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Overview
Food Security for Students
Food insecurity has serious consequences for a person’s health and well-being. This issue is especially prevalent among post-secondary students, with over half of all students at Canadian institutions experiencing moderate to severe levels of food insecurity. In response, the BCITSA offers the Food Support Hub, a service designed to provide various avenues of support to help BCIT students access food.
The Food Support Hub provides a variety of resources, including the BCITSA Food Pantry on the Burnaby campus, which offers essential food items. Students can also use the Community Fridge to share food and reduce waste, or get a referral-only membership to Quest Food Exchange, a low-cost grocery store. For those with emergency needs, the Emergency Food Fund is available.
How we help
Connecting Students with Resources they need!
The BCITSA provides a comprehensive food support program through its Wellbeing department, which includes the Food Support Hub. This hub offers free, healthy, and culturally appropriate food and hygiene products at the BCITSA Food Pantry and Community Fridge on the Burnaby campus. The program is supported by community donations and also provides an Emergency Food Fund for students in urgent need, as well as a referral-only membership to the low-cost Quest Food Exchange.
Quest Food Exchange Referral
Our Wellbeing specialists can refer students to a low-cost grocery store with multiple locations. This is a 3-year membership for students who meet specific criteria.
Emergency Food Fund
Students who study online or at a specialty campus may be eligible for emergency food assistance. Discuss your eligibility with our Wellbeing specialists during an appointment.
Learn MoreBecome A Volunteer Today!
Want to gain experience and make a difference at BCIT? Become a volunteer! We have flexible opportunities for you to give back to the community, whether you can commit to a few hours a week or just help with special events. Fill out the form to get started. We typically hold intakes once per term, but may have ongoing opportunities.
Community Fridge
Your Campus Community Fridge
A community fridge is a free, shared resource that provides a safe and low-barrier way for students to access food. Operating on the principle of take what you need, leave what you can, this resource helps reduce food waste and addresses food insecurity on campus by providing a space for members of the BCIT community to share food with each other. By working together to keep the fridge clean and by only donating items you would eat yourself, we can ensure that it remains a reliable resource for everyone.
FAQ
The Community Fridge is an accessible, safe, and low-barrier resource for individuals to access food on their terms, taking what they need, when they need it. It provides a place for people on campus to give and take, reduce waste, and helps to ensure that members of the BCIT community can feed themselves and their families.
Located at the Burnaby Campus, on the 2nd floor of building SE2. Located next to the Elevator.
Anyone can take part! The fridge will be open for anyone who wants to take food from it or leave food in it.
Donors can be individuals who bought too much, food services on campus with extra that will be thrown away, or local grocers with stock that cannot be sold for cosmetic reasons. By giving what we can and taking what we need, we are all playing a part in supporting each other and reducing food waste.
We will gratefully accept the following unopened and unused items:
- Fresh Fruit
- Fresh Vegetables
- Dry Goods
- Sealed Non-Alcoholic Beverages (Water, Juice, Milk Alternatives, etc)
- Grab And Go Food (Single Serving Snacks, Granola Bars, etc)
We will gratefully accept the any of the following items if they are labelled with a best before date
- Breads and Pastries
- Fresh Eggs
- Dairy Products
- Meat Alternatives
Unfortunately, we cannot accept the following items:
- Raw Meat or Seafood
- Expired Food
- Half-Eaten Food
- Alcohol
- Dented Cans
- Mouldy Produce
- Leftovers
- Home-cooked meals*
* We can only accept cooked meals from commercially licensed kitchens that properly label all the food.
Before you donate, please ask yourself the following questions:
Is it going to waste?
Identify edible food items that are at risk of being thrown away or going to waste.
Is it still fresh?
Only donate food when still fresh or before it reaches the expiry date if it has one.
Can it be included?
Make sure the item is an accepted food type for the Community Fridge. Don’t donate any food types that are not accepted.Do I still have use for it?
Only donate food if you don’t have use for it, not because it’s no longer edible.
BCITSA Staff and Volunteers will be maintaining and monitoring the fridge to ensure guidelines and safety procedures are being followed. For more information on the safety measures in place, please read the Safety & Procedure Guidelines.If the fridge appears to require maintenance, please contact foodsupport@bcitsa.ca
The Community Fridge operates under the take something, leave something philosophy where access to healthy foods can be accessed, no questions asked. We will not police who is taking the food, how much, or how often. Some people have large families or are helping to distribute to neighbours in need. There are many reasons why someone may need to access the fridge and they are all valid.
Thank you for your interest! There are many ways to get involved with the Community Fridge:
- Help bring a community fridge to your campus.
- Help your BCIT community through our volunteering opportunities. Click here to see current openings.
- Bring food to the fridge.
- Spread the word to peers, friends, and colleagues.
