Students at University of Guelph Skip a Meal to Address Hunger in Guelph

Guelph- University of Guelph students will be skipping a meal this February to address hunger in Guelph.  Working with Meal Exchange, a student-run charity, caring students will forgo dinner on February 1st to 7th and donate it to local social organizations as part of Meal Exchange’s annual “Skip a Meal” campaign. 

Skip a Meal allows students to donate from their meal plans to purchase non-perishable food items for 19 local agencies in the community.  These agencies range from food banks, to shelters and breakfast clubs- all of which are organizations that are vital to out community.  Prior to the donation drives, students are made aware of the hunger that exists in Guelph, and empowered to solve the problem.  Meal Exchange Coordinators work together with food banks and community agencies to fill in the gaps that exist from community food drives.  Student volunteers will deliver this latest round of donations in March.

Meal Exchange is also running a contest with a prize being a $50.00 gift certificate to The Bullring.  Students are encouraged to collect donations to enter the contest.  100% of the donations go to local agencies that help those in need.  Students can start collecting donations now with the individual pledge form provided and can submit completed forms to the CSA front office or the Meal Exchange office on the second floor of the UC room 241.  

The organization recognizes that winter is the worst season for food donations as many people have already contributed to the Thanksgiving and/or Christmas food drives and do not feel it is necessary to donate more. This is where it is important for students to step in and fill the gap. The cold winter months are more demanding in terms of food, clothing and utility costs and it is important for us to provide more support as opposed to less. Realizing this vulnerability, it is very important for students to donate their excess meal points to help those in need in our community.  

Last semester, the staff and students at the University of Guelph donated over $22,000 through Meal Exchange’s Skip a Meal campaign and this semester we hope to raise even more.  Donations can be made in class, with RAs and Interhall representatives, bullring and at tables during dinner time in Creelman and Prairie Hall.

Meal Exchange is a student-driven charity based on an innovative idea.  The programme is facilitated by Campus Coordinators, and a team of student volunteers, who encourage students to donate the value of one meal from their meal plans.   The program is unique in that volunteers identify which products are most needed by local food banks and agencies, and use the student donations to purchase those specific items from the University’s food wholesaler.  Food is then hand delivered by the students to local social organizations.  Students at the University of Guelph will be donating food to our 19 agencies this March. 

For more information, please contact:                                                                       

Meal Exchange Guelph