students do not have access to a kitchen in their dorm rooms or do not have the time due to academic course load or employment obligations.”

In November 2022, the program hosted its first cooking event, “Earthsgiving,” yielding a large turnout of volunteers and students. Two free, sustainable cooking events are being held in Spring 2023. One in March and one in April to celebrate Earth Month. The March 31 cooking event is a partnership with the Patriot Pantry, Housing and Residence Life, Recreation, and Mason Dining to focus on education in preparing inexpensive meals, using commonly featured items from the Patriot Pantry. The cooking event in April 2023 has an international food theme. Keep an eye out on the Earth Month website for details regarding upcoming events.

“There are so many opportunities to combine the sustainable aspects of food, as well as the food security efforts that are gaining popularity amongst our students,” said Nolan. “These events help build community and educate and inspire students to eat more plant-based and home-prepared meals, which both promote environmentally conscious lifestyles as well as an increase in well-being.”

The Greenhouse and Gardens Program also maintains two outdoor sites that produce vegetables and fruit organically for donation, such as figs and passionfruit. They offer tours and educational activities for groups of all ages. To get involved, check out green.gmu.edu.

Learn more about how you can support Mason Vision Day and volunteer with University Sustainability. To volunteer, sign-up using our online platform, which can help you track your service hours for classes and more! 

Support the Patriot Pantry

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Close to home: Food insecurity on Mason’s campuses

ckearney — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 20:47:37 +0000

Close to home: Food insecurity on Mason’s campuses ckearney Wed, 03/29/2023 - 16:47

Learn more about Mason Vision Day

Food insecurity is more prevalent than many people realize, particularly among college students.

“A student who is encountering food insecurity experiences a consistent lack of food because of financial conditions,” said Rose Pascarell, vice president for University Life at 91��.

Up to one-third of students nationally are impacted by food insecurity. Pascarell noted particular increases among certain student populations at Mason, including international students.

Vulnerable students may find that balancing academics with financial demands can be challenging. Even if students are aware of resources, the social stigma surrounding food insecurity can prevent many from seeking help. Nationally, 34 percent of students drop out of school as a result of such issues.

For students like Nelson Lemus, BS Business ’22, a master’s student in accounting, the stigma was difficult to overcome. In his first semester, Lemus found himself in need of assistance, but asking for help was not easy.

“During the pandemic, I was hit with a situational poverty,” said Lemus. “The option to continue my education was to sleep out of my car, not pay for housing, but to pay for school. I ended up not having enough funds to pay for food or even housing...this was very embarrassing for me.”

Though the social stigma persists around food and housing insecurity, the Mason community strives to reach as many students as possible through outreach and a determined effort to offer resources.

Through the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC) within University Life, Mason offers a variety of resources for students experiencing food insecurity, including access to meal swipes, gift cards to purchase perishable foods, and connections to community resources.

One of Mason’s most well-known programs that directly supports students experiencing food insecurity is the Patriot Pantry. Originally known as the Pop-Up Pantry, the resource was created by then-student Yara Mowafy, BA Global Affairs ‘14, MA ‘15, and University Life staff member Michael Galvin.

“We started bringing our own stuff, toilet paper and things like that,” said Mowafy. “Then University Life staff heard about it, and we started reaching out to other student life organizations, and classrooms I was in.... Everybody found out that we were doing this, and it was no longer a ‘pop-up pantry.’ It was a real, organized thing.”

In 2015, Mason students Gary Hooker and Noah Shoates took over the daily operation of the pantry. The following year the pantry expanded to provide further supplies and resources to students, and was relocated to a new designated space in Student Union Building I. It became an official resource within the SSAC and renamed the Patriot Pantry.

During the past three years, Mason has seen a 172 percent increase in student use of the Patriot Pantry.

“I am very grateful for the pantry and all the resources Mason provided to me to help me achieve these great milestones I’ve been able to achieve,” said Lemus, who has an offer to work at a Big Four firm upon graduation.

Lemus encourages students who share a similar story to not view Mason’s resources as handouts.

“They are hand ups. They're there to help you overcome whatever situation, whatever hardship you're dealing with,” Lemus said. “So, students should not feel ashamed or embarrassed to receive this support—it is there to help you propel yourself to achieve whatever goals or milestones you have set for yourself.”

Mason Vision Day is an opportunity for our community to come together each year to identify and support a deserving initiative on campus. On April 6, support today’s Patriots by helping Mason address campus food insecurity.

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Mason comes together to address food insecurity on campus

ckearney — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 21:25:15 +0000

Mason comes together to address food insecurity on campus ckearney Wed, 03/15/2023 - 17:25

Food insecurity is a pervasive, compelling problem for many university students, including at 91��.

Studies have shown that nationally, one in three students struggles to afford their next meal. The problem is largely unseen, particularly among student populations—like Mason’s—that include adult learners or students who are balancing their studies with employment or taking care of family members, causing them to put their personal health on a lower priority. Moreover, food insecurity may imperil that education: nationally, students experiencing food insecurity are 43% less likely to graduate.

Mason Vision Day is an annual opportunity for the campus community to come together to identify and support a deserving initiative on campus. For this year’s event on April 6, 2023, Mason is turning its focus to food insecurity, working to support already-established initiatives and exploring other ways to alleviate student food concerns.

“It’s really difficult to concentrate and succeed at your highest potential as a college student when you’re experiencing food insecurity,” said Matthew Carlos, assistant director for student support and community outreach at Mason’s Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC). The SSAC offers resources to Mason students in a host of areas, including a focus on basic needs insecurity.

“Food insecurity means that an individual has inconsistent access to enough food for their daily life,” Carlos said. And its effects are profound. Food insecurity can lead to nutrition deficiencies, resulting in physical ailments including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. It can impair the emotional development that naturally takes place between the ages of 18-22. The uncertainty of not knowing where a next meal is coming from causes chronic stress and can lead to increases in anxiety and depression. Research also has linked food insecurity to reduced cognitive function, poor sleep, and challenges in concentration.

Because of the stigma attached to food insecurity, it is difficult to get a handle on the full extent of the problem. Mason’s University Life office houses SSAC and operates the Patriot Pantry, which allows enrolled students to obtain nonperishable food and hygiene items. The number students using the services of the Patriot Pantry over the past three years has increased 172%.

“About 500 unique students each year take advantage of the pantry,” said Rose Pascarell, vice president for University Life. “Some of those are students who experience episodes in their life and come in one or a few times, but many of the students are seeking assistance on a weekly basis.”

SSAC has been working on ways to meet the need, including the Patriot Pantry as well as partnerships with organizations and businesses in the Mason community.

Professor Dann Sklarew of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy supports the SSAC’s work. He teaches capstone research course EVPP 480 Sustainability in Action and found that his students’ research projects were turning to food insecurity among their classmates. He and his students became “more and more involved with trying to understand the magnitude of the problem and what can be done about it,” he said

He agrees that a variety of possible solutions is the key. “We could really get to a point where everybody who isn’t getting enough calories or nutrition would have some options through the university or through other means,” Sklarew said.

“Mason is doing a fantastic job of reducing that stigma that's still associated with food insecurity,” said Carlos. “Whether that's through initiatives from President Washington and the Patriot Pantry challenge, student government, other leaders on campus, there's a lot of positive energy when it comes to reducing and eliminating food insecurity here at Mason.”

Learn more about how you can support Mason Vision Day.

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Mason Vision Day is an opportunity for our community to come together each year to identify and support a deserving initiative on campus. On April 6, support today’s Patriots by helping Mason address campus food insecurity.

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Mason comes together to address food insecurity on campus

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