Volunteer-Run Cafeteria creates culinary oasis

The limited cafeteria menu options, restricted hours of operation, and the time it takes to get a meal create challenges for students and staff to get their nutritional needs met while on campus.

Presently, the Friendly Kitchen, a local nonprofit organization, provides UCC’s food services. The organization also prepares and delivers approximately 200 meals a day for Meals on Wheels, a program for senior citizens, homebound individuals and disabled adults. 

“Part of the lease agreement for us is to provide hot food to the campus,” Victoria Webber, the current executive director of the Friendly Kitchen, says. The organization cooks an average of 500 meals for campus per day. 

A lack of volunteers for the organization has led to a streamlined cafeteria menu with limited choices. This poses a challenge for those with specific dietary restrictions who need certain food items to meet their nutritional needs. However, the cafeteria does offer some food items to meet vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free diets including lettuce wraps, vegetarian sausage, vegan breakfast sausage and vegan burger patties. 

Presently, the Friendly Kitchen, a local nonprofit organization, provides UCC’s food services. The organization also prepares and delivers approximately 200 meals a day for Meals on Wheels, a program for senior citizens, homebound individuals and disabled adults. 

“Part of the lease agreement for us is to provide hot food to the campus,” Victoria Webber, the current executive director of the Friendly Kitchen, says. The organization cooks an average of 500 meals for campus per day. 

The volunteer shortage also affects the available operating hours, currently Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Students, particularly those in demanding programs such as nursing, find themselves racing against the clock between classes to get a meal within the limited time they have available. “A lot of students are asking if we can be open later, but we just don’t have the staff,” Stephen Fair-Harrison, the current executive chef of The Friendly Kitchen, says. 

Amid these challenges, The Friendly Kitchen remains a hub of community nourishment, transcending its role as a mere dining space. For Stephen Fair-Harrison, a longstanding member of the kitchen, it’s about more than just food; “You see the same people every day, and it’s more like feeding the community, I’ve fed a lot of these same people since 2010,” Stephen Fair-Harrison, the current executive chef of The Friendly Kitchen, says.

Isaiah Jenks, a welding program student, says, “My favorite thing is the breakfast burritos. I eat here every day, sometimes multiple times a day.” 

The need for additional volunteers is evident. Any students or community members can contribute their time and skills to this invaluable community resource. Anyone who would like to volunteer can contact The Friendly Kitchen or go directly to the cafeteria and speak with the staff about volunteering.

For more articles by Laurel Younis, please click here.