Volunteering for a good cause
Many students are unaware of
the food and clothing donation
centre located in Fanshawe at
B1050. The Sharing Shop is a food
bank and clothing exchange service
that was set up for Fanshawe
students who are in financial need.
The Sharing Shop is run by student volunteers and is entirely confidential. Your name or ID is not required to receive a donation from the shop.
Most donations and funding are provided to the Sharing Shop by students. With no additional funding from the school, it can be difficult to keep the shelves of the food bank stocked. It is also a struggle to find enough volunteers to keep the shop running on a regular schedule, especially at the start of the school year in September. There is only one paid employee who organizes the centre and the volunteers, so it can be a little hectic at times.
"It's really difficult to promote the Sharing Shop," said Janet Ostrom, the acting Assistant Manager at the Student Success Centre. "We've done all kinds of different fundraising activities to try and create awareness and we still struggle with students saying they've never heard of it. But on the flipside of that, we can't keep it stocked."
Ostrom encouraged more students to get involved with the Sharing Shop. She said she understands that it may be difficult for students to donate food or clothing, but volunteering is a nice and easy way to help out.
The Sharing Shop has been looking at starting a partnership with the Fanshawe Student Union in hopes of attracting more volunteers during the start of each semester and the busiest times of the year, like the winter holidays.
Ostrom and Veronica Barahona, FSU President, are hoping to start a program that involves FSU executives volunteering with the Sharing Shop. They hope that this will help spread the word about how important this service is and how much volunteers help. It will also help to fill in volunteer spaces until other student volunteers are found.
Ostrom stressed that volunteers are most needed at the start of the school year in September. There are normally very few students donating items and time in the early weeks of school because it takes a few weeks for word of the Sharing Shop to get out to students.
The shop is also in need of donations of any kind. They accept nonperishable food, clothing, textbooks and household items.
Ostrom also added that toiletries like feminine hygiene products are in high demand. Students donate items in the Sharing Shop boxes around campus: in the Library (L1003), General Studies Division (E2035), Human Services Division (D3024), Student Success Centre (F2010) and outside the Sharing Shop (B1050).
Getting involved as a volunteer for the student-run food bank is easy. It's also a good way to give back to the Fanshawe student body. Volunteers only work as often as they want to and normally don't work for more than an hour at a time.
If you would like to volunteer for or donate to the Sharing Shop or for more information, visit fsu.ca/sharing_shop.asp.
The Sharing Shop is run by student volunteers and is entirely confidential. Your name or ID is not required to receive a donation from the shop.
Most donations and funding are provided to the Sharing Shop by students. With no additional funding from the school, it can be difficult to keep the shelves of the food bank stocked. It is also a struggle to find enough volunteers to keep the shop running on a regular schedule, especially at the start of the school year in September. There is only one paid employee who organizes the centre and the volunteers, so it can be a little hectic at times.
"It's really difficult to promote the Sharing Shop," said Janet Ostrom, the acting Assistant Manager at the Student Success Centre. "We've done all kinds of different fundraising activities to try and create awareness and we still struggle with students saying they've never heard of it. But on the flipside of that, we can't keep it stocked."
Ostrom encouraged more students to get involved with the Sharing Shop. She said she understands that it may be difficult for students to donate food or clothing, but volunteering is a nice and easy way to help out.
The Sharing Shop has been looking at starting a partnership with the Fanshawe Student Union in hopes of attracting more volunteers during the start of each semester and the busiest times of the year, like the winter holidays.
Ostrom and Veronica Barahona, FSU President, are hoping to start a program that involves FSU executives volunteering with the Sharing Shop. They hope that this will help spread the word about how important this service is and how much volunteers help. It will also help to fill in volunteer spaces until other student volunteers are found.
Ostrom stressed that volunteers are most needed at the start of the school year in September. There are normally very few students donating items and time in the early weeks of school because it takes a few weeks for word of the Sharing Shop to get out to students.
The shop is also in need of donations of any kind. They accept nonperishable food, clothing, textbooks and household items.
Ostrom also added that toiletries like feminine hygiene products are in high demand. Students donate items in the Sharing Shop boxes around campus: in the Library (L1003), General Studies Division (E2035), Human Services Division (D3024), Student Success Centre (F2010) and outside the Sharing Shop (B1050).
Getting involved as a volunteer for the student-run food bank is easy. It's also a good way to give back to the Fanshawe student body. Volunteers only work as often as they want to and normally don't work for more than an hour at a time.
If you would like to volunteer for or donate to the Sharing Shop or for more information, visit fsu.ca/sharing_shop.asp.
