Innovation

Nicholls Dining (Sodexo) created Cast Your Chips for Community Donation Project to help put an end to hunger and promote awareness of our local non-profit organizations to the students. During the spring semester, each time a student or faculty member makes a purchase, they are given a wooden "chip". This allows them to cast a vote, determining which non-profit organization would receive the donation. There are usually about three different local organizations for students to choose from. Nicholls Dining puts up the organizations' logo and a brief summary about them just in case a student is unaware of the charities and would like to know more. Within those three choices, Sodexo Stop Hunger will always be apart of them.

During the fall semester, the staff in the Grid keeps a tally of the donation chips and at the end of the semester, they count to see which charity had the most chips and then the winner is chosen. The three boxes are located on the right side of the entrance door for the students to drop the chips off as they leave. Although Sodexo has about 13,000 sites, Nicholls Dining is the first to begin this project. Something else that's great about this program is that usually by the end of the semester, a lot of students tend to waste their "munch" money. "Munch" money is a part of our meal plan which we pay for at the beginning of the semester. So to put an end to wasting, they urge the students to go to The Grid and buy non-perishable items to donate. This way the students not only get to cast their chips but also donate actual items to these organizations. Students at Nicholls State University play a huge part in the program. None of the charities are aware of the donation beforehand. It's mostly a surprise for them when they are announced to be the winner. Seeing how happy and grateful the charities make it all the more worthwhile for Nicholls Dining.

Inspiration

When The Grid Space first opened up, they wanted it to feel more like a community store and not so much of a convenience store. The staff treats students as part of the family to help give them the feel of "home" away from home. The Grid was actually a collaboration between Sodexo and Nicholls State. This helped to spark the idea of "Cash Your Chips". Nicholls Dining (Sodexo) wanted to be apart of not only the school but a part of the whole Thibodaux community. "As members of the communities we serve, we want to see them thrive. We are committed to fighting hunger in our communities, supporting local community development and purchasing fairly traded products," Russell Barrios, Nicholls Dining General Manager. The three local charities that won over the past three years were "Casa for Lafourche", "Hope for Animals", and "Good Samaritan Food Bank". These charities are locally known and their missions are to help the local communities survive. Nicholls Dining hopes that Sodexo as a whole will want to be apart of this movement as the years come.

Overall impact

The overall impact is very admirable and positive.

• Impact on the community: As every year comes and goes, less fortunate people and animals are able to get the supplies, shelters, and food they need to survive. Children who may be neglected or abused would be given better homes. Animals found on the street will have the care, food, and shelter they need to survive.

• Impact on Nicholls Students: Students get to become aware and gain knowledge of the local non-profit organizations. They get the opportunity to feel what it's like to do something great for others. It could also make them change their outlook on those who are less fortunate. It may give them a desire to get a career that is based solely on saving and helping people and/or animals.

• Impact on the local non-profit organizations: These charities can further help others in need while also staying afloat in their businesses. They wouldn't have to worry about not meeting their budget or exceeding it. It could even provide a little more stability for them depending on how much money is raised.

Business benefit

Nicholls Dining (Sodexo) only looks at the profit for the donation, not the revenue. They even donate one percent of their yearly revenue as well. They basically just continue to receive their revenue from the purchases through the Grid Space.

Social and environmental benefit

Cash your Chips for Community Donation is not just for profit, but for charities to be able to help the less fortunate. Students get to be apart of something bigger and gain humanities in the process. Doing these donations can help students and faculties to be aware that there are people who devote their everyday lives to making sure others are taken care of. This project shows recognition and a profound way to say "Thank you". Just one small gesture could make a difference, not only in a community but in the world.

Interview

Bianca Gilfour, Nicholls Dining Marketing Manager