Genuine Foods Expands Community College Partnerships in California?

Genuine Foods is thrilled to announce our newest higher education partnership with Long Beach City College (LBCC) in Long Beach, California. This partnership marks the expansion of Genuine Foods to its 13th state!?

Our Partnership with LBCC?

In our new partnership with Long Beach City College, we will work together to develop customized programs that fit their individual needs and goals and provide students, faculty, and staff with access to fresh, nutritious meals.?

Long Beach City College is one of the largest community colleges in California with a robust list of economic and workforce development programs. LBCC offers a wide range of courses that can assist businesses in enhancing their workers’ skills, ensuring that they remain competitive in today’s evolving market. LBCC also hosts the Los Angeles Regional Small Business Development Centers Network and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program where entrepreneurs can receive free consulting and assistance to capital.??

Genuine Foods’ skilled culinarians are excited to collaborate with Long Beach City College to create customized, culturally relevant menus that celebrate their campus communities and diverse student populations. We also support their local communities by sourcing ingredients from local farmers and small businesses.?

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Why We’re Excited to Partner with Community Colleges?

We love to serve those who serve others, and we know that community colleges are vital to their communities.?

Community colleges provide affordable, accessible, and flexible higher education coursework and hands-on vocational training. This makes them a great option for students of all ages, especially adult learners and economically disadvangated or first generation college students. Community colleges offer creative and inventive degrees and certifications to prepare the workforce of the future.?

Santa Fe Community College, a partner of Genuine Foods, offers courses in controlled environment agriculture to help students learn about modern and sustainable farming practices. Chemeketa Community College, another Genuine Foods partner located in Salem, OR, prepares students for in-demand careers in welding, machining, and robotics. ?

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Community Colleges and the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Community colleges have helped revitalize their local economies post-pandemic by training students for high-demand jobs. The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased industry demands and a changing economy. Community colleges providing affordable, accessible education and workforce training programs help fill jobs in critical industries such as healthcare and education.?

Lastly, community colleges think holistically about setting students up for success. Many community colleges offer students and their families wrap around supports including financial assistance, food supports, and mental health counseling services.?

Genuine Foods + Higher Education = Innovation?

Genuine Foods is focused on reimagining the campus dining experience. Our goal is to provide students with diverse, high-quality food options at affordable prices. However, our purpose goes beyond the plate.?

We’re flexing our creativity to create custom, culturally relevant menus and design unique dining concepts. Imagine: no more boring dining halls! Instead, we’re creating premium dining experiences and gimmick-free innovation that improves the student experience. All while maintaining our promise to provide high-quality, local, minimally processed ingredients.?

Genuine Foods works together with higher education institutions to give students genuinely great food on campus, like organic, fair trade coffee at Genuine Joe or fresh, local produce at the Genuine Greens salad bar. We also innovate the way students get their food with micro markets, tuk trucks, and smart vending machines.?

But the good doesn’t stop there. We’re working hard to ensure that good food is accessible to all students. Campus food insecurity is on the rise. According to Move For Hunger, about 30% of students at four-year universities and 29% at community colleges reported experiencing food insecurity.?

Part of our mission in working with higher education institutions is to support students who struggle with food insecurity and ensure they have what they need to stay in school and get that degree, whether that be through partnering with the CalFresh program, supporting campus food pantries, or utilizing an SMS system that alerts students to free take-home food opportunities after catering events. One of our newest innovations includes an on-campus delivery service, where students work to deliver food and get free meals in exchange for drop-offs.?

Genuine Foods is committed to collaborating with higher education organizations to give every student access to nutritious food so they can continue working hard for their education.??

Interested in learning more about our higher education initiatives? Explore our Genuine Campus Dining and current brand concepts here. If you’re interested in working with us, contact a member of the Genuine team for a consultation.?

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“Our purpose is to improve the lives and livelihoods of people and communities so that even their most vulnerable members can flourish.”?

— Jeff Mills, founder and CEO?

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Let’s work together! Visit our website to learn more about Genuine Foods, and send us a message to see how good food can do good for your organization.?

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#communitycollegedining #goingbeyondtheplate #genuinefoods #LBCC??