Hamper program assists local seniors in need
Students with the St. F.X. Students Union have found a way to spread some genuine holiday joy in Antigonish town and county.
Recently, a number of students associated with the St. F.X. Student Union partnered with community members at the Atlantic Superstore to help brighten the Christmas of 20 local seniors.
"The thought was to give back to the Antigonish community, and trying to do that, we had to identify the most vulnerable group in the community," Tega Sefia, vice president of finance and operations, said.
The student union decided the best vulnerable local group to help at Christmastime would be seniors.
Recently, that giving back entailed delivering hampers to 20 seniors in Antigonish.
"Initially, to be honest, we were a bit nervous. We weren’t sure how people were going to take it," Sefia said.
Many of the recipients, Sefia noted, were a little curious as to why they were chosen – but all were grateful.
Sefia noted most the seniors were very emotional when presented with their hampers.
"When we started up the deliveries, we realized the impact it had on most of the seniors we delivered them to," Sefia said. "It just made it very worth it, in the end. We always felt that it was going to have some impact."
The hampers consisted of groceries and food items, along with $50 gift cards.
"We came together, got some donations from other partners on campus. The majority of the donations came from the student food bank," Sefia said.
Sefia noted the student union sought the assistance of Superstore, and from that partnership, they were put in contact with Anita Stewart, senior safety coordinator with Antigonish Town and County Crime Prevention.
"We reached out to Anita, she identified some people in need, and gave use their names and numbers," Sefia said.
Anita, the student union and their partners, eventually decided to help 20 seniors – a doable amount of support for the first time the Christmas hampers program has ever run.
"Anita felt it would be feasible to go with that number," Sefia said.
Sefia credited the guidance Stewart provided throughout the process of gathering donations and delivering the hampers.
"She helped us identify the most vulnerable seniors in the area. We couldn’t have reached out to all those people without her," Sefia said. "She made it a whole lot easier."
Sefia emphasized one of the biggest objectives for the student union this year is fighting food insecurity, "not just on St. F.X. but in the Antigonish community."
Sefia said the hampers were the product of the St. F.X. food bursary program and help from the local Superstore.
The bursary program also has helped two students on campus this year, providing a year’s worth of groceries.