Two donors’ growing support for NSCC students facing food insecurity
For Joe Hood and Megan Andrus, growing and sharing food has been part of their lives since childhood. Both grew up around gardening and foraging - experiences that helped their families put healthy meals on the table and shaped how they support their community today.
Through Sound Living, a brand they created to share their journey and ideas about sustainable living, Joe and Megan offer practical knowledge and resources related to gardening and other sustainable practices. “We started it because we wanted to find better ways to ‘walk the walk’, finding practical things that work for us and sharing them with others in the hope that they might find it easier to make meaningful changes too,” says Joe and Megan.
“We feel very fortunate to be where we are in life,” they say. “As part of showing our gratitude, we enjoy sharing what we can with others.”
That generosity has extended to NSCC students through fresh produce, financial contributions and gardening knowledge.
Sharing their harvest with NSCC
Joe and Megan’s relationship with NSCC began in 2022 after a neighbour who worked at the College shared a call for support for the IT Campus Food Bank.
Food security was already important to the couple, and they saw an opportunity to use what they were growing to help students. As part of their initial support, Joe harvested vegetables and greens early in the morning so the produce could reach students while still fresh. Their donations provided students access to fresh, nutritious food alongside the non-perishable items commonly available through food banks.
For Megan, student food insecurity affects the wider community.
“Food insecurity is not an individual problem. It’s a community problem,” she says. “Why would we not extend what we have to someone to alleviate a bit of stress so they can focus on advancing themselves?”
Financial pressures can affect a student’s ability to concentrate, attend class and afford everyday necessities such as groceries and transportation. By helping ease some of that pressure, Joe and Megan hope students can spend more time and energy focusing on their education.
Planting knowledge at Iga’taqan
Joe and Megan’s support for NSCC extends beyond food and financial contributions, it also includes sharing their gardening knowledge and experience. During the planning of Iga’taqan, the IT Campus Reconciliation Garden, they consulted with College employees, offering expertise and advice on designing and establishing the garden.
Iga’taqan is more than a garden - it is a communal space where students can grow food, connect, and explore ecological and biodiversity practices. Much like Sound Living, sharing this knowledge is central to community support. For Joe and Megan, they regularly provide seeds, plants and gardening advice in their neighbourhood, and use their platform to discuss their experiences with gardening, solar power, electric vehicles and sustainable living. As Iga’taqan continues to grow, so too will its ability to bring people together and strengthen the community around it.
“What keeps us going is seeing others benefit from whatever we can share and feeling a closer sense of connection to our community,” they say.
Building a bigger table
Beyond NSCC, Joe and Megan support local food banks, animal rescue organizations and the QEII Foundation. Their giving reflects a belief that everyone can contribute to their community according to their abilities and resources.
Their message to others is to consider ways they can share. Support may take the form of money, food, time, knowledge or practical skills.
As Megan says, “When you have more than you need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence.”
Join our donor community
This year we invite you to join NSCC and donors like Joe and Megan in the “Food for All Fall” campaign – a province-wide fundraiser dedicated to supporting students facing food insecurity and ensuring that there is enough food for all.
“If we have the ability to ease some of that worry and help students focus on their education, we should try to do that. The whole community benefits when students have the support they need to succeed, and we hope that, in turn, they’ll be inspired to support others. Every contribution makes a difference.”
Show your support by donating to Rapid Response today or supporting your Campus Food Bank.
Learn more about ways to give to the NSCC Foundation and contact us to discuss how you can support students facing food insecurity during this Season of Giving.
By phone: 902-491-2181 or 1-866-745-7919 (toll-free)
Email: foundation@nscc.ca
To see options for giving online
Donate to Rapid Response
Link to list of Campus Food Banks