Our Food First program aims to address the growing issues of food and health insecurity among Canadian post-secondary students. Food banks, meal programs and other resources in the Niagara community can also offer support to students in need.
How does it work?
Please read all instructions in full!
The Food First Emergency Gift Card Program provides support to students in need with a local grocery store gift card. This service is designed to assist with food and health accessibility and is not intended to be a primary source of food for any one Undergraduate or Graduate student. Both BUSU and GSA have a limited number of grocery cards available, therefor applications will be filled on a first come first serve basis. This page will be updated when grocery cards are not available.
- UNDERGRADUATE: Available
- GRADUATE: Available
Undergraduate and Graduate students may apply for the program twice a semester. Students who apply more than twice per semester will be denied.
Applications will not be accepted for those who make them on behalf of another student.
When applying, please use your first and last name, full Brock email address ("xx26xx@brocku.ca") and full student ID number. Any missing components or improper information will result in a paused application/
Requests are reviewed twice a week. Requests received on the weekends are reviewed the following week.
As this program is intended to support students experiencing immediate food insecurity, approved gift cards must be used within 14 days of issuance. Gift cards that are not used within this period will be cancelled and reallocated to another student in need.Request Support
Walmart Flyers and Deals
Plan your budget and meals with Walmart's weekly flyer and $1 grocery savings:
$1 grocery savings
Weekly Flyer
Free Breakfast & Food Events
In addition to the Food First gift card program, BUSU also provides students with free breakfasts one week each month. This typically consists of 3-4 days of our grab-and-go table (juice, yogurt, apples, granola bars, etc) and one day of a full hot breakfast.
BUSU also hosts a number of other free food events through out the year. Upcoming food events will be listed below if available.
Community Resources
Small Scale Farms
Small Scale Farms sells fresh, locally sourced produce at afforable prices for any student budget. At Small Scale Farms "our goal is to make healthy food not only more accessible, but more affordable as well."
Visit Small Scale Farms
The Odd Bunch
Looking for fresh locally sourced produce? Odd Bunch "works with farms, greenhouses and distributors to take produce off their hands, compensate them fairly and deliver them to your door weekly."
Visit Odd Bunch
211 Ontario
211 is a free and confidential service that easily connects people to the critical social and community supports they need. This includes food security programs in your area.
Visit 211ontario.ca and use their handy search function.
Food Savings apps
Flipp collects all store fliers in an area and provides easy access to all deals in 1 place. Using this in combination with WalMart’s price matching policy will allow you to get all available deals in 1 location.
You can download Flipp for Android or iOS HERE
Flashfoods will tell you what nearby grocery stores are selling foods that are approaching their best before/expiration date and will be marked down considerably from their original price.
You can download Flashfoods HERE
Online Recipe forums
If you’re looking for a community that shares cheap and healthy recipes check out the r/EatCheapandHealthy subreddit. There are recipes and tips for saving money.
VISIT THE EAT CHEAP AND HEALTHY SUBREDDIT
Want to support our Food First Program?
*Please note, for security purposes, you will need to log into our site to donate. Select the login option in the top right corner. If you are not a student at Brock, select "Register New Account". Thanks for your support!
Thank you to our Partners!
Brock Dining Services, Brock Housing Services, Brock Sports, Pen Centre, BMO, CIBC, City of St. Catharines, Zehrs – Pen Centre, Prime Student, TD, TBooth, Scotiabank, Rogers, Foundry Lofts, Parkway Lofts, Town of Lincoln – Youth Skills Studio, Anytime Fitness, Shoppers Drug Mart – Pen Centre,