With the understanding that hunger on college campuses is a serious and preventable problem, the Food Justice Project serves members of the UC Berkeley community who have been denied CalFresh benefits. Members will assist individuals in navigating the appeals process by providing direct client services in an intake interview system. As an organization that understands that food insecurity can be a sensitive issue, we are committed to training our members on how to serve clients using a trauma-informed model. We partner closely with the Basic Needs Center on campus and work together to provide resources to students who need help obtaining benefits.
In addition to direct services, the Food Justice Project will also be focusing on several research projects on the topic of access to benefits for college students. Members will also have a chance to draft legal research memos on issues related to food justice. The Food Justice Project is committed to educating its members about a range of issues within food justice and how it relates to economic, environmental, and racial justice.
The Food Justice Project continues to grow and evolve based on the needs of the UC Berkeley community, our collaboration with the Basic Needs Center, and the interests of our members. We are looking forward to partnering with new members to explore additional ways of helping students and others in the UC Berkeley community gain access to the resources they need.
Supervision: Students in FJP provide legal services under the supervision of attorneys at Bay Area Legal Aid.
Time Commitment: 13-18 hours a semester, which includes trainings, meetings, and clinic hours. Meetings and drop-in clinic hours which will occur four times a semester. FJP is flexible with member time commitment, so the actual total hours will depend on the availability of each member.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at foodjustice@berkeley.edu and visit http://foodjusticeberkeleylaw.com/.