About Us

Emporia At the Table: Ending Hunger in our Community, or the EAT Initiative, is a collaborative and interdisciplinary effort to combat food insecurity at Emporia State University and in the greater Emporia community. Food insecurity generally refers to a lack of consistent access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. Food insecurity is not just a technical problem, but rather is an adaptive challenge – a difficult issue with no one simple or easy solution. As such, it represents an opportunity to cultivate and enhance students’ adaptive leadership skills, a key component of ESU’s mission, while also making an impact for the common good. This initiative was founded in fall 2019, supported by a high-impact learning grant from ESU. Learn more about our team.

The EAT initiative includes:

• Education: We bring conversations around food insecurity into our classrooms using high-impact learning practices. Examples include multiple classes across the university adopting food insecurity as a theme for fall 2019.
• Research: We support and conduct ongoing research to increase knowledge about food insecurity. Students have opportunities to work alongside faculty members to conduct research. Examples include students and faculty members conducting qualitative and participatory research about food insecurity.
• Action: We help facilitate dialogue among various community and campus stakeholders to identify solutions and take action to end hunger on our campus and in our community. Examples include organizing a community action workshop, hosting exhibits to reduce stigma about food insecurity, and sponsoring speakers and documentary showings.