Students living in residence at the University of Lethbridge now have access to emergency food thanks to a grant from the Food for Thought committee.
The Residence Life team developed the Resident Emergency Food Fund (REFF) in response to reports of food going missing from communal fridges. The Residence Life team works to ensure students are connected with all the services they need, including food. While first-year students living in residence are required to be on a dining plan, making the plan last the entire academic year can be a challenging task for students living away from home for the first time. Likewise, continuing students who aren’t on a dining plan can also find themselves short of food.
In some instances, not having enough food can drive students into taking on outside jobs to make ends meet, which also diminishes the time they have available to focus on their studies and function day-to-day.
“Students were asking us about the food insecurity measures within residence, and we didn’t really have anything established,” says Shanna Brown, Campus Life Housing Coordinator.
The team applied to the Food for Thought committee and received a $2,500 grant, which will provide grocery store gift cards and meal vouchers for the Chartwells food outlets on campus.
“We are extremely grateful to the Food for Thought committee as these funds will help us reduce food insecurity within our residences,” says Brown. “REFF is available for all of our residents, whether they’re first-year or continuing, regardless of their income.”
“Supporting our students’ access to nutritious food remains a key priority on campus, and we’re excited to continue exploring initiatives like this that make a real difference. By working together, we can help ensure our students have what they need to thrive and enjoy the best possible academic experience,” say Food for Thought co-chairs Diana Letts and Crystal Volk.
Additional Food for Thought programming for students includes The Bodega, a food-sharing hub where students can pick up snacks, non-perishables, hygiene products and gently used kitchenware items; food literacy workshops; free fresh produce events and the Campus Roots Community Garden.