UTD Basic Needs

A big thank you to UTD ISA and the DFW chapter of SEWA International USA! Community members ran a donation drive for students at an event ISA hosted this past Saturday. All the leftover clothing from the event was given to Temoc's Closet, helping ensure that UT Dallas students continue to have free and reliable access to professional and casual clothes. 
 
This donation is especially helpful for our upcoming Move-In Market event this Saturday, where this and other donated clothing items will be given away to hundreds of students, helping them prepare for the upcoming fall semester. 
 
Thank you for supporting our goal of ensuring every Comet has the means to dress for success!

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Alt text: A group photo with BNRC staff alongside students and community members at an on-campus event. Following that, two photos showcasing various donated clothing.

Hey alumni! The Basic Needs Resource Center will be hosting the second-annual Move-In Market event on Saturday, August 22nd from 10AM-3PM in the Activity Center Auxiliary Gym. Support Comets by donating needed items to support their time at UT Dallas! Accepted donations include clothing, shoes, accessories, kitchenware, linens, small furniture, backpacks, reusable tote bags, and more! Visit utd.link/moveinmarket for additional event and donation info. Link in BNRC's bio!

Interested in volunteering your time? Volunteer opportunities are available Friday, August 21st and Saturday, August 22nd. Please contact [email protected] for further details and to sign up!

Interested in donating items? Donations will be accepted Monday - Friday 9AM-4PM at the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center, August 3rd through August 20th. Please contact [email protected] to arrange an alternative drop-off.

This event will be a great success with the support of our Comet community – students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members. Together, all of us can support our fellow Comets in need.

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Alt text: A graphic advertising donation drive for an event hosted by the UT Dallas Basic Needs Resource Center. All information on the graphic is included in the above post description.]

The Basic Needs Resource Center, in collaboration with UT Dallas Alumni and other campus partners, will be hosting our second-annual Move-In Market event on Saturday, August 22nd from 10AM-3PM in the Activity Center Auxiliary Gym. This event will be a great opportunity for students to get dorm essentials, school supplies, and other needed items to start the school year off strong! All items will be offered free of charge for all currently enrolled students, whether it'll be your first semester or your last.

Visit utd.link/moveinmarket for additional event information and donation info. Link in BNRC's bio!

Interested in donating items? Please contact the BNRC team at [email protected] to arrange a drop-off. This event will be a great success with the support of our Comet community – students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members. Together, all of us can support our fellow Comets in need.
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Alt text: A graphic advertising an upcoming event hosted by the UT Dallas Basic Needs Resource Center. All information on the graphic is included in the above post description.]

Thank you to The Bridge for hosting a group from UT Dallas for the Bruce August Jr. Juneteenth Day of Service! A group of staff and students spent the morning giving back while focused on community and service, which was a meaningful way of recognizing our late colleague, Bruce.

Being a student can get expensive, but we’re here to help!

Introducing Student Savings, a list of all the ways you can save money as a UT Dallas student. With 57 resources and counting, there's something for you, whether you want to save on everyday essentials, handle an unexpected expense, or access entertainment and other fun experiences on a budget.

Here's just some of the useful resources on our list, brought to you by our amazing campus partners:

– Temoc's Closet: Get free clothes, shoes, hygiene products, and more.
– : Get discounted tickets, 10% off select on-campus dining, and free notary services.
– : A free food pantry for all currently enrolled UT Dallas students.
– and DART: Get a free pass to ride DART buses, trains, and more.
– Comet Discount Program: Get discounts on hotels, childcare, restaurants, and more.

Want even more ways to save? Visit utd.link/student-savings for the full list, or get there from our Linktree!

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Alt text: A graphic that reads "Student Savings: Did you know UT Dallas students can save money on food, clothes, transportation, and more?" The graphic lists five on-campus resources described in the caption of this post.

We’re excited to recognize our April 2026 Volunteer of the Month...

Brooke Cooley!

Brooke has spent over 110 hours hosting volunteer opportunities in our office in partnership with the student organization Stitch to Enrich. She teaches students how to upcycle excess t-shirts from Temoc's Closet into beautiful crocheted tote bags for the Comet Cupboard! We asked Brooke a few questions:

What is your favorite part of volunteering with us? -- “Getting the opportunity to make something useful out of what would become garbage!”

[Editor's note: We recycle excess clothes so they don't become garbage, but the point still stands!]

Tell us a fun fact about yourself! -- “I'm on level 9000 in Gardenscapes!”

We appreciate you, Brooke!

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Alt text: A graphic recognizing Brooke Cooley as our volunteer of the month, including a photo of Brooke. All other information on the graphic is included in the above post description.

A big thank you to the COMM 3340 Team Dynamics class, led by Dr. Totusek in , who organized a donation drive and 'Take It Or Leave It Day' event as part of their semester-long class project in supporting Temoc's Closet! Their donation drive raised 935 pounds of clothes to support the mission of Temoc's Closet in ensuring every Comet has the ability to dress comfortably and confidently for their academic and professional pursuits. Whoosh!

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Alt text: Two group pictures of UT Dallas students, staff, and faculty at an event. In the first picture, everyone is doing the "mini-whoosh."

Congratulations to our inaugural Volunteer of the Month, Matthew Rodriguez, on receiving the Community Service Award at this week's UT Dallas Student Leadership Awards!

We are so proud of Matthew and so appreciative not only of the time he has spent supporting Temoc's Closet, but of the kindness and generosity of spirit he has brought into our office as a regular volunteer. Matthew is more than deserving of this award, and we know it is just one of many great things to come in his future!



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Alt text: A graphic that says "Congratulations to Temoc's Closet Volunteer Matthew Rodriguez." It includes a photo of Matthew's award, which says "UTD Student Leadership - Community Service Award - Matthew Rodriguez - 2025-2026." It also includes a photo of Matthew holding his award.

Join the Basic Needs Resource Center and ANIM3 UTD for a Stressbusters anime lounge! Thursday, April 30th from 3PM to 5PM in the BNRC, SSB 4.300. Join us for snacks, drinks, and anime! One episode of each of the following four anime will be shown: The Royal Tutor, Inuyasha, Hinamatsuri, and Ouran High School Host Club.
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Alt text: A graphic advertising an upcoming event hosted by the UT Dallas Basic Needs Resource Center. All information on the graphic is included in the above post description.

As part of Earth Week, join the Office of Sustainability and the Basic Needs Resource Center for a discussion on sustainable fashion and a hands-on upcycling project: making reusable bags for the Comet Cupboard! Attendees will earn volunteer hours, verified through EngageUTD!

Two workshop dates: Tuesday 4/21 from 9 to 11 AM, and Thursday 4/23 from 2:30 to 4:30 PM. Both workshops are in SSA 12.471. Sign up from the Linktree in our bio (linktr.ee/utdbasicneeds).


 
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Alt text: A graphic promoting two upcycling workshops hosted by the Office of Sustainability and the Basic Needs Resource Center. All information on the graphic is included in the post description.