submitted by truem@augsburg.edu
Augsburg Campus Kitchen wins National Napalitos award!
Nopalitos are the flat stems or paddles of the prickly pear cactus, and were the most unfamiliar ingredient that a Campus Kitchen has ever received and used successfully. This award goes to the Campus Kitchen leader who never faltered in the face of adversity and instead rose to every challenge and took every difficulty in stride.
“We never cease to be amazed by the hard work and creativity that Campus Kitchen leaders invest in their work. Last month at the Augsburg Campus Kitchen, the College’s main dining hall kitchen–where the students prepare meals–had a small fire. As a result, they did not receive food donations, nor did they have space on campus to cook. They called on their connections in the neighborhood and reached out to other campuses, and were able to get food donated once per week from a neighboring university, and use the kitchen at one of their client agencies. The shift leaders and volunteers did an incredible job getting food safely to the new cooking space, and turning it into delicious meals so that their service to their clients could go on. Through the process, they even made new partnerships for food sourcing that they plan to continue after they return to their regular routine. At a time when it would have been easy to give up, they overcame an unexpected difficulty with grace and a focus on providing uninterrupted service to those who depend on them.”