WSU students secure grant to combat campus food insecurity and waste
This student-led initiative will redistribute meals from Towers Café to students in need through the W Food Pantry.
A group of dedicated Wayne State University students have received a grant from Youth Service America (YSA) to address campus food insecurity while reducing food waste. The initiative, one of only six projects selected nationwide, will be implemented in collaboration with multiple campus and community partners.
The grant will support an innovative effort to redistribute unserved, ready-to-eat meals from Towers Café to students in need through the W Food Pantry. The project is a partnership between WSU's UN-RCE, W Food Pantry, the Office of Campus Sustainability (OCS), and 313 Dining/Aramark, with additional contributions from the nonprofit Make Food Not Waste.
The individuals leading the initiative include students Jonathan Teh, Rasha Baki and Julia Beltowski, a project manager with the OCS. They will receive support from UN-RCE graduate fellows, as well as faculty mentors and campus staff.
"We’re so excited to get started on this initiative, said Beltowski. "It will alleviate the financial challenges of dining on campus and ensure that all members of the campus community have equal access to food throughout the day while also diverting food from going to the landfill."
The grant funds will be used to purchase necessary equipment such as food warmers and to provide food safety training for student volunteers. The project is expected to engage several student volunteers in transporting and distributing the food.
The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation Youth Grant supports youth-led projects that tackle childhood hunger and food insecurity. The grant emphasizes sustainability, community engagement and student support — values that align closely with Wayne State’s mission to accelerate mobility for its students.
The WSU student-led project will take place during the Sodexo Servathon from April 1 to May 31, 2025.
Students interested in participating are encouraged to email unrce@wayne.edu for more info.