The Food Cupboard is struggling to meet the demand for donations, and they are reaching out to Algonquin’s community for help.
Students who struggle to make ends meet can visit the Food Cupboard once a month to receive a three-day supply of food and other non-perishables that they may need. But, officials say, due to the high turnover of students, people aren’t always aware that this service exists, or that the Food Cupboard relies entirely on donations provided by the Algonquin community.
So far in 2016, The Food Cupboard has served over 320 students, and it averages about 80 per month. Co-ordinator Skye Sullivan said the number of students visiting the Food Cupboard is continuing to increase and the donations aren’t coming in as quickly as they’re going out.
“What we have to give is dependent on what is donated,” said Sullivan. “All donations go to the students here at Algonquin. It is going to a good cause. Just them getting the food can make a difference in their studies and their stress levels.”
Lately, many faculty groups within the college have organized their own food drives in support of the Food Cupboard. These include Counselling Services, Financial Services, Academic Upgrading and the dean’s offices. Sullivan is confident that these food drives will help bring in donations.
“In the past, whenever faculty members have done food drives for us, they always bring in a lot of good things,” she said.
Karen Barclay-Matheson, a counsellor with Student Support Services, is one of these organizers.
“I just decided to ask my colleagues on my floor here in the E-building to gather a lot of food to help the students out, because I knew they were low on food,” she said. “So I thought that would be a quick way to get them some food faster.”
The Food Cupboard has been reaching out to the community via Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. They have also been reaching out to community members outside the college, who have done fundraisers for them in the past.
According to Barclay-Matheson, their food drive was a hit. “I think I might need more bins!” she said with a laugh.
But will it be enough?
The shelves at the Food Cupboard are still sparse, and Sullivan is concerned about the lack of donations. The Food Cupboard urges the Algonquin community to lend a hand.
People can donate to the Food Cupboard itself, in C050, or they can drop off donations at the SA office in E114.