The UFV-Student Union Society Food Bank is struggling to keep up with unprecedented demand, and it is the focus of this year’s Giving Tuesday campaign Nov 28. On that day, monetary donations to the food bank will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000.

Giving Tuesday couldn’t come at a better time. Robbyn Bennett, UFV’s director of counselling and student wellness, says that in past years the food bank provided between 50-70 hampers per month. But in late August of this year, demand suddenly spiked. The food bank started receiving requests for 50-70 hampers per week.

“Our last big order was for 122, and we just had to shut it down because we couldn’t fill hampers at that pace,” Bennett says.

The food bank has been forced to cap output at 50 hampers to stay within budget for the rest of the year. Students choose from a regular or vegan option that is identical except for the proteins. All hampers come with rice, pasta, sauce, canned fruits and veggies, and peanut butter. Protein options, depending on which hamper they choose, might include lentils, beans, chickpeas, tuna, salmon, or canned chicken.

Bennett says food is basic human right and it’s sad they’ve had to pull back on the number of hampers they provide. This also comes at a time when students are experiencing housing insecurity at an alarming rate. Increased stress and anxiety affect a person’s ability to learn, as does hunger. Bennett says there’s also been an uptick in students accessing mental health supports.

The good news is lots of people are stepping forward to help. Bennett says UFV is a caring community.

“That’s one of the beautiful things about UFV is that people always want to help,” she says. “I’m not surprised that people have come to us to find out what they can do. It’s heartwarming to work with people who care and people who are willing to step up.”

The best way to help the UFV-SUS Food Bank is to donate money at https://connect.ufv.ca/give-to-ufv. This allows the food bank to shop for healthy items at a local grocery store, which provides a generous discount on food products. On Giving Tuesday (Nov 28), donations will be matched up to $10,000.

Food donations are welcome, and a list of accepted items can be obtained by emailing studentwellness@ufv.ca. People can also donate time to help fill hampers. Hosting events that provide free food is another way to help students.

For more info visit https://www.ufv.ca/student-wellness/programs/ufv-sus-food-bank/