Campus Ministry introduced “Operation Clean Plate” to their Hunger Awareness program, hoping to reduce the amount of food being wasted daily in Montgoris Dining Hall.

It is a joint venture between Campus Ministry and Chartwells.

“Operation Clean Plate is a simple way for students to take part in reducing hunger in the country by eating only what they can manage,” said Widian Nicola, resident campus minister for Social Justice.

The food is transported to the homeless on the Midnight Runs, an activity sponsored by Campus Ministry.

“Apart from trying not to waste food we also need help on our Midnight Runs to transport food as we still don’t have enough people to help packing the food and enough vehicles to take them to
the location,” Nicola said.

“We need students and faculty to get involved as this program will only work with their help.”

Chartwells took their generosity further when they offered to help in the transportation of the food items to the various Midnight Run stops.

“They also offered to help us box the leftovers and with the transportation of the food especially the hot liquids,” Nicola said.

“The aim of Operation Clean Plate is to start with the dry foods such as bagels, muffins, pizzas and others.

According to Nicola not many students get the time to take part in making a difference of one less hungry person.

“Students will be able to serve their domestic community as not many can make an international change but they can start locally,” she said.

Students are confident this project will work.

“This idea is great as we can start with the small changes and we will have big impacts”, said Mary Zielinski a sophomore.

Freshman Daan Chen also has faith in Operation Clean Plate and said this could be good for the hungry.

“I usually see a lot of food being wasted so this is definitely a good thing,” she said.

In hope of students taking part in Operation Clean Plate they have posted signs throughout the dining hall,
“We want these signs to serve as little hints so the reality of hunger will get embedded in their minds forcing them
to help,” Nicola said.