Food reconnection

ASU seeks to ensure the ASU community is connected with the need for food equity, access and sustainable food choices, such as plant-forward, organic and Fair Trade certified options. Starting with Sun Devil Hospitality and incorporated across the enterprise, ASU offers many programs and tools to achieve food system sustainability.

Commitments

• Earn and retain at least 50% of the points in the food-and dining-related credits of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Sustainability Tracking and Rating System by fiscal year 2020.
  • Update: In FY 2023, ASU achieved 3.51 out of 8 available points, earning 43.9% of the food and dining-related points.
• Alleviate food insecurity among ASU community members.
  • Update: In-Progress
    • Activities supporting this goal:
      • The Garden Commons free farmstand at the ASU Polytechnic Campus donates fresh, seasonal produce to students.
      • Student Advocacy offers a basic needs resource page to include food security programs offered in the community and on campus. Visit the EOSS Resource Hub website for more information.
      • The Pitchfork Pantry is a student-operated service for students at the Downtown and Tempe campuses, with pop-up pantries at the West and Polytechnic campuses. Provide local, organic gardening opportunities to all university community members by fiscal year 2021.
• Provide local, organic gardening opportunities to all university community members.
  • Update: In-progress.
    • Activities supporting this goal:
      • Adelphi Garden (Tempe campus): Student-run community garden is located on Tempe campus in the Adelphi Residential Complex supported by the School of Sustainably and Residential Life. 
      • Campus Harvest (Tempe and Polytechnic Campuses): There are two main harvests on campus, sour oranges in January-March, and dates in September-November. ASU's Polytechnic Campus is home to the largest date palm collection of any public garden in the nation with more than 40 date palm varieties. Volunteer opportunities are available in October to assist harvesting dates which are then sold to the public.
      • Cultivate Garden Club (Downtown campus): Cultivate Garden Club serves the downtown campus by volunteering their time to work at various local community gardens and tends 3 raised planter beds on campus.
      • Garden Commons (Polytechnic campus): This campus urban garden supports the Food Reconnection Goal by providing hands-on learning and community connection. It features growing beds, vertical planters, a citrus orchard and a composting area.