The Campus Kitchen at the University of Kentucky

collage of students volunteering for The Campus Kitchen at UK

Important Notice:

Due to exciting renovations occuring in our Funkhouser kitchen, we are currently located in 200 Erikson Hall until further notice. Hopefully we will be fully updated and ready to serve in Funkhouser again by Spring 2021.

The Campus Kitchen at the University of Kentucky (CKUK) is a student-powered organization dedicated to reducing food waste and eliminating food insecurity. We recover food and produce from campus dining facilities, grocery stores, and farmers markets to prepare healthy, balanced meals for those experiencing poverty, hunger, isolation, and/or homelessness in the Lexington and UK community. CKUK also works to target the root causes of hunger and food waste on campus and in the community through education and programming.

students volunteering with campus kitchen

get involved

Receive a Free Meal or Attend a Class

Visit BBNvolved-CKUK to find event activities and RSVP for events, like our free, locally-sourced lunches for students struggling with hunger. We provide to-go lunches each Wednesday on campus.

BBNVolved-CKUK

Help the Community

You can assist in eliminating food waste and lowering food insecurity by donating to our organization. Gifts to this fund help offset operational expenses of CKUK as we work to offer more meals, reduce food waste, and empower the community.

Donate

Make Our Recipes

Follow our CKUK blog and learn how to make the healthy, seasonal meals you enjoyed at Farm to Fork or one of our cooking events. Share comments to let our volunteers know what recipes you enjoyed and about your cooking experience.

CKUK Blog

volunteers with campus kitchen

Volunteer

Food Recovery

Recover food from farms, farmers' markets, grocery stores and restaurants in Lexington and dining facilities on campus. Volunteers collect items being donated and deliver them back to our kitchen.

Food Recovery

Processing and Cooking

Prepare healthy, homemade meals that will later be distributed to those in need. Volunteers combine fresh, recovered foods into well-balanced meals.

Cooking

Meal Delivery

Deliver healthy, prepared meals to residents in Lexington and students on campus. Learn more about the variety of delivery shifts and dates volunteers are needed.

Meal Delivery

student volunteers at campus kitchen

Fall 2014 - Spring 2020

Infographic showing how many pounds of food recovered (30,459), meals served (21,642) and volunteers (6,927)

Dealing with the challenges of today requires problem-solvers who bring different perspectives and are willing to take risks. The Campus Kitchen at the University of Kentucky emerged out of a pursuit to inspire and support the community, and a desire for actions to speak louder than words. Established in 2000, we’re an organization driven by progressive ideas, bold actions, and a strong foundation of support.

Membership & Contact

Become a Member

Members are required to volunteer at least 10 hours per semester, attend at least one shift captain meeting per semester and submit a reflection about your volunteer experiences with CKUK. Membership is granted once all of these steps are completed. Request to join BBNvolved-CKUK and you will be added to our email list and receive organization-wide updates and information about events.

Learn more about how Campus Kitchen at the University of Kentucky operates by reading our bylaws.