{"691273":{"#nid":"691273","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Green Forks Transforms Surplus Food Into Campus Support ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat started as concern about food waste has grown into a campuswide effort to help food-insecure Georgia Tech students while keeping thousands of meals out of the waste stream. Since launching in 2024, Green Forks has transformed surplus food from catered events into a valuable resource for students in need.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGreen Forks was founded by Renee Alnoubani, CE 2025, who is currently pursuing a master\u0027s in city and regional planning, and Ivy Xue, Neuroscience 2023, with support from Danielle Ismirle Dunigan of Tech Dining, Steven Fazenbaker of Student Life, and Steve Place of the Office of Sustainability, after students raised concerns about the amount of food being discarded after campus events. Recognizing an opportunity to address both food waste and food insecurity, the founding team partnered with Klemis Kitchen to develop a simple, scalable solution that directs surplus food to students who can benefit from it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe process is straightforward. When a catered event ends with surplus food, the event coordinator or catering team submits a brief form. Students registered through Klemis Kitchen receive notifications when food is available, allowing them to pick up meals during a designated collection period. The model is designed to align with food safety requirements while minimizing additional work for event organizers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDirector of Dining Services Danielle Ismirle Dunigan said, \u201cThe students who proposed the idea were passionate about helping divert the many leftovers after catering events. Green Forks is basically a communication tool, and it has effectively diverted food waste while feeding hungry Yellow Jackets. Each Green Forks alert makes my day, knowing we are making a difference in many ways.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn just two years, Green Forks has made a significant impact across campus. The program has supported \u003Cstrong\u003E526 events\u003C\/strong\u003E and provided an estimated \u003Cstrong\u003E4,750 meals\u003C\/strong\u003E to students. These numbers represent thousands of opportunities for students experiencing food insecurity to access nutritious food that otherwise may have been discarded.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudent Life Program Director Steve Fazenbaker added, \u0022The idea that drives my work is that everything a student needs to thrive and flourish at Georgia Tech can be found somewhere at Georgia Tech. Green Forks brings that idea to life in a powerful way. Through Green Forks, students are made aware almost daily of the abundance of food on campus, and they are reminded that they never need to miss a meal.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the numbers, students say the program has provided both practical support and a sense of community. One student said that Green Forks helped them \u0022worry less about paying for food and living costs,\u0022 while another described the program as a reminder of the generosity and care that exists across the Georgia Tech community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESteve Place, campus sustainability project manager for the Office of Sustainability, said, \u0022Green Forks is the perfect example of different units working together to meet a common goal. Each partner brought what they do best, and the result was a terrific collaboration that serves campus and makes us incredibly proud.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGreen Forks also advances Georgia Tech\u0027s sustainability goals by reducing food waste. Rather than sending edible leftovers to the landfill, the program diverts food to students who can use it immediately, maximizing the value of meals already prepared for campus events.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program\u0027s success has attracted attention beyond Georgia Tech. Team members have worked with other institutions to share the model, including Missouri State University and North Carolina State University, helping expand the impact of a program that began with a simple student idea.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFaculty and staff can help continue that success by using Green Forks for catered events, allowing extra time for food collection, and submitting surplus food through the program. Every event has the potential to reduce waste, strengthen community, and help ensure that no Georgia Tech student goes hungry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor event coordinators and students who want to participate in and learn more about Green Forks and other temporary assistance programs at Georgia Tech, visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dining.gatech.edu\/greenforks\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGreen Forks webpage\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGreen Forks collaboration reduces waste, supports student well-being, and advances campus sustainability goals.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Green Forks collaboration reduces waste, supports student well-being, and advances campus sustainability goals."}],"uid":"35028","created_gmt":"2026-07-27 19:10:40","changed_gmt":"2026-07-27 19:19:05","author":"cbrim3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680687":{"id":"680687","type":"image","title":"green_forks_2yrs_celebration.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom left to right: Campus Sustainability Project Manager, Office of Sustainability Steve Place; Director, Safety and Facilities for Dining and Retail Danielle Ismirle Dunigan; and Program Director, STAR Steven Fazenbaker at the Green Forks celebration.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1785179481","gmt_created":"2026-07-27 19:11:21","changed":"1785179481","gmt_changed":"2026-07-27 19:11:21","alt":"Image of Green Forks co-founders at the two-year anniversary.","file":{"fid":"264987","name":"green_forks_2yrs_celebration.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/27\/green_forks_2yrs_celebration.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/07\/27\/green_forks_2yrs_celebration.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4607292,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/07\/27\/green_forks_2yrs_celebration.png?itok=omOjtma1"}}},"media_ids":["680687"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"660398","name":"Sustainability Hub"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193873","name":"green forks"},{"id":"168693","name":"campus sustainability"},{"id":"192081","name":"office of sustainability"},{"id":"171884","name":"food insecurity"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECathy Brim\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInfrastructure and Operations | Planning, Design, and Construction | Office of Sustainability\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Cathy.brim@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}