Online students at the University of Georgia, primarily the students of the Masters of Food Technology program, will be glad to hear of the immense support that healthy eating receives at the university. On July 23, the U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services visited UGA to see how the university is working within the community to make it easier for those families to eat healthier. Kevin Concannon, who has been the undersecretary since 2009, interacted with multiple organizations on campus which support initiatives of healthy eating within the Athens community. 

One of the organizations whose facilities he toured was UGArden, a student-run farm located south of UGA’s campus where student volunteers manage and grow 4 acres of veggies, fruits, mushrooms, and herbs organically. UGArden states its mission is to build a community of students centered on a sustainable food system by such methods as teaching students healthy practices, sharing food with impoverished members of the community, and to provide an area for students to experiment with new ideas. 

Concannon got an inside look at Campus Kitchen, a student-run program within the Office of Service-Learning. Campus Kitchen recovers food from local businesses and gardens and prepares meals for needy people in the Athens area. “It’s wonderful to see the reach of the university in a variety of community-based settings,” Concannon said, following his visit to Talmage Terrace retirement community, where UGA students in Campus Kitchen prepare meals to deliver to grandparents raising grandchildren, a population identified as a high priority need by the Athens Community Council on Aging.

Concannon also visited the West Broad Farmers Market and Garden which donates produce to Campus Kitchen along with UGAarden, and he saw the Athens Farmers Market downtown. A very interesting part about UGArden that he learned about was that they sell produce to the public on Thursdays, but donate 60 percent of what it grows to Campus Kitchen. The students of Campus Kitchen also offer cooking demos and provide recipes with the produce they deliver to local families. 

Online students, like students of the Masters in Food Technology program, are very encouraged to also participate in Athens-based initiatives like this. It’s a great idea for a visit to Athens, especially in the summer months. To check out how to get involved, you can view UGArden’s website or learn more about the Campus Kitchen Project at UGA.