National project helping alleviate pressure at U of G food bank

GUELPH -

The University of Guelph's food bank has seen an increased demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A national project is hoping to alleviate some of the pressure on food banks across the country.

"About 40 per cent of post-secondary school kids are food insecure," said Rachel Parent, an ambassadors for Un-Wreck the Future.

The project has teamed up with a granola bar maker to make regular donations to campus food banks.

"It's just one of those things that flies off the shelves when we do get them in," food bank coordinator Kandace Blaker said. "Everybody is so happy to receive them, we just wish there were more to go around."

Blaker said that, even though there are fewer students on campus these days, the need for emergency food services is still elevated month-to-month.

Parent said Un-Wreck the Future is helping make sure all Canadian students have access to food.

"It's helping communities across Guelph to around Canada," she said. "There's no limits to the potential to something like this, how it can change someone's life."

"This is an excellent reminder that there is community and there is help," Blaker said.