Clark and Fountain dining halls, for the fourth consecutive year, have served award-winning food.

The city presented the 2013 City of Raleigh Environmental Award to University Dining at N.C. State early April.

According to Joanna Minett, public communication specialist for University Dining, the award is meant to honor those who have “demonstrated a commitment to the environment and the Raleigh community.”

University Dining also won the 2013 Grand Goldie award, a national award honoring non-commercial food service, early in March, for its sustainable practices.

Minett said the program’s success is large in part to do with “My Roots are at N.C. State,” a project which partners with University Dining to provide sustainable meals.

Keith Smith, director of board operations and sustainability liaison, launched the project in the fall of 2012. “My Roots” connects with alumni involved in sustainable agriculture to help incorporate local, healthy foods into NCSU dining.

Smith, alongside Chris Dunham of University Dining, is set to accept the award on April 22 as part of an Earth Day celebration at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

According to Minett, the University Dining team put together a video, which is now featured on their website, emphasizing the importance of sustainability in dining, to submit to and compete in the “Going Green” category.

University Dining has also won awards in 2012, 2011 and 2010. These awards include the Governor’s Award of Excellence, which dietitian Lisa Eberhart won, among a dozen others. 

“We are so excited to watch this program grow,” Minett said. “Our University Dining team strives to foster lasting sustainability practices and to partner with the sustainability goals of our university. ‘My Roots’ allows us to do that, while also supporting North Carolina agriculture, University Dining business partners and highlighting the achievements of N.C. State alumni.”