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Over the holiday season, members of the Durham College (DC) community came together to raise $79,312 for the college’s Food Access Bursary, providing relief for students facing food insecurity.
Each year, applications for the Food Access Bursary open to full-time students in November and recipients receive a one-time bursary helping students cover the cost of a holiday meal, giving them a chance to enjoy the season and ease financial stress.
Together with the many DC employees, alumni, students, and community members that made donations to the bursary, three on-campus partners helped ensure funds were available for students in need. The Durham College Student Association (DCSA) returned as the campaign’s greatest supporter with a $30,000 gift to the fund, while the Durham College Alumni Association (DCAA) continued its support by matching the first $10,000 raised.
“By supporting this bursary, alumni are helping to meet students’ needs with compassionate and practical support so students can focus on their education,” said Jesara Holla, DCAA President. “By matching donations each year, we hope to turn our shared Durham College experience into lasting impact for current and future students and to inspire others to give and amplify the impact of every contribution.”
DC’s on-campus food provider Chartwells also jumped in to help by engaging with students on campus during their Connecting Through Food campaign, with a focus on raising awareness of food insecurity. Chartwells also made a matching contribution on purchases of select products sold at both the Oshawa and Whitby campuses.
In addition to funding available through the Food Access Bursary and Financial Aid, DC students have access to The Support Hub run by the DCSA. Thanks to a partnership with Feed the Need in Durham, The Support Hub provides full-time students with fresh produce, meat, dairy products, non-perishable and perishable food items, and hygiene products.
“At The Support Hub, we have seen firsthand how food insecurity can impact a student’s ability to succeed academically, and most importantly, to self-actualize,” said Nicole Shillingford-Grell, Manager of The Support Hub. “The DCSA is proud to contribute to the Food Access Bursary, an impactful resource that demonstrates what’s possible when people come together with a shared commitment to supporting students.”
To learn more about how your support can help students thrive, visit durhamcollege.ca/giving.
