Tucked away on the second floor inside the Funkhouser building lies a cafeteria- style room where, on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., students assemble for a free meal at lunchtime through a program that focuses on reducing food waste throughout campus.

Farm to Fork attempts to gather food donations from the many eateries around campus, but it specifically asks for the food that the restaurants would otherwise throw away. In doing so, those who run the program attempt to accomplish multiple goals, all while providing free food for anyone who wants to stop by.

Liana Dixon, a senior majoring in public health and a first-year coordinator for the program, was serving students as she spoke of what the program accomplishes, both for herself and for the students come in and eat.

“I wanted to help out in eliminating food insecurity on UK’s campus and watch those who come in to eat create a small community with each other,” Dixon said. “It’s very rewarding to me.”

She also noted how the students who come are actively conversing and meeting new people, and how they are not worried about the pressures of school while they are there.

The program’s goals also include teaching healthy eating habits, and in each meal, there is at least one dish made using a recipe from Plate It Up Kentucky Proud, an initiative built around providing healthy, affordable recipes for college students especially.

Farm to Fork is run by head directors Amanda Hege and Dr. Tammy Stephenson and coordinators Liana Dixon and Cana Rhodes. Each week, the team meets to plan different meals they can prepare based on the food they receive from all around campus.

Those in attendance this week were treated to zucchini pizza and apple cake, in addition to information about future and related programs, including an upcoming cooking class next month.

Sheldon Salins, a freshman studying mechanical engineering, experienced the program for the first time and noted that he would come back in the future.

“It’s really cool that they’re able to do this every week, saving food and giving it out for free. It tastes great,” Salins said.

He, like the program, tries to avoid wasting food in his everyday life.

This is the program’s third consecutive week serving lunch, and some students have been enjoying the free food and company each week. Dan Eaton, a senior double majoring in forestry and natural resources and environmental science, and Madison McCulloch, a masters student studying plant pathology, have both attended the program each week, and they both mentioned how beneficial it is as a whole.

The people who oversee Farm to Fork welcome volunteers with open arms. Anyone who wants to help out on Wednesdays with food delivery and cooking can sign up here.