OU FOOD PANTRY APRIL 2026 NEWSLETTER

Each month, the OU Food Pantry recognizes three volunteers who have been extremely helpful in the day-to-day operation of the Food Pantry. Listed below are the five volunteers recognized for the month of April for their contributions to the OU Food Pantry’s mission!

We are incredibly thankful for all of our volunteers and the amazing work that they do during their service to the OU Community!

Last week, we introduced the new executive team for the 2026-2027 year at our banquet. We are excited to begin the transition into our team next year as we continue serving our community!

On April 19th, The OU Food Pantry held our 3rd annual Food Pantry 5K as a part of Spring Family Weekend 2026! Over 228 participants ran, raising over $8000! Whether you were a runner, walker, or even a pet, the Food Pantry thanks you for your participation and support!

Thank you to all members of the Food Pantry Student Staff and Parent and Family Programs who gave their time to make this event so successful!

Congratulations to this year’s 5K winners who are recognized below!

On April 24, 2026 we celebrated our team’s accomplishments at our banquet at the Sam Noble Museum. We recognized multiple outstanding team members for their hard work and celebrated our graduating seniors. Each year we recognize individuals within our organization, and a campus partner with awards to celebrate their dedication to our mission. Below are short descriptions of each award that was presented at this year’s banquet.

The Dr. Vaidy Rao Award:

The Dr. Vaidy Rao award is presented to one of the OU Food Pantry’s campus partners who has significantly contributed to the Food Pantry’s success. Whether through monetary donations, campus programming, or other assistance, the OU Food Pantry recognizes one campus partner’s philanthropic efforts each year.

The Matthew C. Marks Award:

The recipient of the Matthew C. Marks award is one of the Food Pantry’s student staff that has demonstrated the values that led our founder, Matthew C. Marks to establish the Food Pantry on OU’s campus. Specifically, kindness, commitment, work ethic, and embodiment of the servant nature of Matthew Marks are apparent in each year’s recipient of this award. No picture was available for the presentation of the Matthew C. Marks award; however, this year’s recipient was Kyle Eskew.

Core Value Awards:

Each year, the OU Food Pantry recognizes team members who have embodied one of our core values, Care, Community, and Commitment. Our executive team nominates team members based on the qualities and work that they have observed in each individual. One award is presented for each core value based on which core value our executive team thinks each team member best exemplifies.

The Director’s Choice Award:

This year, we recognized our Student Director , Royce Coleman, for his extensive work at the Food Pantry and his excellence in the role.

The heart of the OU Food Pantry is about serving our community. On April 11th, we got to team up with the rest of OU for the biggest collegiate day of service in Oklahoma, The Big Event! Various service projects were tackled in the areas surrounding the OKC metroplex by individuals and student organizations from OU. The OU Food Pantry served a local community by aiding with cleaning up their neighborhood following storms and the construction of a new dam in the center of their neighborhood. Our staff and other volunteers worked hard to remove litter, clear large downed trees, and perform multiple other labor-intensive projects to renew and rebuild the neighborhood.

Every year, OU hosts Giving Day, where alumni, individuals around campus, and organizations come together to raise as much money as possible. On April 14th this year, OU hosted its 9th annual Giving Day fundraiser. Thanks to all of our gracious donors, we raised more than $20,000 to support our operations and continued service for the OU Community. We are incredibly thankful for everyone who decided to support the OU Food Pantry and our mission this year!

On April 27th, our Health and Advocacy team hosted a fun mental health event where the OU community could come to the Food Pantry and make pasta art to destress. Near the end of the semester it is especially critical for students to maintain their mental health, and this event was a great opportunity for the OU community to take a break from their normal studies and relax.

The OU Food Pantry will close the week of May 18th and reopen for summer hours starting May 26th.

We will be open Tuesdays 10am-12:30pm & 2pm-5pm.

If you have any questions regarding our operations over the summer, please reach out to [email protected].

Purchase items for the OU Food Pantry through our Amazon wishlist!

Make a direct donation to the OU Food Pantry to support our fight against hunger!

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