Over 34,000 post-secondary students use food banks each month, according to HungerCount, an annual study of food banks and food programs in Canada.
Overall food bank use in Canada has increased by 26 per cent since 2008, the study revealed.
Food bank use has increased on campuses as well, according to the study.
Carleton’s Food Centre averages about a person per day, according to Matthew Desjarlais, a student volunteer.
Some of the main reasons for the amount of students using food banks could be poor budgeting, or the late arrival of students’ Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) money and other student loans, according to Desjarlais.
“When you get a bulk of money from OSAP, it’s easy to spend it all at once,” Desjarlais said.
In the few weeks Desjarlais has been volunteering at Carleton’s food bank, he said there are usually food hampers to be filled or waiting to be picked up.
Desjarlais said he’s noticed that most of the students using the food bank are off-campus students who don’t have meal plans.
There’s a form that students must fill out before obtaining food at the food bank, which includes questions about the student’s status at Carleton and why they need to use the food bank.
Unemployment, insufficient income and late loans are some of the options students can select.
“It’s amazing because 10 to 15 years ago, there weren’t campus food banks, and I think the majority of campuses now have food banks,” Food Banks Canada executive director, Katharine Schmidt told the Canadian University Press.
“It’s interesting how they’re helping to service those that need help with some really creative ways to do it so that there isn’t a stigma — and it allows students to get some help with a lot of dignity.”
