The Campus Kitchen at UVM Earns Top Honors

The University of Vermont went home with more than a bid to the finals after buzzers went off at the America East Conference tournament Sunday, March 7. The Campus Kitchen at the University of Vermont in connection with its community partner, Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf, received the top grant of $25,000 in The Newman's Own Foundation Campus Community Service Challenge.

The Newman's Own Foundation's first-ever Campus Community Service Challenge pitted the nine campuses of the America East Conference against each other in a contest to foster social good. The conference and foundation identified leading, service-focused student groups on campus who were closely affiliated with a nonprofit. The Campus Kitchen at the University of Vermont's community partnership with Chittenden Emergency Food shelf fit the bill.

Leading philanthropy and social activism professionals judged the student groups based on: level of involvement with the affiliated non-profit, degree to which involvement reflects Paul Newman's philanthropic spirit of creativity and commitment, mission and programs of the non-profit, populations served, and the impact the grant would have on those populations.

"The responses from the universities have demonstrated that the cornerstone for philanthropy is already solidly in place at these institutions," Bob Forrester, President of The Newman's Own Foundation, told America East Communications. "In fact, these students represent the next generation of leadership."

The Newman's Own Foundation was on hand, courtside, to present a check to the Campus Kitchen at University of Vermont and Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. The money will go to expanding the Campus Kitchen's nutrition and gleaning programs. Other top recipients were Best Buddies Connecticut working with University of Hartford's Best Buddies chapter ($15,000) and The River Coalition in partnership with University of Maine's Black Bear Mentors ($10,000.)

Challenges like this one led by Newman's Own Foundation encourages students and solidifies our philanthropic drive," said Liz Schindler, coordinator of The Campus Kitchen at University of Vermont. "Not only will we give back today, but we are inspired to give back after graduation."