BYU honors students serve community at Food and Care Coalition

Brigham Young University honors students stepped out of the classroom and into the community on March 19, volunteering at the Food and Care Coalition in Provo.

The visit, organized through the BYU Honors Program, brought students to the coalitions facility, where they helped prepare and serve meals to individuals experiencing homelessness.

The mission of the Food and Care Coalition is simple but far-reaching: alleviate hunger, provide resources and restore dignity to those in need.

For many students, the experience was their first time engaging directly with the local homeless community. Isaac Olsen, an honors student, said the opportunity helped him see beyond the bubble many students live in.

I just wish people got out of their bubble more, Olsen said. You have your family bubble, your church bubble, your school bubble but getting out of yourself and seeing other ways that the world treats people is really valuable.

The Food and Care Coalition offers much more than just meals. In addition to feeding thousands each year, it provides hygiene services, medical care, housing support and job assistance.

Last year alone, the organization served more than 100,000 meals and provided tens of thousands of nights of housing, reflecting its role as a vital resource in Utah County.

Dylan Johnson, another student volunteer, said the experience was less about meeting a class requirement and more about building human connections.

I think Im just excited for the experience of talking to people and being able to connect and build relationships, Johnson said.

The emphasis on relationships is central to both the coalitions mission and the honors programs approach to education.

Eric Dursteler, director of the BYU Honors Program, said service opportunities such as this one help students understand both practical needs and deeper human realities.

There are so many people around us that are hungry and food insecure, Dursteler said. I think it is no coincidence that many of the Saviors miracles were centered around food.

Dursteler also pointed to the broader significance of sharing meals, noting that food has long been a way to bring people together across differences.

By serving something as basic as a meal, students participate in a form of connection that transcends social barriers.

I think of how Jesus used food as a way to connect with people, Dursteler said. He ate with those that others often overlooked. Theres a lot of meaning behind that, but at its core, serving others in such a practical way matters because everyone gets hungry.

The event reflects a growing effort within the honors program to integrate experiential learning with academic study.

Through courses and service opportunities, students are encouraged to engage directly with the world around them.

As trays were filled and meals passed across the counter, conversations flowed easily. For many students, the takeaway wasnt just the act of service itself, but the shift in perspective that came with it.

In a setting far removed from campus classrooms, the lesson was clear: education isnt only about what students learn, but is also about who they learn to see.