By Liam Eagle
Ryerson’s food bank is getting a new name and some new initiatives.
The Community Food Room held its grand opening Tuesday outside its Jorgenson Hall office, behind Copy Rite. The festivities and the name change are a part of RyeSAC’s attempt to create more awareness for the food bank program which began in 1993. “Students’ feedback showed that we weren’t effectively communicating what the room was all about,” said Erin George, RyeSAC’s v.p. education and president-elect.
Along with the name change, the food room is launching a nutritional program.
“There isn’t a service on campus where students can go for information on nutrition,” said Yashmi Mistry, third-year nutrition student and director of the food room. “My goal is to make it a nutrition resource library, where students can go for information about anything from the Canada Food Guide to illnesses like diabetes.”
RyeSAC gives $1,500 to the food room, but Mistry said more money is always needed. “Some of [RyeSAC’s money] is for supplies for the room, but most of it goes to buy food.”
To bring in more food, Mistry organizes three donation drives a year — one in the fall, one before the December holiday season, and the final one in the spring. The spring food drive begins March 29. Donations can be dropped in food room boxes or at the office in Jorgenson Hall, A63.
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