University students are feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis, with some resorting to taking unused food from jobs, dumpster diving and striking up barter economies with others.

Izzy Adachi, the director of campaigns and community relations for the University of Victoria害羞草研究所檚 Student Society (UVSS) said a survey completed in December 2022 found 63.8 per cent of students who responded said they are experiencing food insecurity, meaning they struggle to afford enough food to eat.

This has had a huge impact on the studentat UVic, which is already facing $135,000 deficit.

While some respondents were full-time students, a majority of those who said they were experiencing food insecurity had part-time, full-time or several jobs.

害羞草研究所淭he majority of students are working and they害羞草研究所檙e still struggling,害羞草研究所� Adachi said.

One student who asked to remain anonymous because she is worried she may be fired, shared her experience with food insecurity.

As a grad student at UVic, she said she had some funding in her first year - about $20,000 through a combination of paid work, awards and scholarships. She said, however, there is no guarantee of funding after the first year and even with it, $20,000 doesn害羞草研究所檛 last long in Victoria.

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She had to leave her apartment last year after her landlord raised her rent for a studio from $1,800 to $2,000 and she now lives with roommates, who she said also experience food insecurity. This common struggle has prompted them to come up with a system that includes stealing, bartering and sharing.

害羞草研究所淚 used to have no problem with affording food, but in the past year or so, it has gotten impossible to afford basic things like fruits and vegetables,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗alf the reason I decided to get a job serving in a restaurant is because I get a free meal with my shift. Usually, I order the biggest thing on the menu, and try to make it stretch out over the next day or so, eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My diet is very limited now.害羞草研究所�

The restaurant she works at employs a lot of other students as well. She said it is common for people to throw food like jam, peanut butter and milk into their bags at the end of their shifts.

Her roommate Stella, who asked asked us to not include her last name because she fears she will be fired, also uses her job to access food. Stella works at a grocery store where she is required to throw out unsold pastries at the end of the night. Instead, she puts them in a new garbage bag and hides them to take with her at the end of her shift.

害羞草研究所淪ometimes she can fill almost half a garbage bag full,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎 lot of the time we害羞草研究所檒l drive down Pandora and Douglas and give them out to homeless people. The sheer amount of waste at grocery stores is insane.害羞草研究所�

Eating in their house is truly a team effort and their third roommate, who also works at a restaurant, often brings home to-go orders that aren害羞草研究所檛 picked up at the end of the night.

Anything the three don害羞草研究所檛 eat, they trade.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e traded food from our work for printer paper, used textbooks, furniture, etc,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e broke and desperate, you find ways to start your own barter economy with other people who have no money.害羞草研究所�

Students depending on each other for food is a common occurrence, according to the 2022 UVSS survey, and 75 per cent of UVic students said the university is not doing enough to address the cost of living.

害羞草研究所淲e saw tuition rise again this year, we saw parking costs go up this year,害羞草研究所� Adachi said. 害羞草研究所淲e are really just depending on each other to make it through it.

This sentiment was echoed by Wyatt Maddox, who is on the Graduate Students Society board of directors. He said graduate students are using the food bank at a disproportionate rate - 38 per cent - while making up only 10 to 15 per cent of the total population of UVic.

害羞草研究所淭he university has made it quite clear that they will not be lending significant support to the food bank,害羞草研究所� Maddox said. 害羞草研究所淭hey have created a program in which students may donate to a fund that other students may use to purchase food on campus. This puts the onus on poor students to support each other.害羞草研究所�

Maddox said the program, which is called the , also has limitations on how much a student can use. The $50 students are allowed to take from the fund must also be used at food outlets associated with UVic. Adachi said with campus sandwiches ringing in at $10 each, that money doesn害羞草研究所檛 stretch far.

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In the past, Maddox said students have resorted to 害羞草研究所渧ulturing害羞草研究所� or grabbing uneaten food off tables after others have left, but now dumpster diving and using food banks is more popular.

害羞草研究所淭here are a lot of students, especially grad students, who are currently doing a lot of dumpster diving,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey will show up with a backpack full of recently expired food, they害羞草研究所檒l hand them out to other students 害羞草研究所� and it tends to turn into a group activity, where you have students going out and literally raiding dumpsters for food.害羞草研究所�

Maddox said he considers UVic a food desert, which is an urban area where food is unaffordable or there isn害羞草研究所檛 quality produce. There are two dining halls on campus, but Maddox said the food they serve is known for being below quality. Other university-operated eating options offer prepackaged food that is over-priced he said. The nearest grocery store is a 10-minute bus ride.

The graduate students society puts on a weekly 害羞草研究所淲ednesday coffee害羞草研究所� where they offer free food like bagels and bread. Maddox said the number of people attending has risen by more than half over the past year.

But even offering these small meals and weekly services, students at UVic are still struggling, asking for more to be done and reporting that the stress of finding food is impacting them in every way.

害羞草研究所淪tudents are reporting that they are seeing severe impacts on their mental and physical health, just from the amount of stress this cost of living crisis has put on them,害羞草研究所� Adachi said. 害羞草研究所淭here are real ramifications.害羞草研究所�

Jim Dunsdon, associate vice-president of UVic student affairs, said in a statement the school acknowledges inflation and rising food prices are a significant issue for students.

On Feb. 5, University Food Services launched a survey to hear feedback from students, staff and faculty about the food provided on campus, the costs of food and what they害羞草研究所檇 like to see at UVic.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 important for us to know how many students, staff or faculty may be having challenges with affordability on campus,害羞草研究所� Dunsdon said. 害羞草研究所淭he survey was designed to also gauge awareness about supports that are available for those struggling with the cost of living. If results show that awareness about these programs is low, we will work to improve this.害羞草研究所�

hollie.ferguson@vicnews.com
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