ITM Takes University Restaurant Food Directly to Medellín Neighborhoods The Metropolitan Technological Institute (ITM) has launched a program to deliver prepared meals from its university restaurant directly to students’ neighborhoods, starting with the Santa Cruz commune in Medellín. This initiative aims to combat food insecurity, a major reason for university dropout, by providing balanced rations to 223 students from Monday to Friday. The program utilizes adapted vehicles for safe food transport and aligns with district policies on food security and the broader trend of Medellín’s public universities strengthening support programs for students facing economic difficulties.

• The Metropolitan Technological Institute (ITM) is the first public university in Colombia to deliver prepared food from its restaurant to students’ neighborhoods.
• The pilot program begins in the Santa Cruz commune (comuna 2) of Medellín, benefiting 223 students with daily meals from Monday to Friday.
• The initiative uses specially equipped vehicles to transport prepared food under sanitary and conservation protocols.
• This program is part of ITM’s institutional welfare and student retention efforts, aiming to reduce university dropout due to food insecurity.
• In 2025, the ITM university restaurant served 6,269 vulnerable undergraduate students, and in 2026, it has already served 4,874 students with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• The ITM’s initiative supports district food security policies and the trend of Medellín’s public universities enhancing food programs, scholarships, and economic aid. https://www.elcolombiano.com/medellin/itm-alimentos-restaurante-universitario-barrios-medellin-EE36451432