Food Security

Why there is such a gap between food produced and the number of people who go hungry? How do we ensure access to healthy foods? When you dive deeply into the Food Security Issue Area, you’ll work closely with community gardens and local food banks to help promote the concepts of healthy living, create awareness about hunger, and work to improve policies that affect nutrition.

Empty Bowls

One of Warren Wilson’s most beloved traditions is our Empty Bowls program. In recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, we host an Empty Bowls Fundraiser on campus. The event raises awareness about hunger and food security issues in the Asheville and Buncombe County community.

Attendees eat a simple meal of bread and soup donated by local restaurants and served in bowls that are handmade by Art students; at the end of the evening, participants take their bowls home as a reminder of the work we can do together to end hunger in our communities.

Engaging Off Campus

Your engagement in food security issues extends off-campus as well. Your off-campus opportunities might include experiences like:

  • Bounty & Soul: Be a part of increasing access to healthy foods for low-income communities by preparing locally sourced food for markets and participating in nutritional classes.
  • Dr Wilson Community Garden: Each year, First Year Seminars collaborate with Dr. Wilson’s Community Garden as a way to deepen understanding of both course content and food security.
  • Internships: Get involved in policy work by interning with the Asheville-Buncombe Food Policy Council.

 

Food on Campus 

onions
shovels

Root Cause Farm

Root Cause Farm is a diverse and open community of volunteers, including Warren Wilson students, who grow and give away organic food. Using the garden as a platform, Root Cause Farm is a visionary model of cooperation which educates and inspires people to address the many types of hunger through caring service and the growing and sharing of food.

Working with Bounty and Soul has been an essential accent to my Sustainable Agriculture education. It’s commonly pointed out that the population is rising, and our food production must increase to accommodate for that rise. However, it is noted less often that we currently waste 4/9ths of our food. I noticed that at our Garden that we didn’t have a socially productive outlet for our non-sellable access. So I decided to set up a service program through our Garden addressing issues of food security.

Angela Lambardo, '17