Yesterday, students at four Ontario universities started a three-week “Food for Thought” experiment. As noted in an Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance media release, “They will attempt to eat a healthy, balanced diet while spending only $7.50 a day on food – the same amount allocated for food by the Ontario Student Assistance Program.”
“A number of organizations dedicated to poverty and social justice issues have pledged their support, including the Council of Canadians, Canada Without Poverty, and university food banks across the province. …The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance represents the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full- and part-time university students at seven Ontario institutions.”
“The Ontario Student Assistance Program needs assessment uses a standard living allowance for every student living away from home. It totals $34.72 per day, of which $7.50 is allocated to food costs and the rest is meant for shelter, public transit, and miscellaneous expenses. Over the course of a year, this living allowance is $3,000 less than the poverty line for a city of over 100,000 people.”
Participants will blog and video blog on their experiences at www.ousa.ca/foodforthought. The media release can be read at http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2010/08/c7804.html.
