CESI Highlights Need for Long-Term Solutions to Student Food Insecurity in New Op Ed

A recent opinion piece co-written by CESI in the magazine University Affairs is bringing awareness to the issue of student food insecurity, highlighting the need for long-term solutions that go beyond immediate programs created in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The article notes that student food insecurity was a significant problem even before the pandemic, affecting approximately 30 to 40% of University students across Canada and disproportionately impacting Black, Indigenous, and students of color. To create sustainable change, long-term solutions are required that address the student income gap and students' lack of access to affordable foods.

The article was co-written by Sam Laban, Guelph Lab Facilitator, Dr. Elizabeth Jackson, CESI Director, Merryn Maynard, Research Specialist at the Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security, and Phil Loring of the Arrell Food Institute and Department of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics. This collaboration reflects the authors' engagement in ongoing conversations and research surrounding student food insecurity. For example, CESI has partnered with Dr. Laura Forbes of the Department of Applied Nutrition, Meal Exchange, and Universities Fighting World Hunger to conduct research on student food insecurity at the University of Guelph. CESI is also leading ongoing collaborations with other Universities and community and campus stakeholders to build awareness of and coordinate responses to student food insecurity.