Association of Part-time Undergradute Students
Advisory, outreach and financial support ($13000)
UofT Emergency Foodbank
A joint initiative by students and staff - sponsored by the UofT community
We updated our 'Additional Resources' page on November 17th with services and resource lists within Toronto, Peel, York and Durham. If you require urgent food relief services, please refer to the 'City-listed resources' or the automated chatbot 'Chalmers'.
A Contactless Foodbank for Students
The COVID-19 crisis has amplified an existing problem for students at UofT and across Canada: food insecurity. Student poverty, a lack of economic opportunity and the closure of the University's only foodbank can only worsen the problem. Students and staff from various unions, student groups and faculties have partnered to provide a safe way for food-insecure students to access healthy food during difficult times. We do so by providing food boxes and resources on financial aid.
How It Works
Every week students can register to receive a Good Food box containing fresh produce. Each box feeds 2-4 people and students can continously register for as long as they need food. Information is provided to FoodShare by our volunteers in order to faciliate ordering and shipping. Please note we can only support 50 students per week on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Goals and Impact
Our immediate goal is to ensure that students have consistent access to food. Our long-term goal is to advocate for economic justice through food justice. Recognizing that food insecurity is a symptom of financial hardship, we are actively developing our program to deliver better services, collect and share research data, establish strategic partnerships with diverse stakeholders, and generate meaningful and progressive dialgoue regarding equitable access to education as it pertains to the barriers created by financial hardship.
Impact to date
Partners and Sponsors
This initiative is made possible by the efforts and generosity of the following organizations.
Please consider contacting us if you'd like to support it through a partnership or sponsorship. We also accept financial donations.
CUPE 3902
Advisory, outreach and financial support ($5000)
FoodShare
Food provider, logistical and in-kind support ($7500)
University of Toronto School of Cities
Advisory, outreach and financial support ($2000)
University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies
Advisory and financial support ($1000)
University of Toronto - Department of Philosophy
Financial Support ($1000)
Engineers Without Borders Toronto
Volunteer, outreach and financial support ($6000)
Trek for Teens
Volunteer and outreach support
Our Team
This initiative is led by the following project organizers:
Media
Publicity and news articles regarding this initiative.
Op-ed: How we’re tackling student food insecurity through COVID-19
U of T Emergency Foodbank members (Adam and Amaial) on the systemic nature of poverty
SofC Fellow leads an initiative to create UofT Emergency Foodbank
With the closing down of the only Foodbank at UofT, 2020 Student Fellow and Student Academy member Adam El-Masri, with support from a group of similarly driven U of T students, put into motion the creation of a UofT Emergency Foodbank for economically vulnerable students. Read our interview with Adam, where he explains what made him embark on this ambitious project and the motivation behind his dedication.