Campus Garden and Food Pantries
Mission and History
The mission of the Campus Garden is to advance education and awareness of local food systems and address food insecurity on campus and in the Whitewater community. Produce grown in the Campus Garden is donated to local food pantries and resources about usage and storage are provided to help pantry clients better understand how to use fresh produce. Participants in the management of the Campus Garden receive practical training in sustainable gardening methods, specifically emphasizing practices that exclude the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
The Campus Garden was started in 2013 in conjunction with a Service Learning class. Students learned about the work done by Will Allen with the nonprofit organization Growing Power in Milwaukee to address food insecurity in areas of Milwaukee designated as a “food desert.” At this time, the only dedicated grocery store in Whitewater was closing and there were concerns that access to fresh fruits and vegetables would be more difficult.
The Sustainability Office has managed the garden since its inception. The garden program also supports a garden at the UW-Whitewater Children’s Center. Additional partnerships and support supported public gardens at Lincoln Elementary in Whitewater, Lakeland School in Elkhorn, establishing the Whitewater City Market, and other garden-based outreach through the CHIP internship.
Food Pantries We Serve
The Campus Garden produces thousands of pounds of fresh produce each growing season to donate to our food pantry partners. Since its inception, the garden has contributed over 16,100 pounds of produce to those in need, and when combined with the pre-pandemic Whitewater City Market donation program, the total impact rises to an incredible 28,450 pounds. These milestones reflect the strong sense of community and commitment to sustainability that drives the project.
The Warhawk Pantry was established in 2018 and the Sustainability Office was a key participant in setting up the logistical needs of the Pantry operations, including providing the initial staffing to get the doors open in its temporary home of White Hall. Since moving to Drumlin Dining Hall, the University Center has taken over day-to-day operations, but the Sustainability Office continues to support logistical needs and conducts the end of semester move-out collections at the end of each semester. Students can enjoy fresh produce from the Campus Garden from July-October without restrictions.
The Whitewater Community Food Pantry is located in the Whitewater Armory and serves clients based on financial need. We have brought our produce here since the inception of the Campus Garden and has become an essential supply of resources during the busy summer months. Additionally, some produce is donated to The Community Space, a free store located on the east side of Whitewater. The Community Space serves patrons without restriction and offers other items, such as clothing, furniture, and other household goods. They are the primary recipients of our end of semester move-out collection and receive surplus items that won’t be efficiently used by the Warhawk Pantry.
Hydroponics
The Sustainability Office received recognition from the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents with the 2024 Regents Diversity Award - Program Recipient. The award came with additional funding that was used to purchase a Flex Farm hydroponics system from Fork Farms. This unit, located in the Warhawk Pantry, will allow us to produce greens throughout the year and even allows students that visit the Warhawk Pantry to harvest their own fresh lettuce!
This unit is complemented by a number of different smaller hydroponic systems that are operated by interns in Upham Greenhouse. Testing these demonstration systems gives our students a wide range of experience working with this innovative indoor growth method.
Campus Dining Programs
The Sustainability Office partners with Warhawk Dining to promote sustainability across campus dining halls and catering services. This collaboration helps improve sustainable practices within their operations, from sourcing local ingredients to minimizing food waste. Additionally, we work together on tabling events to educate students about sustainable dining choices and practices. For more information on our partnership and sustainability efforts, visit the Warhawk Dining website.