UNews - food bank

The Art of Giving

david.kirby — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 18:42:32 +0000

Leanne Elias (BFA ’95 and MEd ’03) was a newly single mother of three young children when she applied to university for the first time. She had few resources and even less money, and the notion of finding a way to pursue an education while simultaneously ensuring that her kids would have everything they needed to thrive – well, it was a daunting situation to say the very least.

Having earned her bachelor's and master's degree at the U of L, new media professor Leanne Elias vividly remembers the assistance she received at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

“It became very clear very quickly that I couldn’t make it in a big city,” says Elias. “I was accepted at several universities, but when I went to check things out, most everywhere the reality for me and my children was pretty grim. There were long commutes between campus and where I could afford to live, and the idea of not being able to get to my kids easily if I needed to was terrifying. Someone suggested that I apply to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, so I phoned the dean’s office in the Faculty of Fine Arts to ask for an appointment. They invited me in right away.”

Elias made the trip to U of L and was met with receptive aplomb.

“It was absolutely incredible,” Elias recalls. “My appointment with the Faculty was at 9 a.m. My portfolio was reviewed on site and I was accepted on the spot. Before one o’clock that afternoon I had appropriate housing and my kids were registered in school. Everything fell into place and it just felt right.”

One bachelor’s and master’s degree later (both earned at U of L) and Elias hopped the fence from U of L student to U of L professor. Currently, Elias is associate professor in the Department of New Media, teaching classes and doing research in the area of graphic design.

Elias may have jumped an academic hurdle at U of L, but she vividly remembers and appreciates the assistance she received at the university, and makes a point of giving back in a number of ways – including the U of L Supporting our Students (SOS) initiative.

“I received a lot of help here, both financially and otherwise, which quite frankly made it possible for me to succeed,” says Elias. “There isn’t a day when I’m not thankful to have attended the U of L and to now be here as a professor.”

Elias began making contributions to SOS the year she started as an instructor and has made monthly contributions ever since.

“There were days in my academic career when I needed to go to the food bank,” says Elias. “But I made it through, with help. Contributing to SOS is one small thing I can do to ease the way for someone else. I can’t stand the thought of someone being deterred from study because they feel they can’t afford it.”

Working closely with students gives Elias tremendous satisfaction – and her students appreciate the commitment. Elias was given the U of L Students’ Union Award for Teaching Excellence in 2014. It’s an accolade Elias takes humbly in stride, deflecting the praise back at those she feels she’s at the U of L to serve.

“I’m here for the students. We all are,” says Elias. “There are so many wonderful, creative, brilliant young minds on campus. If we don’t support them every way possible, as faculty we really aren’t doing our jobs.”

Please join Leanne and support our students today.

Food bank continues to serve a valuable need

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:34:28 +0000

Bringing Home The Bacon challenge on throughout February

The phrase "one must eat well in order to learn well," has never been truer than it is today.

Twenty years ago, graduate students at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta launched the first campus food bank and today there are more than 70 student food banks nationwide. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) is proud to be the host of one of those food banks.

The issue of starving students comes as a result of a number of factors, including increased tuition rates, a shortage of youth jobs and ever-rising food prices. The reality is that most students rely on some form of financial assistance to supplement their post-secondary educations and all too often they stretch their funds by going without healthy meals.

The ULSU recognizes the financial constraints involved with post-secondary education and offers students both single and family-sized food hampers that are designed to give those in need a healthy alternative to going hungry. However, the food bank is a limited resource, as it is a volunteer-based service that relies completely on donations in order to survive. Events such as the Faculty Food Bank Fundraiser are hosted by the Students' Union to help meet the food bank's needs.

For the month of February, bright pink piggy banks can be spotted in departments throughout the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Faculty, staff and students are all asked to dig deep and "donate some bacon." The fundraiser entices its contributors by offering a foodie gift basket and snacks delivered to the department that donates the most bacon, metaphorically speaking.

"This year, I thought it would be a good idea to add some incentive to the project by offering a food-based prize," says organizer Brady Schnell, ULSU vice-president Operations and Finance. "Last year, $298 was raised and it is my hope to beat that this year by offering a prize and extending the fundraiser to an entire month."

Schnell says that the demand placed on the campus food bank has increased significantly over the last couple years.

"We provided 154 single hampers and 80 family-sized hampers last year," he says. "This past November we provided 45 hampers in a single month!"

The ULSU supports a number of initiatives that benefit the food bank. Just last month, Schnell was involved in a local food and beverage exhibition where student volunteers received enough donations to fill six food hampers and were also given an additional $200 to go towards supporting the food bank's needs.

