Food Day is a nationwide celebration held annually on October 24th. Food Day promotes a movement towards healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Western Oregon University Food Day will be held Thursday, October 22 through Friday, October 23, and will feature movies, workshops, meals, and a vendor and information fair.

Western Oregon University Food Day involves students, faculty, and staff. These three groups collaborate on a volunteer basis for the Food Day committee, planning events and involving local student groups. Participating in this year’s event is Campus Dining, WOU Food Pantry, Campus Garden, Green Team, and Green Wolf Sustainability Club. Not only are several on-campus groups involved, but also local businesses, including Yeasty Beasty, Portland Roasting Co., and Spring Valley Dairy.

Food Day was brought to the university by WOU faculty members Jennifer Bracy, Emily Plec, and Jackson Stalley, though neither remembers exactly who brought it up first. Stalley, who runs the WOU Food Pantry, hopes the event will bring in lots of donations to the pantry for students who struggle with food scarcity. Bracy, who teaches Visual Communication Design, says that “buying local food is incredibly good for the environment, the economy, and your health.”

Four years ago, when WOU first became involved with Food Day, Bracy had her students create an infographic showing the importance of “Real Food.” She uses this infographic to educate Food Day participants. She encourages people to eat real food for health, the environment, and the economy, because it “is one of the most significant things you can do to improve those three areas.”

Check out the schedule of events below to participate in the variety of events Western Oregon University Food Day will be hosting!

 

Western Oregon University Food Day

Schedule of Events

Thursday, October 22nd

Free Movie

5:30pm • “Living On One Dollar” •  Valsetz Dining Hall, Mount Hood Room • In rural Guatemala, four friends battle illness, parasites and hunger as they experiment with living on just $1 a day for eight weeks.

Green “Passport”

5:30pm • Valsetz Dining Hall, Mount Hood Room • Complete activities for “passport” stamps and win great prizes! Learn about buying local & organic, tap vs bottled water, trash/recycling/composting, sustainable pledge on social media, jack-o-lanterns made from milk jugs and illuminated with battery-powered tea lights; complimentary pumpkins given away too!  Hosted by the Green Team

Friday, October 23rd

“Clean” Meal

11am–2pm • Lunch at Valsetz Dining Hall, Food Court • A la carte pricing and fresh, local produce. Meal Plans, Debit/Credit Cards and Cash accepted tenders. Check the Campus Dining Website for menu and pricing.

Pumpkins for People

12pm  • WUC plaza • Give money or non-perishable food in exchange for a pumpkin! Proceeds support the WOU Food Pantry.

Food Day Vendor & Information Fair

12–3pm • WUC 2nd Floor • Vendors, organizations, recipes, activities and demos… Portland Roasting Co., Charlie’s Produce, Spring Valley Dairy, Soda Express, Ecnowtech,Yeasty Beasty, Jamie’s Jams, Jellies and Pickles, the Green Team, and more!

 

For more information about Western Oregon University Food Day, contact Jackson Stalley at 503-838-8894, or visit the Food Day website.

To learn more about eating healthy, affordable, and sustainable food, visit www.foodday.org.