UNews - Diana Letts

New emergency food program launched for students living in residence

caroline.zentner — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:55:19 +0000

Students living in residence at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge now have access to emergency food thanks to a grant from the Food for Thought committee.

The Residence Life team developed the Resident Emergency Food Fund (REFF) in response to reports of food going missing from communal fridges. The Residence Life team works to ensure students are connected with all the services they need, including food. While first-year students living in residence are required to be on a dining plan, making the plan last the entire academic year can be a challenging task for students living away from home for the first time. Likewise, continuing students who aren’t on a dining plan can also find themselves short of food.

Shanna Brown, Campus Life Housing Coordinator.

In some instances, not having enough food can drive students into taking on outside jobs to make ends meet, which also diminishes the time they have available to focus on their studies and function day-to-day.

“Students were asking us about the food insecurity measures within residence, and we didn’t really have anything established,” says Shanna Brown, Campus Life Housing Coordinator.

The team applied to the Food for Thought committee and received a $2,500 grant, which will provide grocery store gift cards and meal vouchers for the Chartwells food outlets on campus.

“We are extremely grateful to the Food for Thought committee as these funds will help us reduce food insecurity within our residences,” says Brown. “REFF is available for all of our residents, whether they’re first-year or continuing, regardless of their income.”

To access the program, students will be asked to fill out an application form and meet with a member of the Residence Life team, who will determine the long-term support needs. Along with the short-term support of a grocery card or food voucher, students will get help with long-term planning, resources and referrals.

“Supporting our students’ access to nutritious food remains a key priority on campus, and we’re excited to continue exploring initiatives like this that make a real difference. By working together, we can help ensure our students have what they need to thrive and enjoy the best possible academic experience,” say Food for Thought co-chairs Diana Letts and Crystal Volk.

Additional Food for Thought programming for students includes The Bodega, a food-sharing hub where students can pick up snacks, non-perishables, hygiene products and gently used kitchenware items; food literacy workshops; free fresh produce events and the Campus Roots Community Garden.

Buy A Student A Breakfast campaign a simple gesture with immeasurable impact

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:08:38 +0000

Students are the focus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s annual Giving Tuesday campaign — Buy A Student A Breakfast (BASAB) — which kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 28.

Students across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Lethbridge and Calgary campuses are getting ready for final exam season. Long hours in the library, study groups and power reading require extra fuel and perseverance. As the most important meal of the day, a healthy breakfast can be just the boost students need to start their busy day off right.

“The initiative has been running since 2018 and we’re proud to say our community continues to step up with stronger support every year,” says Diana Letts, an educator and a teaching development facilitator in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Teaching Centre and Co-chair of the ULethbridge Food for Thought program. “Our alumni donors have been especially supportive and we’re once again looking to provide more than 1,000 student breakfasts at a really crucial time of year.”

A pledge of just $6 buys a breakfast for a ULethbridge student. The gesture is small, but the impact it can have on a student’s day is immeasurable.

“It’s more than a breakfast coupon, it’s a way to show our students how much our community values them and is behind them as they pursue their academic goals,” adds Letts. “Many of our students are a long way from home and, during a stressful time of year, a reminder that there’s a community here supporting them is really meaningful.”

Brenna Scott (BA ’16), a former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students’ Union president, gives to the campaign annually and identifies with the stress students are feeling as final exams approach.

“I remember what it felt like to be a student during this time of year, and you need that little extra push,” she says. “Giving Tuesday is a great way to show students you care. They can use their coupon to buy a breakfast and then get back into the library to study and make sure they have a great end to their semester.”

The BASAB campaign begins Tuesday and runs through the end of the week. Each $6 donation buys a coupon redeemable for one breakfast sandwich and one coffee or tea at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Tim Hortons or Urban Café (Lethbridge campus) while Calgary campus students will receive Tim Hortons gift cards. Coupons will then be distributed by volunteers including ULethbridge alumni and members of the Food for Thought committee throughout the first week of the final exam period, Dec. 4-8.

To make a gift and share an encouraging message for a student, visit go.uleth.ca/Buy-Breakfast.

UNews - Diana Letts

New emergency food program launched for students living in residence

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Buy A Student A Breakfast campaign a simple gesture with immeasurable impact

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