EVANSTON, Ill. --- Northwestern University's Campus Kitchen (CKNU) now includes day-old wraps, paninis, sandwiches and salads from Pret A Manger in the meals it delivers thrice weekly to Evanston residents in need.
The popular London-based sandwich shop mandates that all of its U.S. locations donate leftovers. After arriving in Evanston in January, it reached out to CKNU.
It’s a win for all involved, said Katie Darin, coordinator of CKNU. The Campus Kitchens Project has chapters across the country that redistribute unused food from dining halls to local communities.
“We utilize the sandwiches in the lunches we pack for organizations around Evanston, as well as for some of the meals for our individual clients,” Darin said. “Before Pret, we gave out a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Now we are able to save costs and time, and our clients receive a high-quality product.”
CKNU makes deliveries to individuals, families, community organizations and congregations. Since its inception in 2003, CKNU has produced more than 365,000 meals.
CKNU is in the early stages of working on additional partnerships with other grocery stores and restaurants around Evanston.
