Group Project - Quinn Button, Jenna Campbell, Quinn Ceplis and Alison Groll
Visiting the UofC food bank
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Co-op Proposal
In Canada, 31 million pounds of food is wasted each year. Shockingly, more than half of that is from household waste. Meanwhile, Canadian food bank usage continues to rise 28% just in the last ten years. More locally, the Calgary food bank reports that over one hundred thousand individuals rely on their services, with an average of 262 food baskets being given out each day last year. Students are not immune to these issues, UofC student union food bank served 360 meals to individuals during 2015 Fall and Winter Semesters. Sadly, many who access these critical services feel a negative social stigma attached, despite the economic hardship.
To address these issues and attempt to improve food security for struggling students, I propose a University co-op be established in keeping with Marx’s philosophy, “From each according to their ability, to each according to their need.” A community garden and food chest would be established and a schedule of duties would be assigned to members on a weekly basis. Individuals would get non-monetary vouchers for work effort, as well as for contributions of food they had grown, or quality food they feel they could not eat. In addition, local businesses and wholesalers could contribute excess food that might otherwise go to waste. A website or app would be created that would allow the smooth pick-up and matching of requirements to members. Community dinners could also be hosted on a regular basis to increase fellowship within the community. With this idea, food waste would be reduced, contributions to a communal food distributor would increase, and the stigma of using similar services would disappear.
To address these issues and attempt to improve food security for struggling students, I propose a University co-op be established in keeping with Marx’s philosophy, “From each according to their ability, to each according to their need.” A community garden and food chest would be established and a schedule of duties would be assigned to members on a weekly basis. Individuals would get non-monetary vouchers for work effort, as well as for contributions of food they had grown, or quality food they feel they could not eat. In addition, local businesses and wholesalers could contribute excess food that might otherwise go to waste. A website or app would be created that would allow the smooth pick-up and matching of requirements to members. Community dinners could also be hosted on a regular basis to increase fellowship within the community. With this idea, food waste would be reduced, contributions to a communal food distributor would increase, and the stigma of using similar services would disappear.