Campus Update: Answering the Call

Food preparation is part of a two-phase partnership with the County of Santa Cruz to support the growing needs of the community.

1440 Multiversity – one of the nation's premier nonprofit learning destinations – will begin a two-phase collaborative partnership with the County of Santa Cruz effective April 6, 2020. The partnership will support the County in meeting the growing needs of the community and those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by optimizing the 1440 Multiversity workforce and resources of the 75-acre private campus located in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

As part of the partnership, 1440 Multiversity will prepare three nutritious meals per day for shelters across Santa Cruz County, totaling thousands of meals each week to those in need. Additionally, the campus has agreed to dedicate private space to establish an alternative care site (ACS), which helps expand local health care capacity in coordination with the county's network of local providers as they prepare for a surge of patients impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"1440 Multiversity has always been dedicated to the well-being of others, so it was extremely important for us to figure out a way to support the global efforts taking place in response to this pandemic," said Joanie and Scott Kriens, co-creators of 1440 Multiversity. "We are grateful that our campus has this opportunity to express an authentic love for others and has the resources available to meet the needs of Santa Cruz County. Hopefully, our heartfelt contributions will energize and inspire others to do the same, to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible."

Using its "food is medicine" approach, both hot and cold meals will be prepared by more than 40 members of the 1440 Multiversity culinary team at Kitchen Table, the heart of the nonprofit campus. Following each daily meal preparation, the meals will be packed to-go by hand and picked up for delivery by a County-issued courier service to the shelters three times a day to optimize the quality of each meal. The partnership with the County of Santa Cruz will enable shelters to secure the most nutritious meals they can to serve vulnerable members of the community and others in need. 

The ACS being established at 1440 Multiversity is designed to free up local hospital capacity by treating patients who need hospitalization but do not have complex medical needs. 1440 Multiversity is one of two identified sites in the county established to support the Santa Cruz County Public Health Division as part of its surge care planning; the alternative care sites will afford designated patients a safe place to receive care and recuperate while under the care of medical professionals and in keeping with best medical practices. Alternative care sites are private, not open to the public and are not walk-up medical facilities; they are designated for current hospital patients with a range of non-complex medical needs and not used to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients.

"1440 Multiversity is proud to answer the call and to be of service to our community and be able to join so many people and organizations around the country who have stepped up to help," said Frank Ashmore, Managing Director of 1440 Multiversity.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 1440 Multiversity proactively suspended all public and private events on campus temporarily out of concern for public health and safety, moving its educational and well-being offerings to the 1440 Multiversity Online Learning platform. Opened in 2017, 1440 Multiversity is a modern learning destination that supports conversations that matter and inner fitness work to expand personal and professional development with an emphasis on health, wellness, belonging and unity.

Participate in our online learning at 1440.tv.