Providing Access to All Vols

We are committed to ensuring that every member of the Volunteer community has access to nutritious, delicious meals and the essential support needed to thrive on campus.

food4VOLS Initiative

Partnering with Vol Dining, the food4VOLS program collects usable food from campus dining locations and delivers it to the UT Culinary Institute. Here, culinary students transform these ingredients into ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat meals.

These nutritious meals are then distributed through The Big Orange Pantry to support those facing food insecurity within our community, ensuring every Volunteer has access to healthy food.

Big Orange Pantry

The Big Orange Pantry is a free store that offers an array of non-perishable and fresh foods, hygiene products, and other essentials to students, faculty, and staff at no cost. No application is necessary—simply visit, shop like a grocery store, and enjoy a welcoming atmosphere complete with great music and helpful volunteers.

Big Orange Pantry: Aiding the UT Community

The Big Orange Pantry provides essential food items and hygiene products to students, staff, and faculty, ensuring that all members of our community have access to necessary resources.

YouTube video

Big Orange Meal Share

Sponsored by Vol Dining, Dean of Students, and Swipe Out Hunger, the Big Orange Meal Share offers temporary meal assistance to students in need. The program operates during the academic year, including summer semesters and winter break, but excludes holidays and administrative closings.

Meal Plan Scholarships

To support students who may face financial barriers to purchasing a meal plan, Vol Dining partners with the Dean of Students Office to provide a certain number of meal plan scholarships each semester. Although scholarships are limited, applications are thoroughly reviewed on a holistic basis to fairly determine eligibility.

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