VMI Dining Services Partners with Campus Kitchen

Chef Kevin Dock prepares food for pickup by Campus Kitchen volunteers. – VMI Photo by John Robertson IV.

LEXINGTON, Va., April 27, 2012 – VMI is joining the fight against hunger in the area by partnering with the Campus Kitchen program at Washington and Lee University.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, Campus Kitchen volunteers pick up unused food from the VMI mess hall, allowing food that would have gone to waste to be given to individuals in need.

“The VMI dining service is very committed and proud to assist the local community in whatever way we can,” said Peter Hodgkins, senior director of VMI’s dining services.

Campus Kitchen has been active at W&L since 2006, and VMI dining services has been contributing to the program since 2010. Since the inception of the program at W&L, nearly 100,000 meals have been served, consisting of more than 200,000 pounds of food.

In March alone, VMI donated 50 pans of food to Campus Kitchen. Those pans were filled with items ranging from vegetables to starches to meats.

Campus Kitchen volunteers cooperate with local organizations to get the food to community members.

“When we work with an organization like Habitat [for Humanity], we deliver individual meals to people’s homes,” said Jenny Davidson, coordinator of student service learning at W&L. “For organizations like Rockbridge Area Occupational Center, we bring hot food and serve it up on a buffet line.”

Doing good within both the VMI and the local community is central to the mission of VMI’s dining services.
In addition to the Campus Kitchen program, dining services contributes to the Special Olympics, the Yellow Brick Road Foundation, Relay for Life, local high school sports teams, and year-round wellness programs to benefit the VMI community.

Col. David Hough, director of auxiliary services, used the employee holiday luncheon, which is provided courtesy of dining services, as another example of how dining services is making an impact within the VMI community.

“They are doing a lot of good here,” said Hough. “Before I was in this position, I didn’t realize how many good things they were doing for VMI and the community.” Hough became auxiliary services director in the fall of 2011, after retiring from the U.S. Marine Corps. His final assignment was as commander of VMI’s Naval ROTC unit.

VMI dining services is constantly looking for new ways to improve service offered both to the community and in Crozet Hall.

“It’s a gathering place for the Corps, and it’s important that we make it as good as we can,” said Hough.

–John Robertson IV

–VMI–