Every other Thursday at noon, TRU’s Students’ Union Building fills with fresh food and something a bit more profound, and needs no exact measurements or recipes: a sense of community. This is the heart of TRUSU’s Community Meals programme, an initiative led by the TRU Students’ Union that’s quietly redefining what support looks like on campus.
Created in response to student food insecurity during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme was inspired by what staff were seeing firsthand: students struggling to afford basic necessities like food.
“We were seeing a lot of students during and coming out of COVID who were really suffering to try to afford food,” said Executive Director of TRUSU Nathan Lane.
The goal of the programme is simple but powerful: to provide as much food as possible to as many students as possible. According to Lane, the initiative is certainly outperforming. Community Meals serve roughly 200 students per session, with all available food distributed each time.
“These meals are successful, and students are full every time,” Lane said. “We give out every single amount of food at each meal, and the feedback from students has been really positive.”
Meals are prepared on-site by the Campus Activity Centre and served by TRUSU student volunteers who are currently active within the union. No sign-up is required; students can simply show up, grab a plate, and find a seat.
All meals are vegetarian, with a limited number of vegan options available to accommodate different dietary needs. While TRUSU does not collaborate directly with local food producers for the programme, meals are pre-purchased in advance based on what is available and affordable at scale for the year.
While the numbers speak to the programme’s success, the real impact is harder to quantify. For many students, Community Meals is more than just a break from lectures; it’s a place to meet someone new, share a conversation or simply feel seen on a tough day. The act of eating together creates an environment of inclusion and warmth that can’t be replicated in the classroom.
Sometimes, the most powerful way to support each other is also the simplest: sharing a meal.
To receive reminders about upcoming meals, click here.