Hi Noah,
This fall marks our return to organizing for food justice on college campuses nationwide. Although our organizing was significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and our staff had to navigate a difficult period of organizational restructuring, the 2024-2025 academic year showed us that there is still an unwavering energy held by students, staff and dining professionals to direct the wealth of universities away from corporate food contracts and towards regional, under-served producers. We are excited to channel last year’s lessons into expanding our reach and impact this school year!
Enjoy these last sweet & sweaty moments of summer!
The RFC Team
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Real Food Calculator Learning Sessions
We introduced our updated Real Food Standards and a new Real Food Calculator on our National Relaunch Call in May! We are now hosting a number of Learning Sessions for students, staff, and partners who wish to run our calculator on their campus. These learning sessions will take place once a month for the remainder of the calendar year. These are open to any interested student. Join us!
We’re Hiring Student Fellows!
Are you passionate about building student power and transforming food systems on your campus? The RFC Campus Organizer Fellowship is a leadership development opportunity for students ready to take action for food justice through campus organizing.
As a Campus Organizing Fellow, you’ll be part of a national network of student leaders driving real change in university food policy and procurement. This position emphasizes organizing, coalition-building, and community engagement. You’ll gain hands-on experience in mobilizing your fellow students, navigating institutional power, and shifting narratives— all while being supported through training, mentorship, and collaboration with the RFC team. Apply today!
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Summer Gathering Recap
We brought 20 students from across California and the East Coast together for three days of training and community building in June! We provided training on the intersections of food justice and climate justice, how to base-build with students and allies, how to audit a school’s procurement practices, how to take direct action when university leadership ignores student demands, and how to get media attention for their campaign efforts. We hosted guests from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Miami Fair Food Project to discuss collaborative efforts students can take to support farm workers’ rights.
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Student Spotlight
This summer, the Real Food Challenge worked with UC Procurement Fellow Sam Rosten to push forward sustainable and just food purchasing across the University of California system. Sam is researching and engaging UC administrators, faculty, and staff to assess how sustainability standards are understood and applied across campuses and at the UC Office of the President.
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Sam is helping administrators recognize that the Real Food Standards provide the most comprehensive and ethical framework for defining sustainable food purchasing. Sam is also demonstrating how the Real Food Calculator is the most effective tool to streamline UC’s food purchasing reporting requirements, ensuring consistency and accountability across the system. Through interviews, policy mapping, and analysis, the Fellowship is surfacing opportunities and timelines for stronger standards adoption—equipping UC leaders with actionable insights to align institutional food purchasing with Real Food values.
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