Though the physical location may be closed, the Community Food Room at Saint Mary’s is still finding ways to help students in need.
Run by jointly by Student Affairs & Services and SMUSA, the Food Room aims to offer access to safe, nutritious, and personally acceptable foods in a way that maintains human dignity.
Last week, the Community Food Room offered a one-time program for students to apply for an electronic gift card to purchase food at Atlantic Superstore or online at PC Express.
“The idea was to help bridge the gap for students who are waiting for funds from the government or other programs,” said Lyndsay Anderson, Assistant Director, Student Culture and Experience at Saint Mary’s.
The initiative drew great response and proved to be timely, with a total of 101 students applying for assistance. Each student received a $30 gift card to get much-needed food and supplies.
The Community Food Room also received a welcome boost from Enterprise Atlantic Canada, a long-term contributor to the program through their partnership with the Athletics & Recreation department. Enterprise recently made a generous gift of $4500 - an increase of $1000 from their gift last year.
“We are extremely grateful for this gift,” said Adam Daniels, Student Transitions Specialist with SMU Student Affairs & Services. “These funds will help the Food Room to continue to provide assistance to students in need, and allow the Food Room to be immediately restocked once the physical location on campus can open again.”
Though the Community Food Room remains closed, other help is available:
The DSU Food Bank is open: https://www.facebook.com/dsufoodbank.