Food Pantry
Taking Action on Food Insecurity
College life can be a financial strain, but the BCITSA Food Pantry is here to help. Located on the second floor of SE2 at the Burnaby campus, it’s a free resource for students who need groceries. We provide a variety of accessible, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food to help you get through the week.
What, Where, When & Who
College life can be tough, and food shouldn’t be another stressor. That’s where the BCITSA Food Pantry comes in. Located in Building SE2 (2nd Floor) at the Burnaby campus, this free resource provides students with easy access to healthy food. The pantry is open on Wednesdays from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. To use the service, please bring your BCIT Student ID card and a reusable shopping bag. We ask that you take only what you need and be respectful of the staff.
If you are unable to visit the pantry during regular hours, BCIT students can book an appointment with a Wellbeing Specialist to pick up a food hamper at a separate time. For more food resources in the community, please visit our Community Food Network.
Please donate the following:
We welcome unopened, unexpired fresh, frozen, and pantry foods, plus hygiene items. Please ensure dairy, eggs, bread, and meat alternatives have clear best-before dates.
We cannot take the following:
For safety, we cannot accept raw meat, seafood, alcohol, leftovers, or home canning. Please do not donate items that are open, expired, damaged, or unlabelled.
ATC Food Hamper Program
We’re bringing food support directly to YOU!
To help address the growing challenge of food insecurity on campus, our ATC Hamper Program allows you to order and pick up supplemental grocery items, conveniently located at ATC. Please note: This program is currently on pause.
How it works:
Join our mailing list to be the first to know when the program restarts. More details coming soon!
Our Donation Wishlist
Are you interested in donating to the Food Pantry? Thank you! This is a non-exhaustive list of some items we’re always looking for: Fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, nut butters, on-the-go lunch items, oils, butter, beans, canned products, pasta, personal healthcare items, and much more.
View our culturally relevant food list that we are always accepting.
Click HereFAQ
The Food Pantry is located on the BCIT Burnaby Campus in SE2 room 258.
Any BCIT Student who is in immediate need of food support may access the Food Pantry. The Food Pantry is a low-barrier program that relies on the self-identified needs of students. If you feel that this program would help you, you are encouraged and welcome to visit.
Students will be asked to show their BCIT Student ID for confirmation of their eligibility.
The Food Pantry caters to BCIT students facing emergent food needs, offering timely access to healthy and nutritious food. Students can benefit from free groceries once per week. The pantry moved to a bigger space in January 2024 and revamped its operations to a counter-model service.
While there may be limits imposed for certain products to ensure there is enough to go around, we suggest following the motto: “take only what you need and will consume”. Please remember that this pantry is offered to all students, and we encourage everyone to share these resources.
Students who primarily learn online or at one of BCIT’s Specialty Campuses may speak with a member of the Wellbeing team about options for emergency food support.These 15-minute appointments can be booked here.
Our goal is to ensure the pantry is accessible for students with disabilities. To request accommodations, please reach out to wellbeing@bcitsa.ca or scan the QR code located in the pantry. This code will redirect you to a form through which the Wellbeing team can coordinate accommodating solutions for your access to the pantry.
We do our best to stock the pantry with healthy, nutritious, and culturally relevant shelf-stable and fresh food. Because our food is primarily provided through donations, we cannot guarantee that one type of food will always be stocked. Students can expect to find a variety of grains, canned goods, beverages, snacks, and fresh produce, in addition to personal hygiene items, such as toothbrushes/toothpaste, soap, menstrual products, deodorant, etc.
Food passed the printed best before date is still safe to eat. Food Pantry Staff and Volunteers inspect all food products to ensure that food distributed in the Food Pantry meets &/or exceeds established safety and quality standards set forth in the Best Before Guidelines created by Food Banks Canada. We always encourage visual inspection; however, when in doubt, do not consume the food.
While the Food Pantry may only be accessed by current BCIT students, the Community Fridge program is open to all members of the BCIT community, including staff and faculty. The fridge is located on the Burnaby Campus in building SE2-2nd floor next to the elevator. Please refer to the guidelines posted on the fridge or the website.
Yes, absolutely! Those interested in volunteering their time, either regularly or on a casual basis, may complete this form. Intakes are typically done once per term, however, depending on need, there may be ongoing intakes.
Get Involved
Hungry to Help Out?
You can give back to the BCIT community by volunteering with the Food Pantry or Community Fridge. It’s a great way to support your fellow students and gain valuable experience. Find out more about volunteer positions and sign up today! Still have questions? Feel free to email us (foodsupport@bcitsa.ca) or book a Wellbeing Appointment to chat with a specialist.
General Inquiries
Wellbeing Coordinator
Erika Wada
Wellbeing Specialist
Tina Ling
Wellbeing Manager
T.B.D
Additional resources
Food Support & More
Here are some additional resources to help you tackle food insecurity, because we believe every student deserves access to nutritious food.
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