| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 60.21 |
| Liaison | Feletia Lee |
| Submission Date | June 28, 2024 |
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
EN-10: Community Partnerships
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Feletia
Lee Chief Sustainability Officer Office of Sustainability |
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability :
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? :
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe?:
Which of the following best describes the partnership?:
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? :
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability:
Feast Down East began its journey in 2006 as the Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Program (SENCFSP), a UNCW-affiliated economic development project. Founded by Leslie Hossfeld, former Chair and Professor of Sociology at UNCW, and Rev. Mac Legerton, Executive Director of the Center for Community Action in Lumberton, SENCFSP was a grassroots initiative born in response to massive job loss and high poverty in Southeastern North Carolina, the state's most ethnically diverse area and one of three major regions of persistent poverty.
From the outset, our goal was to promote economic and community development through a healthy, accessible, local food system. In 2010, SENCFSP took a significant step forward by establishing itself as the nonprofit organization we now know as Feast Down East.
Today, we're proud to continue our work in this region, nurturing an extensive network of partnerships with public and private institutions and agencies. Our programs are designed to support farm businesses, distribute local produce, increase consumer access to local foods, and educate the public on the importance of buying locally sourced food.
Feast Down East has always been, and remains, firmly committed to our mission: supporting economic growth in Southeastern North Carolina through the cultivation of a vibrant local food system.
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (2nd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership’s sustainability focus? (2nd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (2nd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (2nd partnership):
The Office of Sustainability works closely with New Hanover County Environmental Management on waste diversion. Our recycling program has a public depot that targets items that are difficult to recycle, such as film and foam. We partner in grants when possible. The compost program for the county began as a grant partnership, with UNCW being the feedstock for the county program.
Name of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
Does the institution provide financial or material support for the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership timeframe? (3rd partnership):
Which of the following best describes the partnership? (3rd partnership):
Are underrepresented groups and/or vulnerable populations engaged as equal partners? (3rd partnership):
A brief description of the institution’s formal community partnership to advance sustainability (3rd partnership):
In 2023, the Office of Sustainability partnered with the Azalea Festival Garden Party organizers to provide a zero-waste event. This party is the highlight of the Azalea Festival. With over 500 attendees, the organizers worked with vendors to curtail waste and ensure that items brought into the party could be recycled or composted. Our office's peer educators, eight in total, worked waste stations to help reduce contamination and educate party-goers about why we were there.
We continued our partnership this year. Feletia Lee, the Chief Sustainability Officer, chaired the sustainability committee and increased our commitment. We had 20 peer educators and community volunteers work the event this year to great success. Of the 2.88 tons of waste generated at the event, .97 was compost, 1.37 was recycling, and .54 was landfill. 81% of the waste generated at the event was diverted from the landfill!
A brief description of the institution’s other community partnerships to advance sustainability:
UNCW provides advice and professional expertise to various non-profits and organizations. The Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations (QENO) department helps strengthen nonprofits in southeastern North Carolina through leadership & organizational development and providing connections to UNCW faculty and students.
Website URL where information about the institution’s community partnerships to advance sustainability is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.