STATUS: ACTIVE
WEBSITES: Article about Spinach Collective
ADDRESS:
Concordia University, Montreal (7th Floor Hall Building at 1455 de Maisonneuve West)
CONTACT: spinachcollective@gmail.com
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
Spinach Collective is a student-led, volunteer-run food initiative that provides free, high-quality vegetarian meals while fostering a strong sense of community on campus.
Its mission is to create a welcoming, inclusive space where students can gather, share meals, and build connections. Rooted in food justice, the collective emphasizes that food is political, social, and powerful, and actively collaborates with other student groups to strengthen campus solidarity.
The initiative also represents a network of support outside traditional institutional structures, prioritizing accessibility, mutual aid, and community care.
KEY CHALLENGES:
- Managing rapid growth in attendance and demand
- Limited core team (5–8 members) handling logistics
- Need for consistent volunteers (especially dishwashing/cleanup)
- Lack of stable funding (reliance on grants and partnerships)
- Scaling operations to meet goal of weekly dinners
- Navigating institutional barriers (e.g., broader food system dominated by corporate providers like Aramark)
KEY SUCCESSES:
- 1,000+ free vegetarian meals served
- Events now regularly attract 80–120+ students
- Large-scale dinner reached 200+ attendees
- Strong cross-campus collaboration network established
Current and Former collaborators:
- People’s Potato (space + food supply support)
- CultivAction (groceries, local food sourcing)
- Sankofa Farm
- Le Frigo Vert
- A Beautiful Idea (zine swaps)
- PASU (political education & workshops)
- Le Belle Idée (bookbinding workshops)
SERVICES:
- Free meals (community dinners)
- Community food space
- Volunteer opportunities
- Skill-sharing workshops (e.g., bookbinding, mending, gardening)
- Food justice education through events and collaborations.
GET INVOLVED:
- 📢 Spread the word
Tell your students and peers that Spinach Collective exists—help grow the community by sharing and following on Instagram. - 🤝 Volunteer with us
We’re always looking for volunteers (especially for kitchen prep and dishwashing). Join through Instagram or the Signal group chat. - 🎤 Invite us to your class
We’d love to come speak about food justice, community food systems, and student-led initiatives. - 🌱 Start your own initiative
We offer presentations and support to encourage students to launch their own food or community-based projects. - 🍽️ Attend a dinner
Come experience a free, family-style vegetarian meal and be part of the community!
TIMELINE - September 2025 – Launch
- Spinach Collective is founded as a student-led, volunteer-run initiative
- Fall 2025 – Pilot Phase & Early Growth
- First series of free vegetarian dinners launched
- Events begin with 40–50 servings
- Rapid increase in interest and attendance
- 6–7 dinners hosted in first semester
- Initial collaborations formed (People’s Potato, CultivAction, Sankofa Farm)
- Late Fall 2025 – Scaling & Visibility
- Meals increase to 60–70 servings per event
- Strengthened partnerships for food sourcing and space access
- Participation in campus events and collaborations (e.g., zine swaps, workshops
- Winter 2026 – Expansion & Community Demand
- Events now regularly reach 80+ attendees
- Major milestone: Ethiopian dinner serving 200+ participants
- Continued growth with 120 attendees at recent dinners
- Hosted 3 events this semester, with more schedule
- Winter 2026 – Organizational Development
- Core team expands (approx. 5–8 members)
- Exploration of STIR program for structural support
- Beginning discussions around fee-levy application for long-term funding
- Introduction of honorarium roles (e.g., dishwashing support.)
