About Us
Razorback Food Recovery was developed in 2014 by the Volunteer Action Center to raise awareness of food sustainability and food insecurity in the Northwest Arkansas area. Through a partnership with Chartwells Dining Services, RFR volunteers recover and repackage unused surplus food items from several campus dining halls and retail stores to redistribute resources to various community partners, including the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry, to minimize excess food waste on and off-campus.
Volunteering with RFR
Total Volunteers in Fall 2023
Total Volunteers in Spring 2024
Become a RFR Volunteer
Everything we do at Razorback Food Recovery is made possible by volunteers who assist with each step of the food recovery process who dedicate their time to serving one to three-hour shifts depending on the volunteer position and amount of food recovered. From recovering food on-campus and in the community to repackaging and redistributing resources, there are a variety of volunteer opportunities to choose from. Read more about our different volunteer opportunities below!
Dining Hall Recovery Volunteers
Dining Hall Recovery Volunteers are responsible for sorting and weighing the food directly from the Fulbright, 1021, Pomfret, and Jones Athletic Center dining halls. Volunteers will work together to collect data and ensure food safety for each location.
Distribution Recovery Volunteers
Distribution Recovery Volunteers deliver the recovered food to our community partners. These volunteers are responsible for driving the van, maintaining communication with the dining hall and repackaging volunteers, and making sure the food is transported safely to the right place.
Grocery Recovery Volunteers
Grocery Recovery Volunteers recover items from Whole Foods and delivers them to the pantry. This entails prepping the van with the proper supplies, driving to Whole Foods, and working together to organize, weigh, and load the van with crates of food. These volunteers will work and communicate directly with TriCycle Farms and the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry.
Union Catering Recovery Volunteers
Union Catering Recovery Volunteers are responsible for sorting, weighing, and transporting recovered food from the catering kitchen in the union. These volunteers deliver them to Fulbright dining hall to be used as imPACKS or donate food to the pantry.
Repackaging Recovery Volunteers
Repackaging Recovery Volunteers create individual, packaged meals called imPACKs from recovered food that can be found in friendly fridges on campus. This entails formulating a well-balanced meal with the food given, sealing the container, as well as researching and printing corresponding nutrition labels for imPACKs.