McMaster Med Students to Subsist on Food Bank
Medical students at McMaster are going on a different kind of hunger strike. They are taking part in a 5-day challenge to live on a comparable diet to that of people living on social assistance.
“Living on social assistance means you’re left with a lack of choice in many areas of your life,” said Nikki Bozinoff, a first year medical student and a member of the McMaster Community Poverty Initiative.
“We know that a poor diet and unstable housing lead to poor health outcomes. As future physicians, we believe it is of utmost importance that each Ontarian has a fair chance at good health.”
The diet is part of the Put Food in the Budget Campaign, which calls on the Ontario government to introduce a $100 per month Health Food Supplement to improve the quality of living for people on social assistance.
At the end of the challenge, participants will meet to compare their experiences and write a letter to Dr. Mark MacLeod (president of the Ontario Medical Association) to ask him to support their call for the $100 a month social assistance increase.
You can follow the participants as they blog about their experiences and tweet about their experiences.
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