A student-run collective rescuing leftover food from West Campus events and delivering it directly to students who need it — reducing food waste and building a more equitable community.
West Campus Collective is a volunteer-powered group dedicated to reducing food insecurity and food waste. We collect leftover meals from UT events, repackage them with care, and distribute them across West Campus.
A West Campus where every student feels supported, connected, and fed where no one has to choose between groceries and tuition.
We are a student-run organization dedicated to reducing food waste and combating food insecurity through a mutual aid framework.
West Campus Collective was founded by UT students who saw two problems happening at the same time:
What began as a small mutual-aid effort among friends has grown into a trusted source of support — powered entirely by students looking out for one another.
Katherine Ospina, a 2024 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, is the founder and visionary behind West Campus Collective. After her freshman-year meal plan ended, Katherine and many of her peers found themselves struggling to consistently access enough food. That experience prompted her to ask deeper questions about how food distribution systems function — and where food waste from campus events actually goes.
What began as concern for her friends and neighbors evolved into a broader vision: a mutual-aid-based model that redirects surplus food to students who need it. Katherine founded WCC to not only address food insecurity, but to build a more connected, student-powered community in West Campus.
Dat Duong, a 2025 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, helped turn West Campus Collective from an idea into a functioning, scalable operation. Through hands-on trial and error, Dat established WCC’s current operational model and supported the organization through periods of rapid growth.
Driven by a belief in action and education, Dat is passionate about advancing food equity by making complex issues understandable and tangible. As he puts it, “People can be aware of the problem, but they aren’t going to care about it until they understand it.” His work ensures that WCC not only raises awareness, but delivers real, consistent impact.
Our weekly distribution schedule stays mostly the same — but exact times may vary. Always check our Instagram and Remind for the latest updates.
Monday: Jester West, 6 PM
26 West Courtyard, 7 PM
Callaway House, 6 PM
Dobie Garage, 6 PM
West Campus Park, 5 PM
We partner with student orgs, Greek life, campus events, and Austin businesses to pick up leftover food. Our Team Leads repackage meals safely and share them across West Campus.
Pick up untouched surplus food from events, orgs, and local businesses.
Meals portioned safely and labeled with care
by our team leads.
Distributed at daily locations across West
Campus.
