Kiri Michell

Colorado State University - 2018

Food insecurity within the college population - Created “Freedge” - free produce for anyone who needs fresh produce.

Project: Food insecurity is a major issue around the country that is often overlooked within the college population. I am addressing this issue as it relates to the CSU campus and the students and staff who are affected. The transition from dorm life to apartments can be challenging and therefore I am providing healthy and fresh food to students as well as resources to preparing and understanding what they are eating. I have been addressing the issue by installing for a “Freedge” in the on-campus apartments. Freedge comes from the combination of the words free and fridge and is based on the idea of free produce for anyone who needs fresh produce. In the apartments, there are fridges in the main lobby that are filled with fresh, organic, and local veggies grown from the Horticulture center on campus.

Inspiration: Volunteering in the community at food banks, rescue missions, and childcare settings have inspired me to focus on food insecurity. I noticed some of my peers struggling with food insecurity and I wanted to be able to provide a resource so they have less stress when it comes to one of the basic needs in life. There are no specific food resources for students so I wanted to provide a service for students who may be struggling. In addition, organic and local produce is usually expensive which causes students to shy away and buy something not as nourishing which can hinder their studies and social lives.

Future Plans for Project: Providing students with access to free, organic, and local produce and offering cooking classes and workshops are my main goals. Ideally, I would like to expand the Freedges to other places on campus to allow for more access from other students who may be struggling. Food is a simple, but overlooked necessity, and I hope to make an impact towards combating food insecurity on campus.