PCCE- Ithaca College VISTA

Ithaca College¿s (IC) Ithaca Forever Strategic Plan includes the goal to ¿develop cross-sector and community partnerships that address challenging issues, optimize the use of resources and serve the public good.¿ IC sees the joint effort of an Americorps VISTA as an important way to further foster community partnerships, reduce regional poverty and advance sustainable action. The VISTA member will support IC by advancing several key Year 2 initiatives, building off of Year 1 efforts, with the priority project of improving regional food security efforts. Approximately 11.5% of adults in Tompkins County are food insecure ¿ including many on our own campus. At the same time, local schools, businesses and organizations - including IC¿s campus dining and catering - regularly produces food that end up being wasted. Food donation and waste reduction efforts to reduce this disconnect are currently underway but lack the capacity for creating institutional change. Working with the added capacity of a dedicated VISTA member, IC will strive to increase the rate and extent of weekly food collection and expand the avenues of getting that food to those who are food insecure through collaboration with local service agencies. This effort will have the added benefit of helping to reduce campus food waste.