Donating to the Basic Needs Support Program
Purpose
Thank you for your interest in donating to the Basic Needs Support program at the University of Utah. We appreciate your support as we try to increase access to essential items for students, faculty, and staff on our campus.
On this page, you will find
- Contact information regarding donations
- Donation guidelines
- Learn what types of donations we accept
- Condition and quality requirements for donations
- Donation drop-off locations
- Best practices for hosting your own donation drive to support our program
Consider supporting our work by making a financial gift at the link below:
Donation Guidelines
Our program operates multiple Wellness Exchange locations that distribute food and basic needs items. When considering a donation to our program, please be considerate of dietary restrictions and the unique needs of the location where you want to donate.
We welcome the following donation items:
Ready to Eat Foods
- Cereal
- Ramen or pho
- Macaroni and cheese
- Granola bars
- Instant or cooked rice
- Fruit or vegetable bars
- Canned or packaged tuna and chicken
Shelf-Stable Foods
- Rice
- Beans
- Lentils
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Pasta and pasta sauce
- Peanut butter
- Jam and honey
- Canned meals
- Canned fruits and vegetables
- Canned meats
- Shelf-stable milk
Thrift Items
- Clothing in good condition
- Casual tops, jeans, shorts, etc.
- Professional clothing
- Shoes
- Accessories
- Packaged and unopened socks and underwear
- Household items
- Bedding and linens
- Cookware
- Pots and pans
- Dishes
- Seasonal items such as warm clothing for winter months
- Children's clothing and toys
Food Donations
We welcome food items that are sealed, unopened, in their original packaging, unexpired, and in good condition.
To help protect the health and safety of our students, we can only distribute food that meets our storage and food safety requirements.
As a result, we are unable to accept the following items:
- Opened food items
- Expired food items
- Homemade food items
- Perishable foods that require refrigeration or freezing
- Damaged food packaging
Thrift Donations
We welcome items that are clean, new, or gently used. Before donating, please ensure that all items are clean, functional, and ready for immediate use.
At this time, our office does not have the capacity to clean, sanitize, or repair donated items.
Providing clean, usable donations helps ensure students can access resources with dignity and care.
We cannot accept:
- Clothing with stains, tears, excessive wear, or strong odors
- Broken, damaged, or nonfunctional items
- Used socks or underwear
- Hazardous materials or chemicals
- Knives, weapons, or weapon-related items
- Mattresses or furniture
Primary Location
Student Union Basement
Primary Location
Union Basement
Next to the Feed U Pantry
Monday - Friday, 8AM to 5PM
Donations accepted here:
- Thrift (clothes, shoes, etc.)
- Household items
- School supplies
VIEW LOCATION ON MAP
Wellness Hub Location
Student Services Building
Wellness Hub Location
Student Services Building, Rm. 350
Monday - Friday, 8AM to 5PM
Donations accepted here:
- Food items
- Thrift (clothes, shoes, etc.)
- Household items
- School supplies
Housing Location
Peterson Heritage Center
Housing Location
Lobby of Peterson Heritage Center
North side, turn left when entering main doors
Every day at all hours of the day (24/7)
Donations accepted here:
- Food items
- Thrift (clothes, shoes, etc.)
- Household items
Engineering Location
Price College of Engineering
Engineering Location
Price College of Engineering
Room 1820
Monday - Friday, 8AM to 5PM
Donations accepted here:
- Food items
- Thrift (clothes, shoes, etc.)
- Household itemsVIEW LOCATION ON MAP
Dentistry Location
Oral Health Sciences Building
Dentistry Location
Oral Health Sciences Building
Monday - Friday, 8AM to 5PM
Donations accepted here:
- Food items
VIEW LOCATION ON MAP
Sunnyside Location
Cottonwood Building 792
Sunnyside Location
Cottonwood Building 792, Rm. 21A1
Monday - Friday, 8AM to 7PM
Donations accepted here:
- Thrift (clothes, shoes, etc.)
- Children's toys and clothes
- Household items
Donation Drive Best Practices & Expectations
Step 1:
Contact us in advance
Interested in hosting a donation drive? Contact our team in advance before you start collecting donations. Please share the tentative dates you would like to host the drive, and specify if you are hosting the drive as an individual, an organization, or student group.
Step 2:
Email confirmation
Once you provide the plan for your donation drive, we will contact you within 2 business days using your preferred contact method to schedule a feasibility & planning discussion.
Step 3:
Feasibility discussion
You will meet with a team member and discuss whether the donation drive would be feasible, given need, capacity, and timeline constraints.
A team member will share with you what donations would best align with student needs at this moment.
Additionally, we will share the current status of our storage capacity, staffing resources, and confirm whether your proposed drive timeline would allow us with sufficient time to receive, sort, and distribute items effectively.
Step 4:
Partnership options
If the drive is feasible, we are able to provide several assets to improve the success of collection efforts including:
- An up-to-date list on priority donation items
- Coordinating a convenient drop-off date and location
- Logos, brand assets, and photos to accurately reflect our program in promotional materials
- Ongoing guidance on how to host a successful donation drive
Contribute to Our Program
Prefer to contribute a financial donation to directly support our program?
We welcome financial gifts, and host an ongoing crowdfunding page to raise funds that help us sustain our ongoing efforts.
Consider supporting our work by making a financial gift at the link below:
Contact
For questions or more information about donating to our program, please contact our program manager.
Rocío Torres Mora, MPA
Basic Needs Collective Manager
rtorresmora@sa.utah.edu
Phone: 801-646-6435