UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Developed by the Meals Selections Analysis Laboratory within the Penn State College of Hospitality Administration, the Free Meals Map identifies areas all through Centre County and throughout Pennsylvania that supply free meals to these in want. The Free Meals Map is now accessible to the Penn State neighborhood on the Penn State Go app.
Customers can discover the Free Meals Map on the Penn State Go app by first choosing the “College Park” app expertise, then “Wellness” and eventually “Free Meals Sources.”
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“The aim of this initiative is to extend entry to info that may reduce meals insecurity, meals inaccessibility and stigmas surrounding starvation,” mentioned Amit Sharma, professor of hospitality administration and director of the Meals Selections Analysis Laboratory. “This includes college students conducting analysis into neighborhood organizations that present free meals and discovering optimum approaches to current this info to these in want.”
With the Free Meals Map, customers can discover free meals distribution websites of their space. After choosing a location, customers can uncover the positioning’s title or affiliate group, deal with, distribution hours, meals distribution eligibility necessities and make contact with info.
“Our group has been engaged on the map since 2022, together with a world collaboration with a crew of scholars in France,” Sharma mentioned. “College students are repeatedly increasing the map to cowl extra elements of Pennsylvania and creating outreach methods to extra extensively share this info throughout the state. We’re additionally working to finally broaden this initiative to incorporate neighboring states.”
The Meals Selections Analysis Laboratory is dedicated to conducting empirical analysis in behavioral financial evaluation and evaluating the prices and advantages of selections related to meals away from residence and meals service environments.
The lab creates managed experiments involving choices and modifying “actual environments” the place selections are made. Experiments are targeted on people, whether or not they’re customers or meals service provide chain workers. Undergraduate and graduate college students help the lab’s analysis efforts.
The Free Meals Map is an ongoing venture developed in partnership with the YMCA of Centre County. Suggestions and feedback could be emailed to Kimberly Impellitteri, analysis and instructing labs coordinator within the Penn State College of Hospitality Administration.
Concerning the Penn State College of Hospitality Administration
Established in 1937, the Penn State College of Hospitality Administration is likely one of the nation’s oldest and most revered faculties of hospitality administration. Its top-ranked undergraduate and doctoral packages put together world leaders with a rigorous, various curriculum targeted, since its inception, on engaged scholarship, that includes partnerships with Penn State’s Hospitality Providers, Housing and Meals Providers, and prime world hospitality manufacturers. It’s also residence to the oldest Penn State alumni program group, the Penn State Lodge and Restaurant Society. New to the varsity’s portfolio is an revolutionary and targeted Grasp of Skilled Research in Hospitality Administration graduate diploma program.
About Penn State College of Hospitality Administration
Established in 1937 Penn State’s College of Hospitality Administration is likely one of the nation’s oldest and most revered. Its top-ranked undergraduate and doctoral packages put together world leaders with a rigorous, various curriculum targeted, since its inception, on engaged scholarship, that includes partnerships with Penn State’s Hospitality Providers, Housing and Meals Providers, and prime world hospitality manufacturers. It is also residence to the oldest Penn State alumni program group, The Penn State Lodge and Restaurant Society.
Ben Jellison
Director of Business and Alumni Relations
814-865-6728
Penn State College of Hospitality Administration
