‘Sometimes they go to sleep without dinner’: Students offered affordable groceries at SAITSA Tedi Market
The lineup of students stretches out the Senator Burns Building on SAIT’s main campus during a cold February morning, but it’s not concert tickets or a celebrity sighting they are after.
Instead, it’s affordable groceries.
Students line up outside the Senator Burns Building on SAIT Campus for the Tedi Market.
Held twice during each school year, the SAITSA Tedi Market is a chance for students to get things like bread, vegetables, dairy, snacks, canned goods, pasta and other personal or hygiene products on a pay-what-you-can basis.
“We noticed the increase in prices here in Calgary of food and housing and noticed that people are concentrating on paying their rent over getting food,” said Jose Sandoval, assistant manager of student experience at SAITSA.
Jose Sandoval, assistant manager of student experience at SAITSA, stands outside the Peer Support Centre next to a Tedi display on SAIT Campus.
“So, sometimes they go to sleep without dinner.”
This latest donation-based event was held on Feb. 26 in the Peer Support Centre and saw close to 200 students show up, with a line stretching outside the Senator Burns Building.
“We try to make this an extra alternative in collaboration with free breakfasts, to give food to students.” said Sandoval.
The efforts are appreciated by students.
“It’s free groceries man, I don’t have a job currently or any source of income,” said Princedeep Singh, who is starting a software development diploma at SAIT and utilized the service.
Princedeep Singh, a software development diploma student stands with his groceries from the Tedi Market outside the Peer Support Centre on SAIT Campus.
The need is a growing one, especially as tuition for many international students costs up to four times that of domestic ones. SAITSA is seeing high numbers of international students at the Tedi Market.
“It's an option for students that unfortunately don't have the resources or the financial support to buy groceries or personal hygiene items. This is a safety net for students that really need the help,” said Sandoval
Apurva Patel, an international student starting a software development diploma, lined up an hour beforehand to use the service. He came with Singh and talked about which food he planned to get that day.
"I'm planning to get vegetables and probably one other thing," said Patel.
Apurva Patel, a software development diploma student stands with his groceries from the Tedi Market outside the Peer Support Centre on SAIT Campus.
This is just one of many events that SAITSA hosts to combat food insecurity in addition to the Good Food Box and Free Breakfast programs.
The Free Breakfast program provides free breakfast for students on certain days starting in Fall 2024.
The Good Fox Box allows students to purchase affordable produce on a monthly basis.
For more information on these events, visit the SAITSA website.
Apurva Patel holds his groceries from the Tedi Market.
Anyone interested in donating to Tedi Market can drop off donations at the Peer Support Centre (NJ105) or the Resource Centre (MC107).
The next Tedi Market is planned for the fall 2024 semester.
