Meal Exchange is a student-driven, grassroots, national registered charity organized to address local hunger by mobilizing the talent and passion of students. Since 1993, we've established chapters on 50 campuses across Canada and facilitated the student donation of over 400,000 meals to address local hunger.

Meal Exchange facilitates three main programs: Skip a Meal, Trick or Eat, and Clear the Shelves!. Each is designed to be easy to execute, effective, and fun.

SKIP A MEAL
Skip a Meal facilitates the student donation of money from their meal plans to purchase food at wholesale prices for those that can't afford it in their community. Campus Coordinators consult with local food banks and agencies to identify which products are most in need. This approach ensures that items such as baby formula or foods low in sugar, that are not always attainable through a regular food drive, get to the people who really need them. Student volunteers then personally deliver the food to local social organizations, exposing them to opportunities for continued volunteer involvement, should that be of interest.

Over the past 5 years, Skip a Meal has generated $320,000 in donations from 30,000 students on 20 campuses. It is important to note that all food provided to the community through Skip a Meal is food that would have otherwise gone undonated, and that 100% of student donations generated on campus stays within their community.

Don't let your unused meal points go to waste! Donate a meal, or start a chapter at your school.

Participating Skip a Meal Campuses
Queen's - Dalhousie - McMaster - UBC - Guelph - Waterloo - Western - Wilfrid Laurier - York - Acadia - Bishops - Brandon - Brock - Mount Allison - St. Francis Xavier - St. Thomas - Windsor - St. Mary's - Memorial

TRICK OR EAT
One night a year do households expect their dinner hour to be interrupted in order to distribute free edible items to all who ask. Trick or Eat puts a new spin on Halloween as costumed students canvass university and college neighbourhoods collecting food for local social service agencies. At the same time, students raise awareness about local hunger and volunteer opportunities that allow their neighbours to get involved in the solution. Three hours and a costume is all that is required to make a huge difference in your community. And it's fun too!

Last year, Trick or Eat facilitated the donation of 218,000 pounds of food, which is equivalent to 87,200 meals.

Participating Trick or Eat Campuses
UBC - Alberta - Guelph - Waterloo - Victoria - Wilfrid Laurier - Carleton - Brock - UNB - Acadia - Bishops - Brandon - Mount Allison - Champlain College - Medicine Hat - St. Francis Xavier - St. Thomas

CLEAR THE SHELVES!
Why drag all that macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and cans of baked beans home for the summer when you can lighten your load, and help feed the community's hungry? Clear the Shelves! provides students an opportunity to donate food, clothing, and furniture to local charities. Given that most students are busy with exams, this program is generally facilitated by faculty, staff and alumni as they drive around door-to-door picking up items from student neighbourhoods.

Over the past two years, Clear the Shelves! has generated $100,000 in food from 13,000 students on 30 campuses.

Participating Campuses
Western - Waterloo - Dalhousie - UBC - Alberta - Guelph - Waterloo - Victoria - Wilfrid Laurier - Carleton - Brock - UNB - SMU -McGill - McMaster - Memorial - Ryerson - Acadia - Bishops - Brandon - Mount Allison - Champlain College - Medicine Hat - St. Francis Xavier - STU - SFU