KSA Cares offers free hot meals to students
The meals will be given out at Grassroots Cafe and on KPU’s five campuses on select dates
KPU students can receive a free, hot meal on Oct. 30 at the Richmond campus. (Pexels/RDNE Stock project)
The Kwantlen Student Association is giving away free hot meals to Kwantlen Polytechnic University students as part of a new initiative called “KSA Cares: Hot Meals, Warm Hearts.”
Students can get free meals once a month at one of KPU’s five campuses, with the first event taking place at the Richmond campus on Oct. 30 from noon to 2:00 pm.
The KSA Cares initiative aims to address and support students facing food insecurity and foster community at KPU. It is supported by the KPU Multi-Faith Centre and Guru Nanak Food Kitchen, the KSA’s website reads. The Kwantlen Sikh Student Association has also volunteered to help with the event.
“The initiative, obviously, is really good. I think it’s helping a lot of students who are working part time. Some of us, me too, we don’t have time for lunch, maybe dinner,” KPU student Ishpreet Kaur says. “I’ve heard that it is helping a lot of students, especially the international students.”
Throughout October and November, the association is also giving away free breakfast on Tuesdays from 9:30 am to noon and free lunch on Wednesdays from noon to 2:00 pm at Grassroots Cafe while supplies last.
“We understand that it can be hard to focus on studies when you’re worried about your next meal,” the KSA’s website reads. “This initiative not only provides a warm meal but also fosters a sense of community for students who need it most.”
The KSA had also launched an emergency grocery support program under the KSA Cares initiative for the fall semester, in which eligible students could receive a one-time free grocery hamper. The hampers were distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The form to apply for this program is now closed.
The Runner reached out to the KSA for an interview but staff did not respond to questions before publication.
