Krishna Lunch considers lawsuit after UF ends decades-long partnership 

Leadership at Gainesville’s Krishna Lunch is considering a federal lawsuit against the University of Florida after the school permanently banned the organization on Aug. 19 — one day before classes began — ending a nearly 55-year partnership. 

The ban came after six months without a clear explanation from the university (UF) for why it suspended and later banned Krishna Lunch from distributing its free vegetarian meals to the campus’s Plaza of The Americas, although both measures followed a February incident when a Krishna Lunch delivery box truck hit a student walking on Buckman Drive near University Avenue. 

In spite of the volunteer organization’s attempts to contact and meet with with administrators via phone, email or in person to address the incident and rectify a way to move forward, the notice of termination came in an email from Vice President for Business Affairs Brandi Renton to Krishna Lunch leaders, including former advisor Carl Woodham and Senior Advisor Bob Cohen.  

Renton said under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UF and the organization (ISKCON of Gainesville, Inc., also known as IOG), the agreement could be terminated immediately at the school’s discretion, with or without cause. 

“As a result of this termination, IOG is no longer authorized to conduct any activities on UF’s campus pursuant to the MOU, including serving food on campus or operating vehicles through areas of campus that are restricted to traffic, including to or from the Plaza of the Americas,” Renton said. “All rights, privileges, and permissions granted under the MOU are hereby revoked. We wish you and your organization all the best going forward.” 

Woodham and Cohen said UF’s hedging to talk to Krishna Lunch and its ultimate termination baffled them and stifled a critical component of sharing their religion through generosity. They said three local attorneys are working pro bono to pursue a federal lawsuit against UF for violating freedom of religion rights.

In an Aug. 12 email, Cohen also asked Renton why Krishna Lunch hadn’t been granted the ability to utilize UF’s Ombuds designated to providing impartial and independent assistance for campus conflicts per the joint MOU despite multiple requests. Renton responded one week later with the termination. 

UF spokesperson Steve Orlando referred Mainstreet to the termination email when the outlet reached out for comment and said there was nothing else to add.

“We’re kind of blindsided and shocked. We didn’t expect this,” Cohen said. “It’s bewildering. We’re just trying to figure out what to do.” 

Cohen said the termination clashed with UF’s long history of inviting and even celebrating Krishna Lunch on campus.  

Among thousands of students and faculty who ate Krishna Lunch’s millions of meals, he said numerous presidents did too, including former President Kent Fuchs, who initiated a campus-wide 50th anniversary event for Krishna Lunch. 

When UF renovated the Plaza of the Americas, Cohen said Krishna Lunch raised $250,000 to design its own food distribution area, adding benches and tables donated by alumni and community members. In the first week back at classes, sticky notes reading “Bring Back Krishna Lunch” and “Feed Your Neighbor” adorned the benches. 

Without a reason for the termination, Cohen said the organization is left guessing why. 

He denied a rumor that UF stayed silent because Krishna Lunch had not identified the driver involved in the box truck incident. He said the driver had called the police on the scene and received a ticket for distracted driving. 

Cohen said he wondered if free Krishna meals posed a business threat to UF’s food vendor Chartwells Higher Education.  

He said last year the company set up a vegetarian food truck right where Krishna Lunch also distributed. More food options delighted Cohen, who aims to reach students struggling from food insecurity. But he said students still often gravitated towards Krishna Lunch since they’re only asked to contribute donations. The same complaints about free meals taking away business arose a few decades ago when Aramark served at the school, Cohen said. 

Students also initiated a petition in June to support restoring Krishna Lunch meals to campus. The movement garnered over 1,500 signatures, but Cohen said it never made it to administrators because UF wouldn’t grant a meeting with the organization.

Just after the box truck incident, Krishna Lunch received a fleet of electric carts it’d purchased earlier in the year to replace the box trucks. The carts now sit in storage. 

“It was a 10-mile-an-hour unfortunate accident, and the university kind of used that as an excuse, we think, to get rid of us,” Cohen said. 

Krishna Lunch has not stopped and will continue serving meals from its off-campus headquarters at 214 NW 14th St. in Gainesville. 

Cohen said the organization is still hoping UF will talk to them and he encouraged concerned alumni, faculty and community members to reach out to the university. He also said the Krishnas might plan a prayer vigil and will work to maintain their on-campus presence any way they can.