Lethbridge Polytechnic helping students with food insecurity with it’s mobile food bank

With the cost of living rising, food costs can be expensive. Food insecurity affects
many post-secondary students. With insecurity about loans and other expensive, students are seeking support. Lethbridge Polytechnic is making it a little easier to access the support students need with its mobile food bank. Lori Harasem, wellness services coordinator, says it’s important for students to have support on
campus.

“We know that many students, like probably over half of the students, are food insecure, which means that they’re really struggling to afford being able to buy groceries and eat healthy. So any support that we can give them with access to free food really helps them. And that minimizes their stress. And we all know that eating healthy is really important for learning.”

With food insecurity among post-secondary students rising to 29 per cent of Canadians experiencing food insecurity in 2023 according to a study called current state of food insecurity by student wellness at the University of Saskatchewan published on Nov.14 ,2024. Alongside giving student support, it creates a community for students to rely on, while reliving stress from groceries and living prices. Emma Horgus, a Lethbridge Polytechnic students adds that the mobile food bank affects students in a positive light.

“If you’re a student, it’s important to learn about these resources on campus. Especially if you don’t know where to go and you’re already struggling to find something, it’s better to have knowledge about something on campus where it’s easy to just get out of class and go and find it. And you can get help that way. You can get food and you’re nice and fed.”

The mobile food bank on campus gives students the opportunity to access food support without worrying about transportation and gas cost. Including if students are living on campus, it gives them a convenient way to get food support. Lori Harasem adds that convenience is mainly the reason they created this support on campus.

“You can go to other food banks and other food drives on campus. So not everybody owns a car. And so, when you go to a food bank, you know, really you could be on the bus and have to transfer buses. And then you’re trying to carry your food donations. So, bringing the food bank here is a lot easier for students who don’t have a car because they’re on campus anyways,especially for students in res where they can just take the food and walk over to
their apartment.”

With the Lethbridge Polytechnic mobile food bank happening every month between 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. outside of the main doors of the college offering fresh produce and household goods free of charge. The organizers are hoping that more awareness grows and more students to be comfortable with using this support on campus and the resources. With no registation or ID required to access the mobile food bank. Students were encouraged to come and take advantage of the resources and essentials they needed. With the goal being able to students a little more with inflation and cost of living during this difficult time.