Letter: Vote Yes to the Hive’s Free Lunch Program

LettersMel Romer — Published March 14, 2016

On March 16, 17, and 18, ASFA is holding a referendum. One of the referendum questions will deal with the Hive Free Lunch Program receiving a 0.10$ per credit fee-levy from arts and science students.

The Hive Free Lunch Program is housed within the Hive Cafe Cooperative, but maintains distinct and separate budgets. The Hive Free Lunch operates largely with the help of volunteers, in order to provide free, fresh, varied, nutritionally dense, protein packed vegetarian lunches every school day to everyone who lines up on the second floor of the SC building at Loyola between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.

The majority of Hive Free Lunch funding is received from the Concordia Student Union. However, this school year alone Free Lunch has seen an over 50% increase in participants, amounting to an average of 230 people served and a record of 306 people served.

In order to help mitigate this massive growth in participants this year the Concordia Council on Student Life granted the Free Lunch Program $5,000 to supplement the food budget, and ASFA granted $3,000 towards a second employee becoming full time.

This 0.10$ a credit fee-levy is a long term solution to the growth the Hive Free Lunch Program has sustained this year, and will sustain in years to come.

While the amount the CSU provides the Free Lunch Program is subject to change, Loyola is almost entirely arts and science students. So as it is primarily arts and science students who benefit from Free Lunch, Free Lunch is looking to supplement CSU funding with this 0.10$ per credit fee-levy from arts and science students in order to be able to meet needs at Loyola for free balanced meals.

Support the Hive Free Lunch Program in continuing to bring Loyola free, fresh, varied, nutritionally dense, protein packed vegetarian lunches every school day by voting “yes” to the referendum question!

— Mel Romer