Schnell says the demand speaks for itself and he's thankful to everyone in the community and at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ who support the needs of students.

To donate to the food bank, look for the pink piggy banks or visit the ULSU in SU180.

Students' Union Food Bank always in need of support

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:55:09 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union has a number of services that assist in allowing students to focus on their studies.

Understanding the financial constraints involved in obtaining a post-secondary education, and the difficulty in making ends meet, the ULSU is helping students alleviate the pressure of food insecurity by offering the ULSU Food Bank.

"The Students' Union Food Bank is one of the most widely used resources we offer on campus," says Shuna Talbot, ULSU vice-president internal. "Unfortunately, going to school is expensive and that leaves a lot of students with less money to cover costs for food, rent and other necessities."

All current students, faculty and staff of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge are eligible to access the food bank. The food bank has a wide range of users and everyone has a different story; whether it is a delay with a student loan, an emergency situation, unexpected expenses or other budgeting issues, the ULSU Food Bank is there to help.

The ULSU Food Bank is a not-for-profit service, but it is also a limited resource dependent on donations. The food bank can be accessed twice a month to a maximum of 10 visits in an academic career. Every October, the Students' Union hosts the Feed or Famine Food Drive, which pits student clubs against each other in a challenge to collect food bank donations. It's a friendly competition where clubs select an area of Lethbridge and go door to door to collect food bank donations. The clubs visit homes in Lethbridge and leave a notice that they will come back on a designated day and collect non-perishable food items.

This year, over the course of seven days at the end of October (Oct. 29 through Nov. 4), the Feed or Famine Food Drive crowned the Trolls Rugby Club as the winner of the challenge after they collected the most non-perishable food items.

The Trolls were awarded $300 for their win, followed by the Pre-Med club ($200) and the Geography club ($100). A total of 2,476 non-perishable food items were collected and club participation was up from the previous year.

"We are in constant need of donations, due to the increasing amount of students who access the food bank every year," says Talbot. "We continually have to replenish the food supply due to the high demand."

The Students' Union is always accepting donations for the food bank. For more information on how to donate, e-mail food.bank@uleth.ca or visit www.ulsu.ca.

Cookbook to benefit SU Food Bank

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:51:46 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Bookstore has embarked on a fundraiser for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union Food Bank.

The bookstore is putting together a cookbook, which will feature a collection of U of L staff and faculty recipes. The cookbook will be published on campus and all proceeds from the sales of the book will go to the Students' Union Food Bank.

The SU Food Bank helps hundreds of students each year deal with food insecurity issues, allowing them to focus on their academic priorities. The Students' Union understands the financial constraints involved with earning a university education and has implemented this service so that students do not go hungry.

Food hampers are available in both single and family sizes, and are designed to last about a week. Students, staff and faculty are all eligible to receive food hampers. An individual is able to obtain a food hamper once every two weeks, limited to a total of 10 hampers throughout their entire academic career.

The food bank is a limited resource because it is a not-for-profit, volunteer run organization that depends entirely on donations to operate.

"The food bank has proven to be an essential service to U of L Students and we are always so grateful for the continued support from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community, as well as the Lethbridge community, in order to continue to meet students' needs," says Armin Escher, ULSU president.

Any staff or faculty member who would like to contribute to the cookbook can submit their favourite recipes to the bookstore via e-mail (bookstore@uleth.ca) by June 20.

"We, at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Bookstore, are very excited about the launch of our new fundraising initiative for our Students' Union Food Bank," says Rebecca Colbeck, U of L Bookstore. "This campus is a community, and it is important that we all work together and support one another. The cookbook will give faculty, staff and students the opportunity to share some great family recipes and really make a different to those in our community."

The cookbook will be available to faculty, staff, students and the general public to purchase in the Fall 2012 at the U of L Bookstore.

Food bank a valuable service

trevor.kenney — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:39:28 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU), an organization mandated to aid students and governed by students, offers a long list of excellent services to the student population throughout the year; but few are as valuable as the ULSU Food Bank.

Formally introduced by the ULSU General Assembly in 2004, the ULSU Food Bank has been growing with every new academic year. Last year, the Food Bank provided over 140 food hampers, both single and family, and saw a consistent increase in new students utilizing the services from the previous year.

The food hampers are designed to assist a student or a family for a period of five to seven days and each contains various healthy food choices. Students are eligible to utilize the Food Bank's services twice a month up to a maximum of ten times throughout their entire academic career.

The Food Bank is a donation driven service and the ULSU hosts numerous fundraising events every year to ensure that the shelves remain stocked and the hampers are plentiful. This year's fundraising efforts kicked off in September with a Car Wash and BBQ held at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Drive Alliance Church (UDAC).

