RRC’s food bank wants students to donate
Cassidy Rempel, CONTRIBUTOR
Winnipeg Harvest stopped delivering food kits to Red River College because not enough students are using the college’s food bank. SUPPLIED/ Steve Nachtigall
Winnipeg Harvest has stopped delivering food kits to Red River College because not enough students are using the college’s food bank, according to the executive of the students’ association.
Instead, the RRCSA must pick up the food from Winnipeg Harvest.
Calvary deJong, the vice-president external, said the decrease in the food bank’s use could be because people don’t know it exists or because people don’t need it this year.
“I’m not sure I believe people don’t need it,” deJong said.
The RRCSA runs the college’s food bank, which is available to any RRC student who has applied through Winnipeg Harvest. No one will ask students why they need the service.
“If you need it, you just call and register,” deJong said.
Sometimes students don’t feel comfortable looking for support, but that needs to change, he said.
The food bank is available so students don’t have to choose between homework and work, said Adam Taplin, the RRCSA president.
Students must register through Winnipeg Harvest every time they want to pick up food. Pick up dates are every other Wednesday in the Massey Building at the Exchange District Campus or every other Friday in the food bank trailer at the Notre Dame Campus.
Every two weeks, Taplin said there are 50 food kits available at the NDC and 30 at the EDC.
Meaghan Erbus, the public education administrator at Winnipeg Harvest, said the organization is as busy as other years.
“Our warehouse would be cleared out in a week if we shut down,” Erbus said.
The college’s food kits vary depending on the donations Winnipeg Harvest receives. Winnipeg Harvest accepts non-perishable food items, toiletries, clothes and pet food.
Specific requests are also available. If a student has an allergy or a family, he or she can request products specific to their needs, such as peanut-free products or formula. But Erbus said there is no guarantee these items will be available every pick up.
To make a donation directly to the college’s food bank, students can drop off food or money at the RRCSA offices. Leslie Howie, the SA administrative assistant, wrote in an email the food bank is always in need of volunteers to help with unloading, setting up and cleaning. Students can call the students’ association office to get involved.
