Community Spirit at StFX: Kevin’s Corner Food Resource Center
/The Kevin’s Corner Food Resource Center (KCFRC) has been a campus staple since its humble beginnings under MacKinnon Hall. It has since moved to the second floor of the Students’ Union Building, across from the Inn. The campus resource is run by student volunteers, who welcome all students, both on and off campus, to stock up on food supplies. The food items are generously donated by the Antigonish community and through purchasing by the U. Julianna Drake, a second-year student at X, is the Student Food Resource Center Coordinator.
I spoke with two student volunteers at KCFRC, Dana Morrison and Liam Wilde, who are a part of a group of 40+ student volunteers who help keep this amazing and essential resource going.
Liam Wilde is a fifth-year student and X-Men athlete. He has been volunteering at Kevin’s Corner since his first year in 2019.
Dana Morrison is a second-year student completing her third semester at StFX in the business program. She has been a volunteer at Kevin’s Corner since she started at X in January of 2022.
I was able to speak with both students about what it’s like being a volunteer at Kevin’s Corner and the role of the resource in students’ lives.
“It’s cool because, you meet people, and then like the other thing is, you feel like you’re helping the community in a positive way. Even though you may not be doing much if you’re just sitting around on your shift, but like just helping, helping people if they need it, you get a good feeling from that,” said Liam.
“I’ve noticed that way more people are starting to use the food bank than before. When it was under MacKinnon, barely anyone came in, but now people are always coming in, grabbing stuff, and I think it takes a bit of pressure off students financially, because of how expensive groceries are” he continued. “I also think there’s some sort of comradery in the people that volunteer here, you know, we’re all helping, chatting, getting to know each other”.
“It’s became a more of a popular spot to go, people are more comfortable coming here,” said Dana. Speaking of being a volunteer, she added that “It’s an exciting place to be”.
The Kevin’s Food Resource Center is a prime example of the community spirit here at StFX. When Hurricane Fiona hit in September of 2022, it was the KCFRC that fed students fruits and snacks to help them get through the impact of the storm. In the context of rising food prices, more students are using the resource, and the center continues to support all students. Kevin’s Corner Food Resource Center is a campus staple and an example of how StFX goes above and beyond for its students.