"With the help of UDAC, the General Assembly, our friends at CKXU, community members and volunteers, the ULSU raised $350 to stock the Food Bank shelves," says VP Operations & Finance Leyland Bradley.

The last week of October brought on the second fundraiser of the year, the Trick or Eat Food Drive. Trick or Eat pits campus clubs against one another in a friendly competition to see which of them can raise the most donations, both edible and monetary, through an extensive community canvassing campaign.

At a time when rising education costs and living expenses are scrutinized and discussed at every societal level, and students are feeling the financial pinch more than ever before; now is the time to champion services that facilitate the post-secondary experience.

The ULSU Food Bank is an invaluable service to many ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students that is only made possible by the generous donations from the Lethbridge and area community, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community and countless individual donors and volunteers.

If you are a student who requires assistance or you wish to donate to the ULSU Food Bank, do not hesitate to visit www.ulsu.ca, our offices in SU180 or call 403-329-2222 for more information.

This story first appeared in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Helping students find their way

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 May 2011 20:29:27 +0000

Shawnee Brave Rock never intended to go to university, but after excelling at her high school upgrading courses, she followed the example of her mother – a PhD student – and enrolled at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Born and raised in Lethbridge, Brave Rock knew the city well, but the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus was new territory.

"It was really exciting but at the same time, I was really intimidated. It was just really scary," she says.

For the pre-management student, the Native Student Advisor, Elizabeth Ferguson, has been a critical resource.

Judith Wabegijig, left, and Shawnee Brave Rock are appreciative of the assistance they get from Native Student Advisor Elizabeth Ferguson.

"I'm a single mom, and I think my biggest struggle isn't school – it's life outside of school," says Brave Rock. In the last two years, she's approached Ferguson for help with everything from scheduling classes to accessing the food bank, and says this guidance has eased a lot of the pressure.
"One of the most important factors for success for aboriginal students is the support they receive on campus. This support must be culturally relevant and reflect the needs of the aboriginal community," says Ferguson (BA '03, MA '05).

Campus can feel like a large, imposing place for any student, but it can be especially tough for First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) students. Many of these students are from out-of-town and may feel shy about asking for help finding the services they need or connecting with the FNMI community. Having an FNMI advisor can mean all the difference.

Judith Wabegijig, a mature student taking Native American Studies, would agree: she meets with Ferguson two or three times each semester for guidance.

"It's stress relieving being able to talk to the advisor about unexpected problems I've had and being directed to the right person to talk to," she says. It's also helped her maintain focus and motivation when the demands of student life pile up.

But success at university requires community support, too. In addition to offering academic counselling for students, the Native Student Advisor organizes several events during the year to connect FNMI students with each other and with the
U of L campus as a whole, like Native Awareness Week. For Brave Rock, these social links are as important as academic services to her success.

"When I'm in class and walking around university, I don't see many aboriginal students. But, because of the services the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ offers, I've met a lot of other native students. It's not that it's exclusive, but we stick together and do things together."

With a tradition of strong aboriginal connections, the U of L implemented the Native Student Advising Program in 2002 in response to the growing number of FNMI students, and to ensure they received the support they needed to succeed academically.

This year, the program received a significant boost thanks to a gift from the Ralph Klein Foundation and matching funds from the Alberta Government through the Access to the Future Fund. As a result, the Native Student Advising Program will be able to hire a second advisor, expand its services and help more students like Brave Rock and Wabegijig in the coming years.

"The Ralph Klein Foundation was proud to support the U of L because of the work the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ does for aboriginal students," says Colleen Klein, who served as Chair of the Foundation. "Words cannot express how much this will impact the lives of the aboriginal students: it will provide them with a sense of welcoming and belonging, and will allow them to follow their dreams and become role models for other students."

ULSU Food Bank in need

trevor.kenney — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:30:02 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union Food Bank, which helped over 300 people last year, needs continued resources to keep this valuable service alive.

The Students' Union hosts a variety of events in an attempt to keep the Food Bank operating. The Peter Mansbridge lecture, which raised over $2,300 from ticket sales and an unspecified personal donation from Mansbridge himself, is one such event that benefits the food bank.

The ULSU Food Bank depends heavily on donations from generous people, without which the ULSU wouldn't be able to help the number of students it does.

"As the costs of attaining a post-secondary education continue to increase, it has become much harder for students to make ends meet. All too often students have difficulty affording the necessities of life. As a result, we see the demand for our food bank services spike," says Keith McLaughlin, ULSU vice-president academic. "The ULSU Food Bank needs help to ensure that its operations remain sustainable, so that we can continue to help our students in times of need."

