Food insecurity stressor for students

On Tuesday, donations made to the college’s food assistance fund will be matched by a donor

Most months, full-time student Sherline Morris didn’t know how they were going to make ends meet.

Morris, who is originally from Kingston, Jamaica, struggled to find stable employment after moving to Hamilton in 2019. Rather than drift from job to job through a temp agency, they decided to pursue post-secondary education with the hope of increasing prospects upon graduation.

Student loans paid Morris’ tuition, while the Ontario Disability Support Program paid rent on their downtown apartment. Rarely was there money left over for food.

“I saw myself as being one step away from being homeless,” Morris said. “It hit me hard and it stressed me out so much.”

Morris, who was squeezing a twoyear program into one year, began to receive grocery money through the college’s food assistance fund.

“I really, really needed it because it helped with the rent and food,” they said.

Food insecurity — defined by Statistics Canada as an “inability to access a sufficient quantity or variety of food because of financial constraints” — has always existed, but statistics show it became more prevalent during the pandemic.

A Statistics Canada study in May 2020 — early in the pandemic — found that almost one in seven Canadians experienced food insecurity. Analysis indicates this is likely a conservative estimate.

Food program use at Mohawk College increased by more than 50 per cent — from 548 visits in 201920 to 824 in 2020-21.

“It has drastically increased during the pandemic just because a lot of students lost their part-time jobs because of the shutdown,” said Ashik Ashik, president of the Mohawk College Students’ Association (MSA), which operates the program.

Pre-pandemic, the MSA provided monthly food packages to students in need. When “the entire world turned upside down,” it became difficult to get food to students, he said. Instead, the organization began handing out Walmart and other gift cards.

So far, demand this year appears to be ebbing, hovering at about a 30 per cent increase from pre-pandemic levels.

“It’s pretty constant,” Ashik said. On Tuesday, Mohawk College Foundation chair Glen Steeves and his wife, Heather, will match donations for food assistance up to $5,000 — a “one-day challenge,” said Linda Rourke, the foundation’s acting director.

Donations can be made through the foundation’s gift catalogue.

“It will help a significant number of students, and go to making their life easier and their ability to get their education easier,” Rourke said.

Studies from Canada and around the world have shown that food insecurity can negatively impact students’ academic achievement and overall health and well-being.

Morris, who is now a first-year social sciences student at McMaster University, said they haven’t purchased groceries yet this month. Without support from Mohawk, they are eating less fresh food, such as meat and vegetables.

“I’m eating less. I shouldn’t be eating less,” Morris said. “I’m eating less healthy, too.”

Hamilton non-profit Good Shepherd has helped support Morris when they were behind on rent.

Morris said they’re looking for work to make it through the year, but taking a job can be a trade-off. Every hour spent looking for and working a job is one less focused on getting a degree.

“Top priority for me right now is really school and making sure that I do well enough to see if I can earn a scholarship for next year,” they said.