New Student Nutrition Access Program replaces former student food bank

George Brown College students can access a new program this fall called the Student Nutrition Access Program (SNAP), where they can get more information regarding their well-being, nutrition, and health.

Replacing the former student food bank, which lost its funding due to new regulations by the provincial government, SNAP aims to provide support on the students’ health and wellness needs, as well as to promote health, emotional and social well-being.

According to Ronnie Cruz, Community Co-ordinator at the Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC), students should use SNAP as much as they can.

Students registered in the program have the chance to obtain resources from their services such as the Good Food Market, food pantry and social eats. The latter is an event that Cruz organizes once a month at an on-campus kitchen.

“The idea behind social eats is to use it as a medium for students to come together and create a sense of community, as well as develop their skills in cooking, budgeting, meal planning, and learn about health and nutrition,” said Cruz.

The participants will gain knowledge on basic safety protocols in the kitchen, safe food handling and techniques.

Past guest chefs have included Miriam Streiman, a professor at the college’s Chef School, and Suzanne Barr who taught the participants easy ways on how to cook Caribbean-inspired cuisines during Black History Month.

“The event was very well received and students have requested the Student Association to continue hosting a supper club event on a monthly basis,” Cruz said.

“I see that they are making friendships and are like ‘oh, you cook this?’ ‘Yes, I do this.’ and they start talking about recipes and how they use the different items that we have at SNAP,” said SNAP lead staff member Mireya Forero.

“Or how they cook that item back home and sharing recipes. I’m really happy to see that they are making connections around food.”

Cruz said students should know the importance of healthy eating because it affects their health and well-being. The food that they eat has a direct impact on their sleep, mental health, capacity to study and their ability to cope with stress.

Academically, students will have better concentration and improved alertness at school and at home, as well as improved brain function when studying for exams.

Nutrition is different from weight loss, and SNAP will not be able to help students with losing weight, according to Cruz.

However, they can guide students to eat healthily, make small changes in their eating habits, and provide food alternatives. In this way, students will be prevented from their food cravings and, in turn, they can achieve their preferred waistline.

Compared to the former student food bank, SNAP now focuses on giving students knowledge and resources on nutrition, as well as providing them with nutritious food, meals, and produce.

“We’re no longer operating as a food bank, and they really need to understand that this is more nutrition-focused. We do referrals and more, but really, nutrition, health, and students’ well-being are what we’re focusing on.” Cruz said. “The food pantry, and giving out meals, is just an extension of our program.”