University of Detroit Mercy rebranding the Campus Kitchen to better reflect mission

As part of the Institute for Leadership & Service at the University of Detroit Mercy, the Titan Equity Nourish Network (TENN) works to bring food security to communities around Detroit with an emphasis on eliminating waste, increasing sustainability, and addressing systemic problems. TENN commemorated ten years of service by changing its name from Campus Kitchen to Titan Equity Nourish Network, a rebranding strategy meant to clearly convey the mission of the organization, which goes beyond delivering food to those in need.

TENN operates four separate committees, each with a different focus related to its mission, "To develop student leaders through thoughtful engagement with community-led initiatives that promote a more equitable and sustainable food system." The four committees are Urban Agriculture, Food Recovery Network, Healthy Neighborhoods, and Sustainability. University of Detroit Mercy students are encouraged to sign up for volunteer opportunities through projects carried out by the committees. 

In a news release published to announce the name change, the history and the impact of TENN is explored. Since 2011, TENN has donated over 92,000 pounds of food to a variety of community groups in the Detroit area. Administrators at TENN spoke about the scope of the work done and why they felt the name change was needed. Grace Gamble, TENN's program manager noted, "Campus Kitchen associated us specifically with reducing hunger and recovering food. But TENN provides more space for us to work within efforts in sustainability and urban agriculture, in addition to food recovery and food insecurity."

TENN's community service has proven critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 alone, TENN donated 31,540 pounds of food, much of which was provided to households through Princeton Street Block Club and Developing Despite Distance, local organizations that delivered food weekly to 56 families. K'leigh Olsen, social work major and TENN volunteer, talked about how it felt to deliver food to people in need, "Seeing their faces when they realize that we came by makes it all worth it."

Gamble also addressed the ongoing mission of TENN to go beyond food distribution and empower communities, saying, "While interventions in Detroit are in place to drastically reduce food insecurity, I think that there will always be space for student and community collaboration to create sustainable solutions within the food system. We are also working to engage more in food sovereignty, which gives communities the voice to determine how each part of the food system functions in their locality, from production to access, to consumption to waste."

For student volunteers, TENN provides a path to food security in Detroit. As sophomore Makalah McDougal put it, "To me, TENN is hope for the future of our food system. I hope that we can continue to work with the community to meet their needs and build our relationship with them. I also hope we will be an active part in creating a more food-sovereign Detroit."