Whereas, Anabel’s Grocery is an on-campus grocery store located in Anabel Taylor Hall, featuring a subsidy fund used to keep prices affordable. Affordability is defined as pricing lower than or equal to the typical price of the conventionally grown/raised product at a commercial supermarket (e.g. Wegmans Food Market).
Whereas, Anabel’s annually draws 20% of its final sales from the subsidy fund to supplement operational costs which were $19,519.38 in 2025.
Whereas, Anabel’s Grocery subsidizes many of its key goods to improve access to nutritious food options for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students including locally sourced whole grains (Wide Awake sourdough bread, gluten free options), locally-sourced produce (arugula, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, etc.), bulk nuts, rice, and quinoa, as well as meat and dairy products along with their alternatives.
Whereas, the GPSA voted in 2016 to fund Anabel’s Grocery at a rate of $20,000 annually over four years from 2016 to 2020 to support the store’s subsidy fund. Ultimately, due to COVID-19 interruptions, the GPSA has given a total of $40,000 to Anabel’s Grocery in two installments (2017 and 2022).
Whereas, Anabel’s Grocery is currently affiliated with the Center for Transformative Action (CTA) which has maintained an affiliation agreement with Cornell University since 1971 under which the organization enjoyed access to approx. $100,000 in annual funding to support nonprofit initiatives across Cornell and the wider Ithaca area.
Whereas, in December 2024, Cornell University notified CTA of its intention to decline renewal of CTA’s affiliation agreement due to “the agencies that are supported by CTA [having] a much broader (and more distinct) impact than just with [Cornell United Religious Work], or with the intent of [the] 1971 agreement.” CTA has since been offered a 2-year grace period until June 2027 at which point the Center’s affiliation with Student and Campus Life (SCL) will be terminated.
Whereas, in 2025 approximately 32% of orders at Anabel’s were made by Cornell graduate or professional students, representing 4,518 graduate and professional student purchases.
Be it therefore resolved, the GPSA move $40,000.00 from the GPSA Reserve Account (G943604) to the GPSA operating account (G943704) for allocation to the Center for Transformative Action (EO S57-1900) to supplement Anabel’s Grocery’s subsidy fund in two installments: $25,000 for the 2025-2026 academic year, and $15,000 for the 2026-2027 academic year upon satisfactory fulfillment of the funding terms.
Be it further resolved, access to the appropriated funds will be granted following Anabel Grocery’s reporting of financial information consistent with Appendix B, Section 4 (as for byline funded organizations) to the GPSA Appropriations Committee, including but not limited to financial information from the past four (4) fiscal years, the organization’s annual budget, and the intended use of GPSA funds related to use of the subsidy fund.
Be it further resolved, the GPSA Executive Committee is charged with annually approving final disbursement of funds based on the Appropriations Committee’s recommendation regarding satisfactory fulfillment of the terms herein. Explicit violations to funding conditions are to be addressed consistent with Appendix B Section 5.04.
Be it finally resolved, the Vice President of Finance is authorized to process funding to Anabel’s Grocery in advance of the lapsing of the CTA’s grace period with Cornell University in June 2027.
Respectfully submitted,
Nicholas J. Brennan, President
Siim Sepp, Vice President of Finance
Anurag Koyyada, Finance Commission Chair
