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When a group of graduate students in SEAS (formerly SNRE) began research to start a campus farm in 2011, they learned that there were already many ideas, events, and organization promoting sustainable food on campus. The University of Michigan Sustainable Food Program (UMSFP) started as an initiative to unite these disparate student efforts under a common umbrella.
Today, UMSFP fosters collaborative leadership that empowers students to create a sustainable food system at the University of Michigan while becoming change agents for a vibrant planet. Student Member groups of UMSFP include:
Ann Arbor Student Food Co.
The Ann Arbor Student Food Co. hopes to bring healthy wholesome food to the University of Michigan community and promote discussion and food education. For more information, please email studentfoodco@umich.edu or check out their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Cultivating Community
Cultivating Community exists to empower and educate University of Michigan students to become leaders in the area of community food systems through hands-on organic gardening, community outreach, and volunteer activities. This garden is managed by the University of Michigan Campus Farm and the UM Sustainable Food Program. For more information, please email mbgna.cc@umich.edu or check out the Cultivating Community Blog or Tumblr.
Feel Good
There is no way to feel good about world hunger and extreme poverty, so we are making a change to stop it… one grilled cheese at a time. We are a student-run non-profit organization exchanging gourmet grilled cheese for a donation to The Commitment 2030 Fund– a portfolio of four organizations working to sustainably end chronic hunger by the year 2030.These organizations include The Hunger Project, CHOICE Humanitarian, Water for People, and The Pachamama Alliance.
Food Industry Student Association
FISA, the Food Industry Student Association is UofM’s first and only food industry career oriented organization. Together with the help of it’s rapidly growing list of corporate partners, FISA aims to educate students about the career opportunities the food industry has available to students. To learn more, email us at fisa.officers@umich.edu or visit our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FISAclub.
Food Recovery Network
The Food Recovery Network’s goal is to recover leftover food from University of Michigan dining halls, divert it from the waste stream to Food Gatherers, the Washtenaw County food bank, where it can be served to those who need it most. See how many pounds have been recovered to date, here. To volunteer or for more information, please email frnatmichigan@gmail.com, or check out FRN on Twitter.
Friends of the Campus Farm
FCF empowers students to create a healthy future through sustainable food education and practice at the newly established campus farm and more broadly by working with the UM Sustainable Food Program. To learn more about what we’re doing send an email to farm.core@umich.edu or join our listserve on MCommunity.
MANNRS
Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) is a national organization with chapters around the country that welcomes people of all backgrounds in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences focused fields. As a MANRRS undergraduate or graduate member, you will learn valuable career building and networking skills through community service opportunities, skill-building workshops, and conference participation.
New World Agriculture and Ecology Group (NWAEG)
NWAEG is made up of faculty and students from various departments who share an interest in agroecological, political, and economic issues of importance in the western hemisphere, although issues of global interest are occasionally dealt with. Meetings are held once a week and feature presentations and/or discussion of readings, followed by a social hour. Other activities that the group engages in typically focus on education and outreach, and range from writing letters to journals and newspapers, to designing and teaching a minicourse on a topic not addressed by existing courses.
Read more: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Discussion Groups
Medical Campus Garden
The Medical Campus Garden group is student led organization focused on fostering collaboration amongst students, faculty, staff and patients affiliated with the University of Michigan Health System through the lens of growing food. We believe the culture of nutritious eating, local, sustainable food and outdoor engagement is fundamental to health maintenance and hope to establish a paradigm in our clinical care setting that promotes these preventive measures for the public. Additionally, there is a medicinal garden at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens you can read about here.
Student Advocates for Nutrition – (SAN)
SAN (Student Advocates for Nutrition) is a campus-wide organization concerned with healthy eating and nutrition, sustainable food systems, and community nutrition. Activities include volunteering with local organizations, potlucks, advocacy work, and tending SAN’s community garden.To learn more, email president.san.um@gmail.com or follow their Facebook page here.
Maize and Blue Cupboard
Maize and Blue Cupboard, a student-run food pantry, offers monthly distributions of free produce and basic groceries out of Trotter Multi-Cultural Center. Learn how you can get involved and/or get assistance via the cupboard here.
UM Permaculture Design Team
PDT is a service learning organization with a focus on educating one and other on permaculture methodology and problem solving using complex systems thinking.If you are interested in joining the PDT please e-mail PermacultureDesignTeam@umich or check out Permaculture Design Team on Facebook or on their organization website!
UM Bees
The goal of this group is to promote, protect, and propagate honeybees! Beekeepers and newBees of all experience levels are welcome to join our group. There are plenty of important roles in our colony. If you want to learn more about what UMBees is up to, send an email with all of your questions to umichbeekeeping@gmail.com or check out UMBees on Facebook!
