Loyalist College holds food drive for students who lost their home

By Meagan Pecjak

Loyalist College will be holding a food drive this Friday for two students who have been driven from their home because of a fire.

Loyalist is pulling together Food for Thought, a food drive for the students who are victims of a house fire. They have lost their home, belongings and memories.

Catherine O’Rourke, director of student success, is helping get the event together.

The drive has been incorporated into Random Acts of Kindness Week. “We recognized there was a need, and typically we try and do something for community agencies,” said O’Rourke. “However, this year, our own students are in need, so it is appropriate that we support them.”

Rebuilding your life after a fire is not easy. Melissa Fougere, disaster management

co-ordinator for the Belleville Red Cross office, said that “it’s up to the person who lost their belongings how much help they need.”

Fougere said that the Red Cross would provide basic needs that need to be met again. Housing, personal items, and building them back up.

But mostly they are there just to ensure that the victims have the proper contact information in order to replace items they lost in the fire, and help from the community.

The Red Cross will be called to the scene of the fire and will start helping by providing “food, clothing and shelter for up to 72 hours.”

For friends of those in this situation, Rebecca Lazar, a counselor at Loyalist, said that the best thing you can do is ask how they are, ask if they are okay, and ask if there is anything they need.

“If you are a friend of a victim, don’t be scared to go that way,” said Lazar. “If you are the victim, don’t be afraid to ask for that support.”

Another way to help someone in need is to give them a sense of security.

“Sometimes it means getting them back into a routine as soon as possible,” said Lazar.

Often someone just is not sure where to turn in a situation such as this.

O’Rourke said one way students could help would be “to come out, and to support the food drive. If they could make a small donation as well to helping these students get restarted, that would be really appreciated.”

Having their name entered into a draw will recognize those who do donate either food, or change.

The food drive is being held this Friday. Students who wish to donate can go to the Student Access Hub where there will be a spot set up to donate non-perishable food items.