September 25

The mission of Steps to Leaps is to enhance and improve holistic well-being. We are guided in part by the definition of the well-being pillar, which reads:

“Staying healthy in body, brain and spirit is a lifelong journey. Learn strategies to improve your own well-being with steps to security, health and prosperity.”

Staying healthy in body can sometimes be seen as diet and exercise, but there are students and staff who are taking a more foundational approach by providing food for students who are unable to get the food they need.

The Asian American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center, the Latino Cultural Center and the Purdue Native American Educational and Cultural Center are all located on Fifth Street. When you walk past them, you may notice that they look like a typical house with gardens in the backyard and around the house. What began as an effort by agriculture students to plant a small garden has now grown into a well-being program that provides food for students in need.

Linked with the networks pillar, food draws people together to make a space feel like home. Being able to walk into a space that smells like home cooking can evoke a sense of calm and support in many people. We encourage you to take a walk past the cultural centers early in the fall before the growing season halts to see their work.

The cultural centers are also part of the food ecosystem at Purdue, serving as hosts for ACE Campus Food Pantry “pop-up pantries.” ACE, a student organization located in the Baptist Foundation, partners with the cultural centers to provide students who may be experiencing food insecurity with the resources they need to have a positive impact on their well-being. ACE is a standout example of our leadership and impact pillars and works to leverage partnerships with the community as part of its mission. The student organization’s leadership team coordinates all volunteers, resources and access.

As your students seek ways to connect during the fall semester, remind them that the cultural centers are not just a space for education, but for food and social connection as well. You can also contact ACE at acefood@purdue.edu to find out how your organization can support this organization or how a student can gain access to services.

Remember that Steps to Leaps is a broad umbrella and pillar language can be leveraged into your programs. By looking for the Steps to Leaps language in our own work and the work of others, we can recognize potential partnerships and work together to support students.