If I asked you to name one need you’re constantly thinking about right now, what would it be?

If I asked you to name one need you’re constantly thinking about right now, what would it be? Maybe you're aiming for academic success and focusing on high grades during exam season, or maybe you're striving for strength and health to support your physical well-being goals, or perhaps your focus is on occupational well-being meeting work deadlines and building a path toward career satisfaction. These are all common priorities in our society. Yet in the middle of all these goals, we often overlook the most fundamental need of all: food access. Food is this one currency that can buy you the energy resources to study for your academic success, strive with your physical health and focus for your career satisfaction. Based on data reported through the 2025 Canadian Campus Well-being Survey, a survey many of you may have filled out yourselves, food insecurity remains a significant issue for students. That’s why, in this mini-episode of Well-being & YU, we took the extra step, literally, and visited key locations on campus to explore the food supports available to students.

Our host Susu B. sits down with Lakshika, the YUM Market Coordinator at Regenesis YU, and Symone Lennon, Vice President of Advocacy and Campaigns at the York Federation of Students (YFS). Together they discuss the services available to students, how to access these resources, and what they would say to anyone who may feel hesitant about reaching out for support.

Join us as we explore food security on campus and learn more about the resources designed to support student well-being!

Resources:

1. Food Resources: Access to food and supports is important for your student success. This website and the information can help you navigate food support resources across York’s campuses. https://students.yorku.ca/food

On campus Food Access:

YFS Food Bank (Keele) - Students - YFS

Food Bank (Glendon) - Students - Student Services (Glendon)

Open Fridge Program - Students - Student Counselling, Health & Well-Being

At-Cost Meal Initiative: Value Meal Program - Everyone - Food Services at York (Winters Dining Hall, Stong Dining Hall, Glendon Dining Hall)

Regenesis Community Garden - Everyone - Regenesis

YUM! Market (Weekly Farmers Market) - Everyone - Regenesis

Maloca Community Garden - Everyone - Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change

Break Café (affordable meal choices) - Everyone - YUSC - York University Student Centre

Food, Pantry & Personal Items Access - Indigenous Students - Centre for Indigenous Student Services

Food Insecurity

Lakshika: Hello. Hi. I'm doing good. How are you, Susu?

Susu B.: I'm honestly doing great. I'm very excited for this, mini episode. So, let's get right into it. So, what services do you offer related to students obtaining food access?

Lakshika: ReGenesis supports students by making food more accessible on campus. And this is by offering services such as the Yum Market, which is a weekly on campus farmers market that sells fresh produce at cost, along with a lot of vendors, small businesses. And this is to make it more affordable for students and the entire York community.

Susu B.: That's honestly wonderful. And I know at cost means basically it's just the cost to produce it, basically. So that's wonderful. I'm glad that ReGenesis or something on campus is offering that for Students. And how can students actually, access these services? Like, is it walk in or do I need to sign up?

Lakshika: So, most of our services are really easy to access. for example, the market runs every week, Wednesday from 10am to 4pm at Victor Phillip Dalais building. And you can also find our free store at the Ross building. Look up at ReGenesis York on Instagram for more updates and current information.

Susu B.: That's wonderful. I'm glad that you mentioned the location because right now, I'm in the office at Ross and I saw amazing stuff and I thought it was thrifting, but then, Lakshika confirmed that it's thrifting but for free. So, I'm glad that you're telling us about the locations as well. And what is one thing you'd say to students who hesitate to use your services, though?

Lakshika: I would say if you're unsure about using these services, that's totally okay. But do know that it's really accessible to you. food insecurity is a thing that a lot of people face, especially students. You're not alone. ReGenesis is a very welcoming space. And do come visit our free store, our bike center and our market, which everyone deserves access to food and insecurity is a real thing.

Susu B.: Wonderful. Thank you so much. Lakshika. it was great having you as my guest today.

So, I'm here now with Symone Lennon, the vice president of campaigns and advocacy for, York Federation of Students. Symone, how are you doing today?

Symone Lennon: I'm very good. How are you?

Susu B.: I'm, feeling great. I'm very excited to start this, interview. So, what services do you guys offer related to students obtaining food access?

