A movement dedicated to tackling hunger, raising awareness, and providing tangible support for students.
Based on Statistics Canada’s Canadian Income Survey, over half of Canada’s postsecondary students experience food insecurity, and 20.7% are classified as severely food insecure, while 36.1% are moderately food insecure. Between rising tuition, housing costs, and the increasing cost of living, many students are forced to choose between groceries and textbooks. The University of Ottawa Students' Union is FED UP with that, and we’re doing something about it. During the 2023/2024 school year, UOSU has:
- Over $100,000 in supplementary Food Bank funding was secured with the support of the University of Ottawa, Chartwells, and fundraisers.
- A procurement deal with Chartwells to buy products in bulk and at a lower cost, making the most of our Food Bank Budget
- Partnered with the University and launched a campus-wide food insecurity study conducted over the 2056/2026 school year.
- Launched a survey for Food Bank users to improve service delivery and support for future advocacy
- Increased UOSU’s Food Bank Operational budget by $70,000 in the 2024/2025 budget
- Pivoted into providing nutritious, high-quality food beyond canned non-perishables at the Food Bank.
- Gave away 850+ free bags of fresh produce through our Produce Market
- Gave away 1500+ free hot lunches through our Hot Lunches Program
With Fed-Up only launching in the 2024/2025 school year, many initiatives are still a work in progress. We are working hard to introduce new initiatives, including:
- Weekly alternating hot lunches and produce markets as of the third week of school
- Alternating the fed-up day on a monthly basis to account for student scheduling conflicts
- Introducing the Hot Lunch program at the Lees campus on a semesterly basis
- Partnership with Odd-Bunch for sourcing produce & free distribution of odd-bunch boxes
- Free cooked hot meals using Deja Vu Kitchen
