Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Misunderstanding from social media spurs rise in international student food bank visits (Apparently rich foreign students like free stuff... Maybe that's why they're rich?)
CBC ^ | Nov 13, 2024 | Andrew Lupton

Posted on 11/13/2023 12:06:39 PM PST by jerod

YouTube video suggested food banks could provide a regular supply of 'free' food instead of for emergencies

A misconception about how Canadian food banks operate — combined with some misleading information on social media — has led to a sudden increase in usage among international students at London, Ont.'s food bank along with others in Canada.

London Food Bank co-executive director Glen Pearson said his staff were already dealing with a 43 per cent increase in visits at the start of this school year when they began to notice a spike in food requests from post-secondary students.

The London Food Bank requires users to show ID, and staff noticed many were international students from London's Fanshawe College.

"The numbers just began to mushroom," said Pearson. "Our staff said they're coming in such huge numbers and that we're going to have to do something about it. It caused some concern as to whether or not we would have enough supply."

Students have always made up a legitimate portion of their visits, he said. Like many Canadians, more students are struggling with higher costs for basics like housing and food.

However staff soon learned the spike in visits was caused in part by social media posts, Pearson said.

One YouTube post in Malayalam, a language spoken in southern India, suggested food banks in Canada could provide visitors with a regular supply of free food — instead of a resource used in emergencies.

"We were all feeling [demand] continue to grow. It wasn't something that was unique to London," said Pearson.

A food bank in Brampton had to shut its doors to international students this week, saying the students were creating a demand the food bank couldn't meet...


TOPICS: Canada; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS:
Free stuff... They don't do that sort of thing in other countries... So yup... When you're offering it for free... They'll be lined up to get it.
1 posted on 11/13/2023 12:06:39 PM PST by jerod
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jerod

You could put out a sign for a free kick in the nuts and the lines would be around the block in no time.


2 posted on 11/13/2023 12:26:52 PM PST by Keyhopper (Indians had bad immigration laws)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jerod

When I was a general contractor, it was the richest clients that haggled over the smallest expenses.


3 posted on 11/13/2023 12:27:24 PM PST by Extra-Ordinary Objectives (My preferred pronouns are intuitively obvious to the most casual observer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jerod

When I was a general contractor, it was the richest clients that haggled over the smallest expenses.


4 posted on 11/13/2023 12:27:25 PM PST by Extra-Ordinary Objectives (My preferred pronouns are intuitively obvious to the most casual observer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jerod

When I was a general contractor, it was the richest clients that haggled over the smallest expenses.


5 posted on 11/13/2023 12:27:26 PM PST by Extra-Ordinary Objectives (My preferred pronouns are intuitively obvious to the most casual observer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jerod
Apparently rich foreign students like free stuff... Maybe that's why they're rich?

Nope.

They are not rich because they like free stuff. They take free stuff when they are rich because they lack shame. And they lack shame because they are rich and from parts of the world where the amount of money in your parents bank account means you can do no wrong.

They are the type of people who will literally take candy from a baby.

They will not fit in with a civil society until they have that smacked out of them. Which we seem to be disinclined to do.

This does not end well.

6 posted on 11/13/2023 12:33:27 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Keep America Beautiful by keeping Canadian Trash Out. Deport Jennifer Granholm!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jerod

There is no more entitled group in society than college moochers. Many have never held a job or have even been forced to do chores at home. Mooching and worthless but oh do superior to the rest of us. The best and the brightest... they think.


7 posted on 11/13/2023 1:29:31 PM PST by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jerod

Isn’t the “free stuff” the reason they came over to begin with?


8 posted on 11/13/2023 1:46:05 PM PST by fruser1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jerod

Better link:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/misunderstanding-from-social-media-spurs-rise-in-international-student-food-bank-visits-1.7025016


9 posted on 11/13/2023 1:59:47 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Extra-Ordinary Objectives

Very true. My experience in the aircraft industry...

The people born rich were the worst of the worst to deal with

The people who married rich were less obnoxious but still obnoxious

The celebrity rich (Actors and sports stars) were guarded but generally nice people once they let their public persona and guard down.

The “I earned it through hard work and a business” rich who came from humble beginnings were the greatest and treated EVERYONE wonderfully.


10 posted on 11/13/2023 2:39:00 PM PST by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Harmless Teddy Bear

We live in a mid sized college town and I will no longer give to the food bank. There is a line of foreign students at the door all the time. I now give to the food bank in a town about 10 miles away. The food goes to Americans in need.


11 posted on 11/13/2023 4:27:36 PM PST by Greenidgypsy (I loathe the MSM.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson