Brigham Young University’s Cougs Care service projects this football season will continue the spirit of service that began in 2019.
Local BYU alumni chapters will host service opportunities at all away football games this 2026 season, working with local organizations to help meet the needs of each community.
This season’s projects include literacy drives, a food drive and a sports equipment drive benefiting organizations in Colorado, Texas, Florida, Kansas and Utah, explained a BYU news release. Fans attending BYU road games are invited to stop by the BYU Alumni pre-game tailgate to participate.
And for the first time, Cougs Care will include a home event in association with First Down Provo on Friday, September 11 from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Old Courthouse County Grounds in Provo, Utah. Fans attending the event are invited to bring canned food items for Community Action Services and Food Bank to support local families facing food insecurity.
Last season, BYU alumni and fans donated more than 70,000 pounds of food, more than 7,000 books, and 1,000 coats and pairs of shoes.
BYU Advancement Vice President Keith Vorkink told the Church News podcast in 2025 that attendance at these service projects is up significantly from years past, which fits into President Spencer W. Kimball’s vision he laid out in his second-century address given at BYU for its 100th anniversary.
“What gets me most excited is both students and alumni understanding what role they can play in aligning to the vision laid out by President Kimball, reinforced by President [Russell M.] Nelson and President [Dallin H.] Oaks, to go out and make a difference because of the education they get, both spiritually and academically, to be a force for good in the world. That’s exciting,” Vorkink said.
2026 Cougs Care pre-game tailgate service projects
The beginning details for each project are available below, with more information such as kickoff and tailgate times to come on the BYU Alumni web page as it becomes available.
Game: BYU @ Colorado State; Sept. 19, 5:30 PM MDT
- Tailgate time: 2:30-4:30 PM MDT
- Location: 951 Meridian Ave (Outside CSU Rec Center), Fort Collins, Colorado.
- Beneficiary: Children’s Speech & Reading Center, a nonprofit providing literacy and speech-language services to children in northern Colorado.
- Donation items: New children’s books (in person or via this Amazon Wishlist).
Game: BYU @ TCU; Oct. 3, Game time TBA
- Tailgate time: Friday, Oct. 2, 6-8 PM because of October 2026 general conference.
- Location: Josey Ranch Athletic Complex, 1440 Keller Springs Rd, Carrollton, Texas.
- Beneficiary: Literacy United, serving the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
- Donation items: New children’s books (in person or via this Amazon Wishlist).
Game: BYU @ UCF; Oct. 24, Game time TBA
- Tailgate time: TBA (3 hours prior to kickoff)
- Location: Carillon Elementary School, 3200 Lockwood Blvd, Oviedo, Florida.
- Beneficiary: Knights Pantry, UCF campus food pantry
- Donation items: Nonperishable food items for students in need.
Game: BYU @ Utah; Nov. 7, Game time TBA
- Tailgate time: TBA (3 hours prior to kickoff)
- Location: BYU Salt Lake Center, 345 W North Temple, 3 Triad Center, Suite 300, Salt Lake City.
- Beneficiary: Local elementary students served through the BYU School of Education and the University of Utah College of Education.
- Donation items: New children’s books
Game: BYU @ Kansas; Nov. 21, Game Time TBA
- Tailgate time: TBA (3 hours prior to kickoff)
- Location: Buford M. Watson Jr. Park, 727 Kentucky St, Lawrence, Kansas.
- Beneficiary: Lawrence Boys and Girls Club and Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas.
- Donation items: New or gently used sports equipment for youth.
