“If we don’t take care of mother nature, she’s not going to take care of us. That’s why I’m here today with Chartwells for the Grate-Ful event. We’re here to promote sustainability on college campuses and show our gratitude for hospitality workers. Being here at TAMU-CC today and promoting my business, Oceans97,… I couldn’t ask for anything else,” former 2x Super Bowl Champion turned Chef, Jarvis Green, said. 

On April 27, 2022, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and 300 other universities and colleges participated in the nationwide “Grate-Ful” event to celebrate the Earth, stop food waste, and advance sustainability. The event, held at the Islander Dining Hall, encouraged Islanders to dine from plant-based menus, pack donation bags, grow plants, and learn ways to combat food waste. 

Students had the opportunity to help Izzy’s Food Pantry fill donation bags with nutritious foods for food insecure Islander students and community members. Students also had the opportunity to purchase plants from Planted, a nursery and gardening store in Corpus Christi, and receive gift bags with items like plantable pencils. 

As a part of the Celebrity Chef series at TAMU-CC, Jarvis Green met students and cooked seafood on campus. Green, a former defensive end for the New England Patriots, named his shrimp wholesale company Oceans97, in honor of his uniform number. 

“Oceans97 is a wholesale, retail, and food service with boutique service in Baton Rouge. After retiring from the NFL in 2010, I began my seafood business in 2015,” Green said. “Growing up in Louisiana and cooking with grandma inspired me to start my own business. I love holding family gatherings and seeing people smile after eating my food. I don’t consider myself a chef, I just love to cook.” 

Green is partnered with Chartwells, the food service provider for several Texas universities, including TAMU-CC. “I’m from Baton Rouge, and I visit many Texas colleges with Chartwells. We do shrimp boils and educate students on fighting food waste and protecting the Earth,” Green said. “It was my first time coming to Corpus Christi. I drove here from Louisiana, and I had no idea the city was so big or that there was a downtown area. TAMU-CC is a beautiful campus on the ocean.” 

“Sustainability is so important for protecting the Earth for future generations, and it starts with us human beings to make a difference,” Green stated.