The new fridge and cupboard at Renison, stocked with foodstuffs and other essentials for the Renison community.
Written by Oindrilla Ghosh, Library and Communications Assistant
Renison community members might notice a new addition to the hallway, tucked into the vestibule beside the Ministry Centre and the outdoor space where students can be found gathering for regular bonfires. In this small space, Renison’s Student Wellness and Food Security Committee has made a big impact, with the new Community Fridge and Cupboard.
The Community Fridge and Cupboard was brought to fruition after noticing that when WUSA (Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association) Food Support Services would drop off excess food at Renison, and it was distributed for free, the number of students and community members taking the food was high. With the rise of known food insecurity across campus, the Committee discussed the possibility of extending the idea into a community fridge and cupboard. They consulted reports that addressed food security issues during the pandemic and spoke to students who self-identified as being in need. Food insecurity is often an invisible problem, which is why the Community Fridge and Cupboard can help to address food insecurity while protecting anonymity.
To understand how the WUSA Food Support System works and how it could be implemented at Renison, the committee met with WUSA on the University of Waterloo’s main campus, got a tour of the facility, and gathered details on how their systems work. WUSA Food Support runs like a food bank; their support takes a direct approach as they provide food hampers to individuals. Students can receive up to four food hampers and one hygiene hamper per month. Their support does not end there, the WUSA Food Support service also hosts multiple food lockers across campus accompanied by a fridge containing fresh produce.
While the WUSA Food Support Service provides ample support to the campus community, it is restricted to Waterloo students. With the implementation of the community fridge and cupboard, Renison aims to provide support to not just students but also members of the Waterloo and Renison community. After visiting the lockers and fridges on the main campus, Food Services Manager Tim Farley and Renison Chaplain Scott McLeod realized the potential positive impact that a community fridge and cupboard could have on the community, especially since there were none across the creek from Ring Road at any of the University Colleges.
After fixing up an old fridge, the Student Wellness Food Security Committee found the perfect home for it alongside a spare cupboard at Renison. With a partnership between the Renison Student Wellness Food Security Committee and WUSA Food Support Service the fridge and cupboard run entirely on donations. In the beginning, the fridge was only open at limited hours to gauge the engagement and ensure that the food was reaching those who needed it. It took time for the word to get around and the food used. There are often periods when the food is not accessed, making it difficult to quantify the impact on the community. “Sometimes we don’t know if food is still there because folks have enough to eat, or if they don’t know about the resource” comments Farley. “We are doing what we can to make sure the food reaches those who need it.”
While the committee has done so much to support the community, they believe that more work needs to be done. The next steps include spreading the word and increasing access to the Fridge and Cupboard. The fridge and cupboard are now open and accessible 24 hours every day. The goal of this initiative is to ensure that everyone is fed and to accomplish this, the committee requests feedback; email the Student Wellness Food Security Committee with questions, concerns, and suggestions. If someone has something to donate, contact Tim Farley or Scott McLeod.
If you would like to donate fresh dry goods, please drop them off at the Ministry Centre. Check out the fridge and cupboard across from the Lusi Wong Library and beside the Ministry Centre at Renison University College.
This is part of the 2024 Renison Reports publication. Return to the Renison Reports page for other articles.