According to Times Higher Education’s 2024 Impact Rankings, Queen’s is first in the world for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger. The university’s success in this category can be attributed in part to a variety of initiatives intended to acknowledge and address student food insecurity. Students volunteering with Health Promotion at Student Wellness Services, known as Peer Health Educators (PHE), are breaking down barriers to food access by offering free or low-cost meals for students, and programs that help develop skills around grocery budgeting and food preparation.
The PHE healthy eating topic team, comprising six to eight student volunteers, plans and implements various food programs with support from professional Health Promotion staff. The longest standing program is Mason Jar Meals (MJM), which provides students with free soup or stew ready-to-eat once water is added, requiring minimal food preparation skills. Between September and December 2024, this program provided 230 free meals, 120 of which went to undergraduate students, with the rest allocated for graduate students in collaboration with the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS). Some examples of past MJM recipes include Moroccan lentil soup, pasta soup, and vegetarian chili.
Another program, Fresh Food Boxes (FFB), offers students the ability to purchase a box of fresh ingredients for $5 that makes approximately four servings. During the fall semester, 140 FFBs were distributed, 90 of which were allocated to undergraduate students at a cost of $5, with the remaining 50 reserved for graduate students for free, courtesy of the SGPS. Participating students have indicated that they enjoyed the healthy recipes such as vegetarian stuffed peppers, black bean enchiladas, and Thai cauliflower curry.
PHEs recognize that these programs can empower students who may lack access to nourishment due to financial constraints and other factors. “Food insecurity is so prevalent and not talked about enough - many of our programs have significant waitlists, and we are working on solutions,” says Vanessa Dupont a Food Programming Assistant and Peer Health Educator in her fourth-year of Health Studies. “There’s a sense of shame and vulnerability that comes with these issues, and the programs offered by Health Promotion aim to give students valuable resources so they can feel supported.”
PHE volunteers also lead programs intended to increase knowledge about grocery budgeting and food preparation through experiential learning. Monthly cooking sessions give students the opportunity to learn about healthy cooking and prepare an inexpensive 3-course meal together for $10 each. PHEs help facilitate the sessions and then everyone gets to sit down and enjoy what they’ve made as a group. Grocery Game Plan is another interactive workshop, where students plan meals and create a grocery list that is budget-friendly and consists of healthy options. Students then travel to Food Basics together, each with a $25 gift card to put the strategies that they have learned into practice.
Beyond their ability to address some student food needs, these interactive sessions help build community. “There is an isolating aspect to missing out on food-related activities within your community, especially when this comes at the cost of not building relationships with your peers” explains Tima Al Shammaa, a Food Programming Assistant and Peer Health Educator in her fourth-year of Life Sciences. Tima also taps into the strengths of having Queen’s students direct these sessions. “By having other students at the forefront of these programs we offer an environment that is not only welcoming, but also familiar.” says Tima. “Students are able to access more than healthy eating, they are able to access connections and build relationships.”
This year, Health Promotion introduced a new pay it forward option, where students can donate $5 when they register for one of the existing programs. Funds raised from students who select the pay it forward option assist the Faculty of Education in stocking the Community Cupboard in Duncan McArthur Hall with essential food items and sanitary products.
The programs led by PHEs to address food insecurity are meant to be tangible and accessible ways that students can acknowledge and address a complex issue experienced by many of their peers. As SDG 2 Zero Hunger is an ambitious goal and food insecurity is prevalent among post-secondary students, there is still more work and advocacy to do, but the plan is to continue providing these programs for as long as is required. More stories about students, faculty, and staff at Queen’s who are advancing the SDGs and the Queen’s Strategy will continue to be shared on the SDGs at Queen’s page in the coming months.
Resources
Learn more about Peer Health Educators, the Health Promotion Hub, and the offered programs:
- Browse the Peer Health Educators webpage for an overview of the mentioned programs and other non-food related programs.
- Keep up to date with programming and registration periods.
- Discover the resources the Health Promotion Hub has to offer.
- Follow Student Wellness Services on to remain informed and aware.
Get Involved:
- Curious about becoming involved with the Health Promotion Hub? Check out these student volunteer opportunities.
- Learn more about the , recommended donations, location, and 91Ƶ.
- about how food banks are often an emergency measure, and consider how you might also take action on root causes of hunger:
Learn More about UN SDG 2:
- To get to know Global Goal 2 and its targets, visit
- ‘Understand Goal 2: Zero Hunger’ from Participate - a free community-learning platform.
- United 4 Social Change video ‘Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger - SDG Series.’
Learn more about all 17 UN SDGs on the and what you can do to get involved.