Since the Summer of 2017, the Center for Agroecology has supported UC Santa Cruz “Basic Needs” programs to provide students with basic needs including access to fresh, nutritious, culturally relevant food.
The 10-acre Field site at the campus farm focuses production to provide free and low-cost organic produce to students in need. Produce from the UCSC Farm is donated to the Redwood Free Market and other campus food pantries.
The Center for Agroecology also manages the Produce Pop-Up farm stand that operates twice weekly during the school year and the Cowell Coffee Shop: For the Peoples, a non-transactional student cafe in Cowell College on upper campus. The need-based Cowell Coffee Shop offers snacks, meals, and beverages to students free of charge with no proof of need required.
The Center for Agroecology employs paid student staff to grow, harvest, prepare, and distribute food for their peers, offering wrap-around support and food systems engagement opportunities to students of all majors.
At a University of California system-wide level, Center for Agroecology staff member Tim Galarneau co-chairs the UC Basic Needs Initiative that emerged out of the UC Global Food Initiative (UC GFI website). His efforts include developing system-wide plans and ongoing support for Basic Needs Programs to serve the many UC students facing food and housing insecurity.