Historically, the months of February, March and April see a spike in the number of students who utilize the food bank. Each food bank user is unique, and the Students' Union strives to alleviate some of the pressures they face, allowing students to focus on their education.

Food bank hampers are made to sustain a single student for five to seven days. There are also hampers designated for students with families. Each hamper contains an assortment of healthy foods and all students are eligible for assistance. Students are eligible to receive one hamper every two weeks to a maximum of 10 hampers during their entire academic career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"The ULSU Food Bank welcomes any help from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community or southern Alberta as a whole," says Taz Kassam, ULSU president. "We want students to be able to focus on their education and enjoying their time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, not worrying about where there next meal is going to come from."

For a look at the full issue of the November Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Peter Mansbridge at the 1st Choice Savings Centre

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:08:17 +0000

Famed CBC News anchor Peter Mansbridge is appearing at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Tuesday, Oct. 19, to share with students and the southern Alberta community his thoughts on a changing Canadian culture, politics and society.

"I wanted to bring Peter Mansbridge to the U of L because I thought students would benefit from hearing such an iconic Canadian journalist speak," says Keith McLaughlin, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union vice-president academic. "He's had so much experience over the years covering Canada that I think he could share some meaningful insights with students about who we are and where we are going as Canadians."

Mansbridge will be delivering a lecture entitled, Canada and Canadians in a Changing World. It begins at noon in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gymnasium. All the proceeds from ticket sales to the event are being donated to the ULSU Food Bank; which helped over 300 people last year and needs continued resources to keep this valuable service alive.

"As the costs of attaining a post-secondary education continue to increase, it has become harder and harder for students to make ends meet. All too often students have difficulty affording the necessities and as a result we see demand for our food bank services spike," says McLaughlin. "This event is about bringing together a community and strengthening it. I thought we should keep that idea in mind and donate all proceeds of the event to the ULSU Food Bank to help ensure that its operations remain sustainable and that we continue to help our students in times of need."

Tickets for Peter Mansbridge are avilable at the Students' Union office (SU180) and are priced at $1 for students and $5 for comunity members.

Mansbridge hosted by ULSU

trevor.kenney — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 21:39:20 +0000

Famed CBC News anchor Peter Mansbridge will be appearing at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Tuesday, Oct. 19, to share with students and the southern Alberta community his thoughts on a changing Canadian culture, politics and society.

"I wanted to bring Peter Mansbridge to the U of L because I thought students would benefit from hearing such an iconic Canadian journalist speak," says Keith McLaughlin, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union vice-president academic. "He's had so much experience over the years covering Canada that I think he could share some meaningful insights with students about who we are and where we are going as Canadians."

Mansbridge will be delivering a lecture entitled, Canada and Canadians in a Changing World. The presentation begins at noon in the 1st Choice Savings Centre. All the proceeds from ticket sales to the event are being donated to the ULSU Food Bank; which helped over 300 people last year and needs continued resources to keep this valuable service alive.

"As the costs of attaining a post-secondary education continue to increase it has become harder and harder for students to make ends meet. All too often students have difficulty affording the necessities and as a result we see demand for our food bank services spike," says McLaughlin. "This event is about bringing together a community and strengthening it. I thought we should keep that idea in mind and donate all proceeds of the event to the ULSU Food Bank to help ensure that its operations remain sustainable and that we continue to help our students in times of need."

Library Amnesty Week

trevor.kenney — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:45:43 +0000

It must be difficult, walking the halls of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge with a bounty on your head.

You know who you are. Every evening you return home to see them sitting there on the shelf, staring at you, mocking you. Once, you held them hostage, but now, the tables have turned and the price for taking them home is the debt that weighs on your conscience. They are overdue library books and they need to come home.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Library is there to help and from Mar. 15-21, Library Amnesty Week will allow those who have overdue library items to bring them back to the library for the price of a non-perishable food item. For every $5 in library fines, one non-perishable food item, to be presented to the U of L Students' Union Food Bank, will be accepted.

The amnesty period, which debuted in November 2007 and produced an impressive 10 boxes of donated food, is only in effect Mar. 15-21 during regular library hours of operation. Overdue material must be returned in good condition to the library and users must pay the entire balance of outstanding charges through the program. Exceptions to the amnesty are those fines for outstanding replacement charges for long overdue items, as well as lost or damaged items.

This is an opportunity to wipe the slate clean, to return library items to their rightful home and help out the ULSU Food Bank at the same time. Those without library fines are also encouraged to stop by and donate a non-perishable food item to help the food bank.

UNews - food bank

The Art of Giving

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