TARGET 11
INCREASE ACCESS TO
FOOD
ABOUT TARGET 3:
Food accessibility can be a challenge for many students relying on on-campus dining halls for affordability reasons, religious restrictions, or allergens. Our administration wants to address these limitations by implementing tangible changes inside dining halls, including increasing cultural cuisine and religious accommodations and increasing fundraising for initiatives such as the Carolina Cupboard and Campus Y Food Pantry.
TARGET-SPECIFIC POLICIES:
Goal 11.1 – Promoting More Cultural Cuisine and Improving Religious Accommodations at the On-Campus Dining HallsMany of the 8,000 students living on campus rely on UNC Dining Services for sustainable food options while focusing on their academics. Dining halls play a crucial role in providing students with a healthy, balanced diet that accommodates their dietary needs, including religious restrictions. The Alvarez Administration prioritizes meeting the diverse needs of Carolina’s student body by advocating for more kosher, halal, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options in the dining halls. While the Halal section is currently offered twice a week at Chase Dining Hall, the Alvarez Administration will work with Carolina Dining Services to expand this option to a daily offering, starting in the Fall 2024 semester.
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Goal 11.2 – Streamlining Fundraising Efforts for Carolina Cupboard, Campus Y Food Pantry, and Other Food Initiatives Through Collaborative Efforts Among Student Organizations​
Carolina is home to several organizations dedicated to improving food accessibility for students, such as Carolina Cupboard, the Campus Y Food Pantry, and Edible Campus UNC. The Alvarez Administration aims to amplify the efforts of these groups through greater collaboration and support. We will advocate for increased connectivity among food accessibility organizations by hosting monthly meetings with student government representatives to discuss how these initiatives can be better supported. Additionally, we will involve student government in fundraising, donation collection, and promotional efforts to raise awareness and ensure these resources are more widely known to the student body.
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Goal 11.3 – Connecting Student Government and Carolina Dining Services
The Alvarez Administration recognizes that students have diverse dining needs, from allergen-friendly options to religious accommodations and multicultural cuisine. We are committed to being a platform for students to communicate their needs with Carolina Dining Services (CDS). We will work with CDS to create a more comprehensive and accessible feedback channel on their website, where students can submit comments or requests. By advocating for practical student requests and serving as a stronger voice in communications with CDS, we aim to enhance response times and improve the success rate of implementing meaningful changes.