Since 2021, food4VOLS has partnered with Vol Dining to collect surplus, usable food from campus dining outlets and transport it to the UT Culinary Institute, where staff and student volunteers transform it into nutritious, ready-to-heat meals. These meals are then distributed to on-campus food access points for the campus community experiencing food insecurity.
- Hands-on Learning: Academic courses and volunteer opportunities allow students to gain hands-on experience in food prep, menu design, food safety, and operations.
- Community Impact: Those facing hunger on campus and in the community receive healthy meals while we reduce environmental waste.
- Partnerships Matter: We collaborate closely with Vol Dining, UT Sustainability, and community non profits to make this program possible.
- Ways to Support: You can help through volunteering, monetary gifts, or even payroll deduction contributions.
food4VOLS on Campus
Watch How food4VOLS Makes a Difference
610,090 lbs
Total pounds of food recovered to date
207,483
Total meals prepared on campus
385,054 lbs
Total pounds of food donated to the community
Get Involved
Volunteer on Monday–Friday between 2 and 5 pm at the UT Culinary Institute. Or, you can support food4VOLS through monetary donations or payroll deductions. Every dollar donated equals 4 meals for those facing food insecurity
Why It Matters
food4VOLS empowers students to use their skills for good, builds food security across campus, and reduces waste, all while offering experiential learning that complements our classroom-based work in retail, hospitality, and tourism.
Tyler White
Assistant Professor of Practice , UT Culinary Institute
twhite26@utk.edu
865-974-8896
UT Culinary Institute
2712 Neyland Drive Knoxville TN 37996