UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Geography undergraduate student James Schafer is applying his geography education to address local issues, particularly around food sustainability and social empowerment, through volunteering at Taproot Kitchen.
Taproot Kitchen, founded by Schafer’s mother, Sharon, and Anne Rohan, is a community-based volunteer organization in State College that uses fresh produce from local farms to provide culinary and gardening experiences to adults with autism and intellectual disabilities. Taproot Kitchen has evolved from offering cooking classes to becoming a catering company that provides food for local events.
Inspired by his mother's involvement and his brother's experience with autism, he delved into the challenges and benefits of local food initiatives.
"Having a brother with autism, you understand the value of being a part of the community,” Schaffer said. “My brother loves working with food, but for the longest time, he was only able to work dishwasher jobs. There's a desire to be involved. I found it not only refreshing and fun, but also meaningful, to interact with people and help them learn skills specific to working in a kitchen or garden.”
As a volunteer with AmeriCorp during the summer of 2023, Schafer landed at Taproot, which provided him with insights into community-based organizations, sustainable practices and the intersection of geography and local food dynamics. He continues to volunteer with Taproot now.
Schafer's role at Taproot Kitchen involved managing their community garden, organizing volunteers and helping with various catering events.
"It really got me thinking about local foods, the benefits of local food and also the challenges of local food,” Schafer said. “It made me ask how do you foster a strong community around local food, which I think is a pretty important question related to geography."
This experience made Schafer want to expand his knowledge in this area, he said.
"I'm thinking about pursuing an environment and society certificate offered by Penn State’s Department of Geography,” Schafer said. “The certificate focuses on how people interact with ecosystems or with the environment in terms of producing food.”
Schafer's goals for the future involve leveraging his geography degree in the public sector, like in local government, state government or nonprofits. He said that his experience at Taproot helped shape his career aspirations.