Dickinson College
IN-1: Innovation 1

LOCALTUNITY originally launched in May 2014 and aims to build community around local food and farming. LOCALTUNITY- We Buy: You Eat was quickly absorbed by the Dickinson culture and is growing rapidly. This local/community opportunity allows groups of three or more Dickinson employees and/or students to visit and shop at our community Farmers on the Square (FOTS) Market (Carlisle, PA) for fresh foods grown by local farmers.

With Dickinson funding, LOCALTUNITY participants receive one $5 wooden token per person to use at the market. Groups of Dickinsonians can double the fun of LOCALTUNITY by additionally agreeing to cook a meal together with their Farmers on the Square purchases. Groups that agree to cook together and send a photo to sustainability@dickinson.edu or use #dsonlocaltunity will receive $10 each to the market.

The innovative program is a win-win for Dickinson sponsors and the Farmers on the Square Market. More Dickinsonians are attending the market (within walking distance of campus), supporting the local economy, eating healthy, local foods, cooking meals together, and spending time together building community between faculty, staff, and students.

The program was quickly supported by campus co-sponsors that include: The Center for Sustainability Education, Department of Human Resources, Office of Student Development, Wellness Center, and Farmers on the Square.

LOCALTUNITY was received with great success amongst students, faculty, and staff at Dickinson with over 310 unique Dickinsonians (20 faculty, 26 staff, and 265 students) participating in about 8 actual days of programming (market is only 1 day/week; we ran the program for 8 weeks). During the 8 market days, over 100 groups of three more went to the market together and 55 groups prepared and ate a meal together after their Farmers on the Square Market adventure.

The program had a direct $3,000 financial impact on the Farmers on the Square Market, with unmeasurable financial impacts beyond that. Vendors noted that LOCALTUNITY participants spent much more than $5-$10 tokens they were given.

The success was so rapid and productive that we are currently in conversation with the market's board of directors and community leaders from other organizations and employers to replicate the LOCALTUNITY model throughout the Greater Carlisle area.

LOCALTUNITY is a Dickinson College initiative for all students, faculty, and staff aimed to build community, support the local economy, and encourage participants to buy and eat healthy local food together. The program utilizes multiple department co-sponsors to support a community sustainability initiative in partnership with our local farmers' market. Dickinson is currently working to expand the LOCALTUNITY model to other organizations and businesses in the Greater Carlisle area.