Nova Scotia universities and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) joined with ±«Óătv to raise more than $200,000 to improve food security for students as part of a province-wide initiative on Giving Tuesday 2021.
Like last year, the campaign was inspired by a pledge from the J & W Murphy Foundation to match gifts from individuals to a certain thresholdĚýthat differed per institutionĚý(Dal’s match was for gifts up to $20,000). Some of the returning schools — including Dal, which had raised $71,650Ěýas of Dec. 3 — were able to surpass last year’s Giving Tuesday fundraising totals.
“With the generous of support of our donors and matching partners, the J & W Murphy Foundation, the ±«Óătv Student Union Food Bank and Agricultural Campus Food Pantry will be able to provide hundreds of students with reliable access to nourishing food when they need it,” says Deep Saini,Ěý±«ÓătvĚýpresident andĚývice-chancellor.Ěý“These programs have seenĚýaĚýrise in visits over the past year, and now we know they can continue to meet that need.”
ByĚýcreatingĚýsupply chain issues that are impacting food availability and costs, the COVID-19 pandemic hasĚýexacerbatedĚýfoodĚýinsecurityĚýfor students. Inflation rates areĚýalsoĚýat an 18-year high. And the cost of groceries has increased by as much as 10 per cent in the past six months, according to Statistics Canada data.
Answering the call
±«Óătv’s community responded to the call for help.ĚýDal’s first donor was BrianĚýArkelian, owner ofĚýHalcraftĚýPrinters: “We were pleased to support the ±«Óătv Food Security Project this year. This will help ensure students have access to proper nutrition while focusing on their education. The students are our future and a benefit to our community,” says Arkelian.
±«Óătv Student Union PresidentĚýMadeleine StinsonĚýexpressed gratitude on behalf of the students.Ěý“With these funds, we can purchase more groceries and supplies, and ultimately serve more students,” says Stinson. Ěý
It wasĚýLisa Murphy, co-director of the J & W Murphy FoundationĚý(pictured on the right, alongsideĚýher sister, Karen Spaulding),Ěýwho proposed the idea of taking the campaign province-wideĚýin 2020, so more university students could get the help they need to eat well.
This year the partnership grew; in its second iteration,ĚýUniversitĂ©ĚýSainte Anne and NSCCĚýwere new partners. They joinedĚýDal, Saint Mary’s University, Mount Saint Vincent University, St. Francis Xavier University, Acadia University, Cape Breton University, Atlantic School of Theology, NSCAD University andĚýthe University of King’s College in raising funds to improve food security for their students.
“To have played any part in igniting what has become a province-wide movement to promote food security on campus is deeply humbling,”ĚýMurphyĚýsays. “Student-led programs are well-positioned to make a difference, but they can meet the need so much more effectively with our collective support.”
“The impact of this initiative willĚýbe felt on campuses across the province,” says Murphy.
People still wishing to supportĚýthe campaignĚýhave until the end of the month to make their donationsĚýto ±«ÓătvĚýat .
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