The Food for Fines program returned to campus March 6–24, allowing those with eligible citations issued by Parking and Transportation Services to donate soup cans to the UT Outpost in place of paying a fine. 

Food for Fines launched in 2018 as a collaborative effort of the UT Outpost food pantry, Student Government and PTS to combat food insecurity. The program halted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but returned to campus this month, requesting soup cans in exchange for waiving one campus parking citation per person. 

“Something that moves very quickly from our shelves is soup,” UT Outpost coordinator Valeria Martin said. “It’s something that’s very quick and easy for students to eat. You can just pop it in the microwave or on the stovetop very quickly. It’s always great.”

Additionally, Martin said soup was chosen because of the variety of dietary restrictions it can cater to. 

“I’m excited to see the variety in terms of different dietary restrictions that can be met with soup, like vegan-friendly, gluten-free and dairy-free,” Martin said. “Different types of food items can cater to the different dietary needs that our students have.” 

When the program launched, Food for Fines asked for donations of peanut butter and canned pineapple because of their low prices and their demand at the UT Outpost. In 2018, more than 150 jars of peanut butter were collected, amounting to about $4,500 of waived citations. In 2019, nearly 250 cans of pineapple were donated, dismissing almost $3,000 of fines. 

Unopened and unexpired soup cans of at least 10 ounces will be accepted at the Brazos, Conference Center, Health Center, Manor, San Antonio and Trinity parking garages during their regular hours. 

For fines ranging from $15 to $35, five soup cans are required to dismiss a citation while seven cans are required for fines between $36 and $75. Ten-ounce cans of soup cost between 70 cents to $2.50 each.

Citations issued between August 17, 2022, and March 5 are eligible for dismissal through the program. More than 7,000 citations were issued during this time frame, according to PTS director Blanca Gamez. 

Gamez said the time frame was chosen because it includes the start of the academic year and ends before class registration. Outstanding PTS fines prevent students from registering for classes.

“In the future, we could look at doing it again in the (fall) or once every semester,” Gamez said. “(We are) definitely open to ideas and opportunities on how to support the campus community — especially the students here on campus.”

Both Martin and Gamez said they hope the program’s return will address the specific needs of UT students. 

“My goal is to always help one student on this campus,” Gamez said. “But the ability to reach a large contingent of students on this campus is the best goal that I could have.”