The health and well-being of our university community is paramount and directly impacts the education, work and research that takes place across our campuses. In 2011, the Heroes for Health grant was created as an opportunity for university community members to share ideas and work together to shape healthier campuses.
Available to anyone at the university (staff, faculty or student), this grant is for creative ideas that will enrich the health and well-being of our university community as a whole while also fostering care and empathy for one another.
In alignment with the University of Alberta’s Healthy University Strategic Plan, Wellness Supports, Campus and Community Recreation and Human Resources, Health, Safety and Environment partner together to offer the Heroes for Health grants each year.
We spoke with Madi Corry, programs manager from the Campus Food Bank who told us more about how the Heroes for Health grant has provided funding for two initiatives that have fulfilled a need for several community members.
Tell us about the initiatives the Campus Food Bank was able to start through the Heroes for Health grant?
We first received Heroes for Health funding in 2019 for our Grocery Bus and Campus Kitchen programming. The bus takes students to grocery stores that are further away from campus that offer a variety of international foods, as well as low cost food options. In 2022, we applied and received funding for a Community Garden initiative, to start up seedlings and an outdoor garden bed at the Students Union Building for the students accessing our food bank.
What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the Heroes for Health grant?
Think outside the box! Apply for initiatives that you are really passionate about making happen in our campus community. We applied with programs and projects that we knew there was a need for and with ideas that were exciting to both Campus Food Bank staff and volunteers.
In 2018, that need was access to low cost grocery stores, as well as cooking education and community building. And in 2022, that need was access to fresh produce and gardening spaces on campus.
What impact did this initiative have on our campus community?
In 2018, the Heroes for Health grant helped us launch our fledgling cooking and grocery bus programming. This grant allowed the organization to expand our services into a suite of food support programs, beyond our initial food hamper program. Both the Grocery Bus and Campus Kitchens have become regular parts of the Campus Food Bank’s programming since then. While Campus Kitchens are on hiatus this term, cooking programming continues to be an important part of the food bank’s community building efforts. We have also been able to extend the Grocery Bus to support students at both North Campus and Campus Saint Jean. Our garden bed project also continues to yield more fresh vegetables every summer!
What was the application process like?
The application process was very straightforward and clear! Any time we had questions when applying, the Heroes for Health team was very helpful and supportive.
What does it mean to you to advance health and well-being across our campuses?
Since food security is our main focus at the Campus Food Bank, we of course see it as fundamentally intertwined with health and well-being. Student success relies on mental and physical health just as much as good study habits. Advancing health and well-being across our campuses means that students can focus on their studies and futures.
There’s still time to apply for a Heroes for Health Grant before the Feb. 7 deadline.
Whether you have an idea to enhance university-wide well-being or activities specifically for faculty and staff, apply for a grant to support your initiative and shape a healthier university community.