If you were given $100,000, how many people could you feed?
For most of us, this question might feel hypothetical. For the staff at UT Outpost, however, it’s very real. The on-campus food pantry at The University of Texas at Austin recently received a $100,000 donation from prominent Texas grocery chain H-E-B, and staff members are already excited about the impact the gift will have on students.
UT Outpost, a program within the Office of the Dean of Students, provides free groceries and professional clothing to students, with no eligibility or need-based requirements. The initiative was first proposed by students in 2016 and opened its doors two years later, in 2018. Associate Director for Basic Needs Valeria Martin, who joined the team in 2021, said H-E-B has long supported the Outpost’s mission.
“In the past, they’ve donated gift cards each year that we’ve been able to use to purchase food items, which has been really helpful,” Martin said. “Even outside of that, we order food from H-E-B regularly — pretty much on a weekly basis.”
This year, H-E-B is expanding its support in a major way.
“We’re fortunate that going into next year, they’re excited to offer us this $100,000 donation, which we’ll be able to use to cover at least an entire semester of shopping,” Martin said. In addition to the financial gift, H-E-B is also granting UT Outpost access to its wholesale purchasing options, allowing the food pantry to stretch its dollars even further. “In this partnership, they’re giving us access to their wholesale shopping as well,” Martin said. “We’re very excited about the partnership — and very grateful for it.”
Beyond large-scale gifts and partnerships like H-E-B’s, it’s the collective support of the UT community that keeps the Outpost running and reminds students they’re not alone. Members of the community can contribute to these efforts by donating through the University’s official giving page.
Together, these partnerships and contributions help ensure UT students have reliable access to nutritious food and essential resources year-round and can do so for years to come.
