About Us

Gluten-Free Badgers is a student organization at the University of Wisconsin–Madison dedicated to building community, support, and advocacy for students with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, gluten-free dietary needs, and allies.

Our goal is to make campus feel less isolating and more accessible for students who need to live gluten-free. Through social events, educational meetings, resource sharing, advocacy, and community partnerships, Gluten-Free Badgers gives students a place to connect with others who understand the challenges of navigating dining halls, restaurants, social events, and everyday campus life with dietary restrictions.

Whether you have celiac disease, are gluten intolerant, live gluten-free for another medical reason, or simply want to support friends and classmates, Gluten-Free Badgers welcomes you.

Our History

Gluten-Free Badgers has long been part of the UW–Madison campus community. The club was originally formed around 2010 as a student organization for students with gluten intolerance and celiac disease. From the beginning, its purpose was twofold: to support students navigating gluten-free life and to raise awareness about gluten-related dietary needs on campus and in the Madison community.

Early members helped create a network of resources for students who needed to eat gluten-free, including information about local restaurants, stores, campus dining options, and strategies for managing cross-contact and social situations. At a time when gluten-free needs were less widely understood, the club helped students feel less alone and advocated for greater recognition that gluten-free eating is not a preference for many people, but a medical necessity.

After a period of inactivity, Gluten-Free Badgers was revived by Kimaya Soin, a UW–Madison student with celiac disease and founder of The Emerald Benefit, a fundraiser supporting celiac disease research and awareness through the Celiac Disease Foundation. Since being restarted, the club has grown into an active student community with social events, educational programming, guest speakers, volunteer opportunities, and outreach efforts focused on celiac disease and gluten-free living.

Today, Gluten-Free Badgers continues the original mission of support and awareness while expanding its role as a campus resource, advocacy group, and community for students with gluten-free needs.

Our Mission

Gluten-Free Badgers exists to build a supportive, informed, and inclusive community for UW–Madison students with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, gluten-free dietary needs, and allies. We aim to promote awareness, improve access to resources, advocate for safer gluten-free options, and create spaces where students feel understood, included, and empowered.

What We Do

Build Community

Living gluten-free in college can be socially and logistically challenging. Gluten-Free Badgers creates opportunities for students to meet others with similar experiences, share advice, attend social events, and build friendships in a supportive environment.

Share Resources

We help students navigate gluten-free life at UW–Madison and in the Madison area by sharing information about dining halls, restaurants, grocery options, campus resources, cross-contact, accommodations, and local gluten-free events.

Raise Awareness

We educate the campus community about celiac disease, gluten intolerance, cross-contact, and the difference between gluten-free as a medical necessity and gluten-free as a preference. Our goal is to reduce misconceptions and help others better understand the realities of living gluten-free.

Why It Matters

For students with celiac disease and gluten-free dietary needs, food is not just a preference — it affects health, safety, social life, and belonging. College can be especially difficult when so many activities revolve around food, and students may struggle to find safe meals, explain their needs, or feel included.

Gluten-Free Badgers helps change that by creating a community where students are believed, supported, and connected. We believe every student deserves to participate fully in campus life without feeling isolated because of a medical dietary need.

Advocate for Accessibility

We work to promote safer and more inclusive gluten-free options on campus and in student life. This includes encouraging conversations about dining access, food labeling, cross-contact awareness, and inclusion at campus events.

Connect Campus and Community

Gluten-Free Badgers connects students with local gluten-free businesses, healthcare professionals, advocacy organizations, volunteer opportunities, and community events related to celiac disease and gluten-free living.

Who Can Join

Gluten-Free Badgers is open to all UW–Madison students. You do not need to have celiac disease or be gluten-free to join. Members may include students with celiac disease, gluten intolerance/sensitivity, EoE, food allergies, dietary restrictions, friends and roommates of gluten-free students, healthcare or nutrition students, and anyone interested in food accessibility, advocacy, and community support.

Get Involved

Join Gluten-Free Badgers to meet other students, attend events, share resources, volunteer, advocate for improved access, and help make UW–Madison a more inclusive campus for students with gluten-free needs.

Meet the Leadership Board