The Institute of Island Studies, UPEI Faculty of Science (Foods and Nutrition program in Applied Human Sciences), the Campus Food Bank, and the UPEI Student Union invite our campus community to attend the 2024 Harry Baglole Memorial Public Symposium in Island Studies: “Homelessness and Food Insecurity on Canada’s Food Island.” This symposium is a collaborative initiative with the Native Council of PEI, Meals on Wheels, the John Howard Society of PEI, the Adventure Group, and the Upper Room Hospitality Ministry. 

The event will be held on Thursday, November 7, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. Prior to the symposium, between 4:00 and 6:00 pm, information booths in the Schurman Market Square will provide an opportunity to learn more about a few not-for-profit organizations doing work related to the themes that we are talking about later in the evening. Please drop by to chat with people from the Community Outreach Centre, John Howard Society of PEI, Meals on Wheels, the PEI Food Exchange, ResourceAbilities, and PEI Family Violence Prevention Services, and help us support their efforts. 

The symposium will include opening presentations by Dr. Jennifer Taylor, Professor of Foods and Nutrition and food insecurity researcher, and  Jacinta Brown, a UPEI alumna and Program Manager of the Community Outreach Centre with The Adventure Group. We will also hear about a new research project on food insecurity in rural PEI by Oliver Batchilder, an Islander studying at Mount Allison University. We will then share some related research and resources followed by a short break. The second part of the evening features a panel discussion in which we will hear from Chris Clay (Reaching Home Coordinator, Native Council of Prince Edward Island), Josh Constantinou (Coordinated Access Coordinator, John Howard Society of PEI), Haley Zavo (Executive Director, Meals on Wheels PEI), and Mike MacDonald (Executive Director, Upper Room Hospitality Ministry).  

The final segment of the symposium is focused on audience participation. Our aim is to gather ideas and thoughts about how best we can all work together, in different ways, to continue, support, and strengthen meaningful work to better Prince Edward Island. Sébastien Parker, Assistant Professor, cross-appointed with UPEI's departments of Political Science and Sociology, will wrap up the evening by providing closing thoughts. Sébastien joined UPEI in 2024, and is also affiliated with the Cleantech Academy here and the Social Change Lab at the University of Toronto.

Seating at the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium is limited, and we request that you RSVP to iis@upei.ca if you would like to ensure that you will be able to attend in person. We will also provide the option to watch the event online through a link on www.islandstudies.com and the Institute of Island Studies social media. If you are driving, we encourage parking in UPEI’s general lots (parking in the general lots is free in the evenings). All are welcome.