Clark Dining Services is pleased to announce our renewed partnership with Freshpoint of Connecticut. Freshpoint is well known for it's commitment to sustainability, in particular sourcing from local and regional farmers.
Clark Dining Services also partners with Garelick Farm's, Ben and Jerry's, Polar Beverages, Worcester Food Hub, Belens Bakery(a small privately owned El Salvadorian Bakery), Calise Bakery and New England Coffee. We are more than proud of our commitment to growing our partnerships with local vendors.
President Angel, Business Manager Paul Wykes, and previous Clark Dining Services (Sodexo) Director Heather Vaillette signed the Real Food Challenge in 2013, committing Clark Dining to serve 20% 'real' food as measured by expenses by 2020. The commitment was the result of many years effort by a strong group of students, Food Truth. In addition to the Real Food pledge, a Food Systems Working Group under the aegis of the Sustainability Task Force, will work to set food policy for the University. 'Real' is defined by a predetermined calculator organized by the national Real Food movement. As of the most recent data analysis, Clark is at 12%.
The Real Food Challenge is a national movement that works with over 300 colleges and universities across the U. S. to shift $1 billion (20%) of current school food budgets to Real Food sources. The Food Systems Working Group (FSWG) – comprised of students, faculty and staff – is working to shift the products Clark purchases to more Local, Ecologically-Sound, Fair, and Humane sources.
Higgins Cafe and Bistro both serves Fair Trade and Organic coffee choices for its guests. The coffee served at Cougar Cafe is only sustainably sourced, and locally roasted by Acoustic Java here in Worcester.
Our New England location means access to some of the freshest, most delicious and responsibly sourced fish and seafood possible. Our seafood partner Red's Best™ of Boston is committed to only distributing from small, local fishing boats supporting a vital fishing industry and tradition. Much of Clark Dining Services fish is caught just miles from our campus. And with access to over 60 different species daily, we have fully integrated Red's Best™ into our dining program year round serving Red's Best™ regularly. Additionally, Red's Best™ has implemented a simple yet brilliant QR code technology allowing the consumer to know what fish they are eating but who the actual fisherman was who caught their dinner!
Already providing sustainable cardboard and corn-ware take out containers, Dining Services has gone further with Green2Go. No more waste from take-out containers! For only $5, you are provided with a large, reusable container for take out food. Bring the container back and exchange it for a clean one, filled with your favorite take-out! Dining Services will clean and exchange the Reusable container.
The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Clark a coveted National Achievement Award in the Food Recovery Challenge, one of only 9 such awards across the entire US! The Food Recovery Challenge measures efforts to reduce and manage food waste from dining and other functions. Clark Dining contributed for this challenge by composting all food waste from the Higgins Cafeteria.
We are proud to serve 100% cage free shell eggs and liquid eggs in Higgins Cafe & The Bistro. Beginning in 2007, Clark University began purchasing cage free shell eggs and as part of our commitment to sustainable purchasing we successfully worked with Sysco to special order this product which was not an item readily available at the time. Other universities also began purchasing the product allowing Sysco, our distribution partner to make it available in daily stock inventory. We have switched to fully cage-free eggs in our dining locations!
- 90% of our to-go containers at Bistro are compostable
- All paper-ware and drink-ware at Bistro and Cougar Cafe are biodegradable
- Source produce from local and regional farms as much as possible
- Milk is sourced from local dairies that do not treat their cows with artificial hormones
- Current recyclables include cardboard, paper, plastic and cans
- Napkin and flatware dispensers helps the campus reduce excess waste
- All utensils served at Bistro and Cougar Cafe are compostable
WHO WE ARE
Rachel's Table is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to reducing food waste and helping those in need. We collect unserved and unsold prepared and perishable food from various establishments such as restaurants, markets, bakeries, senior centers, and private food donors. This excess food, which would otherwise be wasted, is then distributed to 30 shelters, soup kitchens, and neighborhood pantries that serve individuals facing food insecurity. Rachel's Table relies on the efforts of over 70 volunteers who use their own vehicles to transport the donated food. The organization operates in Greater Worcester and aims to feed the hungry while preventing valuable and nourishing food from going to waste.