A student dines at Marquis Hall at the University of Saskatchewan.
During March 27 - April 2, Marquis Culinary Centre will be raising funds to donate to Ukrainians in crisis. (Photo: University of Saskatchewan)

USask unites: Culinary Services raises funds for meals to Ukrainians in crisis

From March 27 until April 2, the Marquis Culinary Centre at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) will be raising funds for World Central Kitchen, an organization providing fresh meals on the front lines to Ukrainians in crisis.

By Chris Morin

Culinary Services will donate $5 for each walk-in customer at Marquis during this time. Additionally, students, faculty and staff with meal plans will have the option to donate a meal swipe.

When news of the war in Ukraine first broke, there were several discussions about what could be done at the university to help in regards to the humanitarian crisis, said George Foufas, director of consumer services at USask.

“We thought we could bring people together during that week by providing donations through our revenues at the Marquis Culinary Centre to help support this cause.” 

Additionally, members of the campus community can donate directly to World Central Kitchen, an organization that Foufas said is linked to food, chefs and the world community.

“We thought it would be a good choice for us to support an organization that is centered around meals, in response to a humanitarian crisis. They are on the front lines providing food to those in need in areas around the world.” 

During the early days of the pandemic, Culinary Services made a number of donations in order to make a positive change in the lives of others during difficult times. This included donating fresh produce to Saskatoon Public Schools, in addition to donations made to the Saskatoon Friendship Inn.

According to Foufas, it was important for the campus organization to continue to make a positive impact during a time of worldwide crisis. 

“I know we have a lot of people in our community who are affected by what is happening in Ukraine, and on campus we have students, faculty and staff who are from Ukraine as well.

“The impact we are making won’t be huge, but I think it will be meaningful.”

Share your stories with us: We are collecting the stories of resilience and good spirit from our USask community. Please send story ideas and photos to news@usask.ca.

As a community it is critical that we support each other and remain respectful during what is a difficult time for all of us. We are working to support members of the campus community and beyond: https://updates.usask.ca/ukraine/