Symone Lennon: So, we offer a good amount of services. The biggest would probably be the food support center that is located in the second student center basement. this is an anonymous service where students can grab food weekly, you know, to help combat food insecurity. but we also do things like a good food box, which is a highly discounted program of fresh produce, that we offer through our member services office in the first student center. we also have a grocery shuttle because groceries are really expensive on campus. So, we offer a shuttle for students to be able to shuttle back and forth to the fresh co nearby, at no cost so, they can get their groceries on biweekly basis.

Susu B.: That's actually amazing. I already knew YFS is doing, a lot for the students. And like for example, me personally, I enjoy the services of insurance coverage, you know, like Dental insurance and even psychological, it's also covered. But I'm really glad that you guys are also doing things for food access, which is like, you know, something that one of the most basic needs, because I only thought about like, you know, the psychological needs and these other things. But obtaining these basic needs, is great. And I think you guys have a variety of things. Even thinking about like commuting for grocery shopping is actually wonderful. so how can students access these services that you mentioned? is it like walk in, sign up, what should I be doing?

Symone Lennon: Okay, so for the food support center, the first time you access it, you'll show your YU card, and it'll take about two minutes to properly sign up. but after that you get sort of a membership card type of thing. And every time you go, you show the card and you exchange it for called a hamper. so, you can get a vegetarian, vegan or like meat option as well as a family option. And all of the hampers also have a household item. So sometimes it's toilet paper, toothpaste, just so students are actually. Because like it's not just food, it's also, you know, other basic needs the student needs to cover. So that's how you access the food support center. for the good food box, you can order online or in the member services office, which is room 106, for student center. and then it should come either the Wednesday, after you order it, or the next Wednesday and it's about enough groceries for about two weeks. and it's really discounted, which is really great. as for the grocery shuttle, there are three stops around campus, and it runs biweekly. the shuttle will wait an hour at the grocery store, and it'll take you back to campus, which is really cool. And the schedule is posted like online on our Instagram and stuff like that.

Susu B.: I think that's amazing. And honestly, I really like the accessibility of it. For example, I didn't know that you can also do virtual option that you make this order virtually. That really makes it easier. And I also like the fact that one of the like, I'll just call it coupons, I guess, like for family one as well. and I think that really takes into account like a lot of the different kind of students and needs, that could be in accessing food access or food security. so, we even were talking about like, you know, sometimes it's like students are like even like anonymous and stuff like that. So maybe what is one thing you would say to students who hesitate to use your service? Because I can tell you guys are already thinking about that, by making some of the services anonymous as well.

Symone Lennon: okay. I think right now we're in a situation where things are unaffordable for students, period. and it's not just, like, a specific demographic of students. It's all students. Like, grocery prices are wild. Finding a job is super hard. Especially now with, like, OSAP being cut. Like, things are more unaffordable than ever. so, the way we like to approach combating stigma at YFS is like, making this a service for everyone. So, Food Sports center, we call it a food support center, not a food bank, for a reason. is this place where people can get support for food, whether that's once a week, maybe it's just easier to go there than get groceries. Or maybe it's a consistent weekly service that you use. we want to make sure that this is open to everyone, because food insecurity is like a scale. And the best way we can combat that. and my best advice for students who are feeling maybe insecure about accessing these services is that it truly is for everyone, and that's the way we market it. and that's the way it should be.

Susu B.: Yeah, I agree with you. Honestly, the one thing I can think of is the fact that if these services exist, they exist for a reason. Because I feel like a lot of students might feel lonely in this feeling that, oh, maybe it's only me, but if they exist and they continue to exist, it means that students are also using them. So, I'm glad that you tackled it that way as well. And that concludes our small little interview. Thank you so much, Symone, for, having us today.

Symone Lennon: Amazing. Thank you for, talking to me.

Susu B.: Of course. I really want to thank our special guests today, Lakshika and Symone Lennon. I really enjoyed our enlightening conversations. Thank you, Lakshika and Symone, for being such valuable resources. You can find the links to all the services mentioned by our guests in the show notes for this episode, along with more valuable information, tips and resources. Visit our website at go.yorku.ca/wbpodcast. Click on the episode's link and look for the episode mini episode on Food Access. This episode was co-produced by the Wellbeing and YU podcast team. Our podcast coordinator is Prabhleen Luthra. Our technical editor is Jonathan Varela Gonzalez, and I'm your host, Susu B. Thank you for listening.