OU GIVING DAY
Mark your calendars for April 14th! Join us for OU Giving Day where you can support our operations and invest in our future! Be on the lookout as we try to win a few challenges throughout the day (specifically between 10 AM and 10 PM). Every $10 gift or more will go to supporting a fellow student or staff member. Help us make a difference on OU Giving Day by using the link below to donate!
MARCH EVENTS
FOOD PANTRY 9TH BIRTHDAY
On March 22th 2017, The OU Food Pantry was founded by the OU Student Government Association including our one and only Matt Marks! For the last 9 years our team has grown tremendously in both the size of our team as well as the services we offer to the OU Community. Currently we have 99 members in our Student Staff Team and we aim to grow that number to continue offering the best service possible. On our 9th birthday we celebrated all of the individuals who have volunteered their time and efforts to serve our community, and all of the people who what helped make the OU Pantry a reality.
To commemorate the 9th birthday of the OU Food Pantry, we interviewed the founder of the Food Pantry, Matt Marks. Matt still serves at the Food Pantry as our Assistant Director. Below is an excerpt from the conversation with Matt that show the impact that the OU Food Pantry has had throughout its tenure.
“In Spring of 2016, the Cabinet Members (of Student Government) were tasked to create a Food Pantry. After summer break, we were told that the project wasn’t going to happen. Later in the fall, staff and faculty came together and brought the project back to life. I fell in love with this place and fell in love with what we were doing. I wanted to be a part of it and a position opened in 2020 and I’ve been in this role since. We opened up our coffee bar not too long ago and we will be adding a sound system so our space can be more inviting to all.“ - Matt Marks
Students who help put together the OU Food Pantry pose for photos for the grand opening of the pantry March 22, 2017, Caitlynn Epes/ The Daily
RFBO CONFERENCE
Carson Browning, AD of Development (Left), Matt Marks, Assistant Director (Middle), Royce Coleman, Student Director (Right) at the RFBO Conference on March 27th, 2026.
On Friday, March 27th, three of our executive members attended the RFBO Conference in Oklahoma City to learn more from partner agencies in the region. Our team heard from multiple lecturers about how to more effectively engage the community and make the most of our resources.
SEC FOOD FIGHT
Throughout the month of March, the SEC food pantries competed to see who could generate the most donations to their respective school’s food pantry. Donations were accepted in the form of monetary donations and food items and tracked by each school. Every dollar and food item donated counted as one point towards the score. We are excited to announce that the OU Food Pantry ended up receiving 14,502 points consisting of both monetary and food donations! We are grateful for all of the donations that we and all other SEC food pantries received through this competition!
SNACK CART
Starting in March, our Community Engagement team initiated their new snack cart program. Team members rode around campus in our golf cart handing out free snack bags for the students. You can expect chips, juice, and even a stress ball or stickers in your snack bags. When walking around campus, be on the lookout for the Food Pantry snack cart!
Three members of our Community Engagement team, Carson Howard (Left), Koi Longcrier (Middle), and Morgan Gaston (Right), handing out snacks around campus.
VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE
Our Health and Advocacy team held a voter registration drive at the Food Pantry on March 3rd. Our team was able to help multiple OU students register to vote as well as educate students on how to exercise their right to vote in the future! Through this drive, we were able to educate students about the voting process and the importance of making their voices heard!
HEALTH FAIR
On Friday, March 27th, our Health & Advocacy hosted our Spring Health Fair. Students and community members visited the pantry to learn more about on and off campus health resources. Thank you to SHRED The Stigma, the Office of Advocacy & Education, the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program, Dentaquest, and Guiding Right for joining us in supporting health and wellbeing on our campus.
UPCOMING EVENTS
LETTERS TO LEGISLATORS
On Monday, April 6th, our Health & Advocacy team will be hosting Letters to Legislators at the OU Food Pantry from 1:30pm to 2:30pm. During this event, our team will have the opportunity to write letters to local and state legislators advocating for food security initiatives and increased support for food resources throughout the state. This is a great chance to advocate for our mission and help fight food insecurity in our community.
THE BIG EVENT
The Big Event is the University of Oklahoma’s official day of community service! On April 11th, hundreds of OU students will participate in service projects across 200 jobs sites throughout the Norman and Oklahoma city communities. Last year, the OU Food Pantry Student Staff members had the opportunity to serve at the SunHive Collective, a non-profit organization for young adults with special needs. This year, the OU Food Pantry Student Staff will be volunteering again to help out an organization within our community!
The opening ceremony will take place on the North Oval at 8am, with volunteering taking place from 10-2pm!
PENNE FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
We are hosting a mental health-focused event before dead week begins. Come out to do macaroni art and relax! More details will be announced in the future on our social media and newsletter!
FOOD PANTRY 5K
April is coming, and that means it’s time for the 5k! The OU Food Pantry is going to have a blast hosting our 5k fundraiser. Register now, for April 19th, and come run or walk the 5k. Show your support for the food pantry and help us battle food insecurity on OU’s campus!
When: April 19th at 9 AM
Where: Start line is at the OU Armory
FOOD PANTRY BANQUET
The OU Food Pantry Student Staff will be celebrating our team’s accomplishments during the 2025-2026 year at our banquet on April 24th, starting at 7 PM. Our banquet is typically held in the Oklahoma Memorial Union, however, this year our banquet will be held in the Sam Noble Museum. This is our opportunity to recognize multiple outstanding members and celebrate our senior team members who will be graduating in May.
When: April 24th, 2026 starting at 7 PM
Where: Sam Noble Museum Great Hall
DONATE TO THE OU FOOD PANTRY
AMAZON WISHLIST
Purchase items for the OU Food Pantry through our Amazon wishlist!
MONETARY DONATIONS
Make a direct donation to the OU Food Pantry to support our fight against hunger!
OUR LINKS
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP FORM
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