Helping Hands delivering food to BU students on campus

Brandon University has partnered with the Helping Hands Centre of Brandon to provide students with free food on a monthly basis.

BU spokesperson Rob Henderson said the partnership grew out of a conversation between members of the university’s administration and the Helping Hands board.

“Supporting students who need food fits within the Helping Hands mandate, and this is a great example of how being connected to our community and being nimble can allow us to quickly put together an initiative that is beneficial for our students,” Henderson told the Sun on Monday.

The first food delivery was unloaded and placed on tables in two locations on the campus earlier this month — and was gone by noon the next day, he said.

“We didn’t track the students who picked up food or ask them to demonstrate their need because that could make them less likely to come for help, but we did hear a number of appreciative comments,” Henderson said.

Deliveries are expected to arrive every two weeks during the academic year and once per month during the spring and summer, the university said in a news release Monday.

Whether the number of deliveries will increase in the future depends on the volume of donations Helping Hands receives, along with their volunteer capacity, Henderson said, noting the non-profit assists several community organizations.

“We’re grateful for whatever they can contribute to our students, and we’ll continue to discuss with them how we can best fill students’ needs, he said.

Henderson said there is ample evidence that food insecurity negatively affects students in many ways, including their academic performance and overall physical and mental well-being.

The university, he said, knows that cost is a barrier to students pursuing education and that the cost of living is a large part of this issue.

“This is one of many supports that we offer for students, with the largest including our scholarship and bursary program,” he said. “There are also a number of smaller but also very important efforts being made by members of our campus community, including the Brandon University Students’ Union Campus Cupboard and the new Confidence Closet, which has provided free professional attire for students. We are constantly looking for opportunities to help ease the financial burden on students.”

Helping Hands executive director Angela Braun said food insecurity is an issue that occurs throughout the community in many walks of life.

“When it comes to food security, it doesn’t matter who you are; either you have food, or you don’t,” Braun said.

“We’ll share with anybody who needs it if we can.”

Helping Hands receives food from grocery stores and restaurants that has reached its best-before date but is not yet expired and distributes it through a soup kitchen and drop-offs to other community organizations, the news release said.

Braun said help is always appreciated.

“We have people bring in their kids, who are as young as three or four, and they’ll hand out cookies, and we have volunteers up to 86 years old,” she said.

Those who wish to volunteer at Helping Hands can call 204-727-4635 or visit the operation at 111 Seventh St. to fill out a form. Helping Hands also accepts donations through its website at HelpingHandsBrandon.ca.

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