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Despite a vast majority of students returning to their homes for the remainder of the academic calendar, many universities are still serving a small number of students for whom traveling home isn't an option. Vanderbilt University is one such campus, and Vandy Campus Dining has established a care package service for its remaining on-campus residents to help them during the pandemic shutdown.
According to an official university release, there is a small group of undergraduate students who are still living on campus, and Vanderbilt Campus Dining is committed to its mission of maintaining a supportive and welcoming campus environment by providing some of the necessities to these students.
Vanderbilt's Campus Dining team is distributing care packages to all on-campus residential students who visit the university's Rand Dining Center.
“This is a challenging time for our on-campus students, and we look forward to a time when we can share a meal together in our dining halls once again," says Sean Carroll, director of marketing and communication for Vanderbilt People and Business Services. "Hopefully these care packages can help lift spirits."
The care package initiative was formulated and is being spearheaded by the Campus Dining Markets team. Each care package contains some of the comforts of home including toiletries, snacks and various dorm essentials.
Also in response to COVID-19, Vanderbilt Campus Dining has recognized that students aren't the only ones in need of a lift during the pandemic. Vandy dining has reconfigured its operations to also serve essential campus staff, residential faculty, Vanderbilt Child and Family Center students, and the first responders of Vanderbilt University Public Safety.
Vandy Campus Dining chefs are now preparing three meals per day, served grab-and-go style, from its Rand Hall location. The grab-and-go meals are available via a new SMS text message-based online ordering platform for delivery.
The meal prep and delivery operation is staffed entirely by rotating shifts consisting of Campus Dining management. The initiative is currently producing around 700 meals daily and is operating seven days per week.
