Rollins College has a contract with catering company Sodexo. Last year I investigated Sodexo after learning of their reluctancy to work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to increase the cost of tomatoes by just a penny which would benefit hundreds of workers.
What I learned was more disturbing. Within the past few years, Sodexo released a report through Rollins stating that 12% of their annual budget goes to local food. After interviewing the Sodexo Director at Rollins, my team and I learned that in fact 0% of the budget is used for local food, and not just local food, fresh food. Sodexo at Rollins gets all their food through Sysco, which comes in shipments...frozen, processed shipments.
Disgusted, I did my best to bring healthier and more humane options to Rollins. For example, I worked with Joe, the owner of a raw vegan restaurant called Cafe 118 to put an R-Card machine in his shop so students could use their meal plan or flex account to eat healthy food. Joe was all on board. Rollins was not. Furthermore I suggested the same transaction between Rollins and Homegrown, central Florida's Co-Op. Again, no cooperation. Instead, students have the privelege of a 10-15% discount at select Winter Park restaurants on select days.
If you're like me, you're tired of the salty, greasy, deep fried, frozen food offered at Rollins. But, if you're really like me, you're ready to fight.
This Fall, I am coming back to campus with a full plan to get Sodexo off of campus, or at least make healthier options available to students without extra out-of-pocket cost.
Please, sign this petition to show your support of student activism, local organic food and healthy lifestyles.
Thank you.