Klemis Kitchen Opens for Students at Tech

Click image to enlarge (L-R) Sid Sinha, Tommy Klemis, Walt Ehmer, and Carli Walker celebrate the ribbon cutting for Klemis Kitchen in November 2014. The kitchen officially opened to serve students in spring 2015. Download Image MORE PHOTOS

This semester, Georgia Tech opened its first food pantry, Klemis Kitchen. The program is intended to serve as an alternate meal plan for students who have certain dietary needs and financial concerns.

“Hunger should not be an issue that students here face, but the reality is that many students, both undergraduate and graduate, deal with it,” said Sid Sinha, the student lead for the Klemis initiative. “Klemis Kitchen will allow students to focus on academics and allow them to pursue their ambitions.”

The idea behind Klemis Kitchen was inspired by Tommy Klemis’ legacy. Klemis owned Junior’s Grill, a popular student hangout for several decades on Tech’s campus. Klemis was sometimes known to feed students who couldn’t pay so they could continue on with their academic lives and not have to worry about where their next meal was coming from.

Last year, this student-initiated idea was able to become a reality after Klemis Kitchen won the 2013-14 Student Alumni Association’s Gift to Tech.

Klemis Kitchen is partly overseen by the Office of the Dean of Students. Students who meet certain requirements can gain access to the Kitchen after being approved by the Dean of Students’ office or by Dana Hartley, Georgia Tech's homeless-student liaison. Once students have access, they can get as many meals as they see fit. Both undergraduate and graduate students can gain access to this program.

“Being able to help fellow students with this is very gratifying and humbling,” Sinha said.

Klemis Kitchen is now open for students in need. Food banks like this can be seen at other universities as well, as the idea to provide food for students is one that is shared nationwide.

Students, faculty, and staff can refer students to Klemis Kitchen through a referral link on the resources tab at www.klemiskitchen.gatech.edu.