Where can students find free food on campus? Here’s
a list of 11 places.
JERRY SAGUIN Contributor
During the 2024-25 academic year, a total of 5,325 different visitors utilized the Big Orange Pantry 40,092 times.
In other words, each visitor to BOP utilized the program repeatedly, more than seven and a half times on average, according to data from the Division of Student Life.
Several free food resources exist to serve students, staff and faculty across the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and nearby.
Our Biggest, Orange Pantry
The Big Orange Pantry, located in room 376C of the Student Union, stocks both non-perishable and fresh foods. This fall, its hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The pantry welcomes students, staff and faculty – no requirements or applications necessary. They recommend that “shoppers” bring reusable bags.
The Big Orange Pantry program runs several satellite locations around campus:
* A pocket pantry by the help desk of the Pendergrass Library
* Another pocket pantry across from the pharmacy of the Student Health Center
* A vending machine on the first floor of TRECS
* Another pocket pantry in the kitchen of The Free Store at 915 22nd St., open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Each location stocks snacks and food items; however, apart from the Big Orange Pantry, only the Pendergrass Library and TRECS locations stock produce, according to the Big Orange Pantry page.
The Center for Basic Needs, a division of Student Life, runs the Big Orange Pantry program.
The Center for Basic Needs also sponsors a meal-assistance program, Vols Swipe Out Hunger, alongside Vol Dining. Students experiencing food insecurity can apply to the program to request temporary assistance in the form of meal swipes.
food4VOLS: ready-to-eat, ready-toheat meals
food4VOLS transforms usable food from campus outlets into prepared meals for students, staff and faculty experiencing food insecurity. These meals are hosted in six locations across campus:
* The Big Orange Pantry in the Student Union, room 376C
* The Jessie Harris Building, room 110
* The Free Store, 915 22nd St.
* The College of Communications, The Scripps Convergence Lab
* Pendergrass Library, a113
* The Veterans Success Center in John C. Hodges Library, G020, specifically for student veterans and military affiliated students
The UT Culinary Institute created the food4VOLS program in partnership with Vol Dining with the goal of ending hunger and waste on campus.
food4VOLS transports usable food from campus outlets to the UT Culinary Institute, where students transform the food into prepared meals to distribute to those experiencing food insecurity, according to the food4VOLS website.
Smokey’s Pantry
Smokey’s Pantry, located at 824 Melrose Pl., welcomes students, staff and faculty on Mondays from 4-6 p.m. this fall semester. Smokey’s stocks both non-perishable goods and produce, and does not require any qualifying information from participants.
FISH Hospitality Pantries and Tyson House collaborate on Smokey’s. Their campus partners include the Office of the Dean of Students, the Student Government Association, the UTK Grow Lab, UT Recycling and others.
The Food Truck
Just adjacent to Laurel Residence Hall at 1538 Highland Ave., in the parking lot of Christ Chapel, The Food Truck serves students, staff and faculty perishable and non-perishable groceries every Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Knox CHOP, Knoxville Dream Center and Second Harvest Food Bank collaborate on The Food Truck program. The program originated during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce food insecurity on campus.
Food insecurity is prevalent in higher ed institutions across Tennessee Studies indicate that up to 30% of postsecondary students across Tennessee experience some degree of food insecurity, according to a 2023 report. Michael Hale, a Tennessee state representative, sponsored a bill in 2024 seeking to establish a grant program to help relieve student hunger, but the bill died in subcommittee.
