Stratford Resource Bins Founder Wins Arts Award for Excellence in Service

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Kiera McMaster, a recent graduate of the Global Business and Digital Arts program, is a recipient of this year's Arts Award for Excellence in Service. She鈥檚 been highly acknowledged and rewarded for her innovative, dedication and execution to the Resource Bins at University of 蓝莓视频鈥檚 satellite campus in Stratford.

McMaster is passionate about supporting community development, representing inclusion and promoting equality on campus and in the city of Stratford.听鈥淪tudents in 蓝莓视频 have easy access to the WUSA food bank, but in Stratford, we were missing an equivalent鈥 says McMaster,听when asked what听her initiatives were听to start the program.听
Resource bins with food and toiletries
The Stratford Resource Bins are located around campus to provide students with听essential听items that may be required but could not be affordable such as dry food items and toiletries. The main pillar is 鈥榯ake what you need, leave what you can鈥听and focuses听on increasing education, working with the community, and growing sustainably. Last year, Stratford Resource Bins were able to partner with the Stratford Chef School using the grant funding听received听from the #RisingYouth grant program.听

There are many ways to help support the Stratford Resource bins. Making听donations as听little as听an extra can of soup in your pantry or unopened menstrual products听are听greatly appreciated and go a long way to keeping the program running.听Purchases are made with the funds raised through advertised donation drives and items left at the end of the year are donated to the local community of Stratford.听Also, there is an anonymous听听that helps serve students better by identifying what stock is needed.听Students interested in听helping听organize and be a part of this听team听.听McMaster听states 鈥look out for each other and get involved in things that matter to you. The campus and our programs are still relatively young, and we鈥檙e still creating our identity. What do you want to see from the campus, and how can you make it happen?鈥澨

The Arts Awards recognize and celebrate the contributions made by faculty, staff and students in the Faculty of Arts with a custom-made glass structure at the Annual Celebration of Arts reception. McMaster was nominated by the Stratford School for this high-impact project and exceptional level of commitment that not only benefits the success of the Faculty of Arts but also the broader University community.

For more information about the Stratford Resource Bins, check out听听on Instagram and听听on Facebook.听

Read the accompanying Arts Award winner profiles article about Kiera.