Organic food push prompts hefty college donation

When deep-pocketed donors write large checks to their alma maters, it's usually for a new building or athletic facility, or maybe financial aid or an endowed faculty chair. But at Bates College, an anonymous graduate has given $2.5 million for a less traditional cause: supporting the college's use of organic, natural, and farm-fresh foods.

The gift, announced last week, ranks among the largest ever received by the Lewiston, Maine, college, and will expand the use of local and organic food on campus. In conjunction with a new energy-efficient dining hall that opened in February, the donation has also sparked a yearlong initiative on sustainable food.

"People often give to support faculty and curriculum and programs, and that's necessary and wonderful," said Bates president Elaine Tuttle Hansen. "But here is a gift that actually supports operations and recognizes that there is a financial cost to doing the right thing, from both a nutritional and an ethical perspective."

The donor stipulated that investment earnings on the donation finance the additional cost of serving more local and organic food.

The university already spends about 22 percent of its yearly food budget on natural food, such as grass-fed beef raised by two graduates, spring water from a locally owned company, bread made from grain grown organically in Maine, and farm-fresh fruits and vegetables grown a few miles from the college. It will spend 28 percent this year.

This item ran in the Campus Insider column in Sunday's Boston Globe. To submit tips to Campus Insider, contact Peter Schworm at schworm@globe.com and Tracy Jan at tjan@globe.com.