AUSTIN, Texas — Hundreds of students gather every Tuesday evening outside LuMin-Austin near the University of Texas at Austin for free burgers served through the campus ministry’s weekly “Tailgate Tuesdays” program.
The program began during the COVID-19 pandemic after LuMin shifted its weekly student meals to a curbside format and opened the service to students outside the ministry. Since then, the free burgers — nicknamed “churgers” by students — have grown in popularity, with about 400 students attending each week.
Senior nutrition major Michael Kell, a LuMin student intern who oversees supplies for the event, said the ministry has become known on campus for feeding students and building community.
“That’s really cool that the main thing we’re known for is feeding people and fostering community,” Kell said. “People are in line for a good amount of time and they’re always just talking with each other, people are meeting each other.”
Volunteers begin preparing ingredients hours before the 5 p.m. start time, grilling burgers and organizing toppings including cheese, tomatoes and pickles. Kell said students waiting in line sometimes help volunteers prepare and distribute food.
The ministry funds the meals through donations from alumni and supporters, along with assistance from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and LuMin’s building developer.
A 2022 survey by the Food Insecurity Action Team found that about one in three UT students experienced food insecurity. One student attending Tailgate Tuesdays said rising grocery and restaurant costs pushed her to seek free meal options.
Junior student volunteer Vivian Zhang said transportation, work schedules and the distance to grocery stores create barriers for many students trying to access food.
“Some people are just working to afford rent,” Zhang said. “So I have friends who work like 25 hours a week on top of being a full-time student and there’s just no time for anything.”
LuMin pastor Brad Fuerst said the ministry does not use the weekly meals to recruit students into the church.
“We know it as the bait and switch,” Fuerst said, referring to campus ministries that use free food as a way to proselytize. “Our only work is to really show how compelling that is by our actions.”
Fuerst said students have told him the burgers are sometimes the only hot meal they eat during the week. He added that the program aims to provide support and a sense of community for students facing financial and personal pressures.
