Fanshawe Student Union saw hundreds at their biweekly breakfast program. the FSU breakfast program was reintroduced at the start of the 2026 fall term. Students pay an ancillary fee and everything is divided into the services provided for students.
“Doing the breakfast program, before even setting up, students were already sitting and waiting for breakfast. It shows there is a real need for it,” said FSU President Shadé Dias. “It’s very important because there’s a lot of students on campus that don’t have a meal because they don’t have a job. Especially coming into winter, we find students that don’t have a lot of money as the start of term in September.”
She said roughly 750 breakfasts have been served since the program was reintroduced in September. Students from all demographics access the breakfast program, she said.
Students seemed to be enjoying the breakfast program Tuesday, walking away with apples and yogurts. They said they appreciated the convenient and free option, especially with costs of food being higher than normal.
“It’s important after a test,” said Alex Lam, who was among a group of students in the area. “We need nutrients to fuel our brains.”
Previously, the breakfast program ran once a month, but Dias increased the frequency to every other Tuesday to meet more demand.
Shadé Dias, FSU president (Credit: Torey Joseph Legarrie)
She said she would consider adding more days if needed. “If there is more demand, I’m sure the organization will look into possibly revamping the operations of it.”
“Having a breakfast program is just a great way of connecting with students and letting them know that we are here to support them in whatever way,” said Dias.
FSU does student satisfaction surveys to touch base with students and make sure needs are met, she said.
“One of the feedbacks from last year, was to improve our presence in different college areas. We’re moving it from Forwell hall, and we’re going to be in Innovation Village just to boost visibility and let students know that we’re here for them, listening to them, and supporting them as this is a major concern.”
Through Fanshawe, students can get discounts with their student ID at different grocery stores including; Food Basics, Metro, Real Canadian Superstore, and BulkBarn.
