Green Panthers is a food accessibility project seeking to promote healthy eating habits amongst university students.

Young adults often have a poor relationship with food. This is especially true for college students, as many do not have access to fresh, quality produce. Even when food is accessible, students in more rigorous programs will not have enough time to nourish themselves properly.

There is a strong connection between the mind, body, and soul. The consumption of nutrient-poor foods has negative (and very obvious) implications on the mental health of humans, especially in high-stress environments. The lack of accessibility to food, or a poor relationship with eating, can destroy the mind just as much as the body.

Green Panthers is an initiative hoping to transform the food culture on campus. There are a notable lack of healthy dining options for students, and many will admit that they would eat better if they were given the opportunity to do so.

The Green Panther goal is to educate students on nutritional science through workshops. The next step would be to start a garden where students can grow their own produce, and provide cooking classes where students can learn how to prepare fresh food. Eventually, we would have an on-campus farmers market in which students could sell fresh produce or products that they have farmed (if they choose to do so). The farmers market would provide reasonably priced food to those in need of it. There is no better way to foster a sense of community on campus than to nourish those who need it the most.