STATUS: ACTIVE
SOCIAL: @thepeoplespotato
WEBSITE: www.peoplespotato.com
ADDRESS: H-733 1455 de Maisonneuve West Montreal, QC
CONTACT: hello@peoplespotato.com
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
People’s Potato is an anti-capitalist and worker-run not for profit soup kitchen located on the 7th floor of the H building at Concordia. They serve a healthy vegan free lunch every school day between 12:30pm – 1:30pm.
They also host a variety of workshops including: cooking workshops and activities
Through Solidarity Servings, the Potato offers their services and space to local social justice groups (pro-LGBTQ+, pro-Indigenous, Black and People of Color, pro-sex workers, pro-sustainability, pro-youth led initiatives) as well as daily volunteering opportunities.
The Peoples’ Potato has published two editions of the Vegan on a Shoestring cookbook.
KEY CHALLENGES:
- Historically, securing a suitable kitchen – now the dream is a reality!
KEY SUCCESSES:
- The oldest, on-going campus food provider!
NEWS ARTICLES:
2016
- Letter: I Love You, People’s Potato
The Link | February 15, 2016 | Madeleine Gendreau
2015
- Burrito Revolution
The Link | March 24, 2015 | Noelle Didierjean
2014
- A Mealtime Epic
The Link | November 18, 2014 | Jonathan Caragay-Cook - Why Community Matters
The Link | March 14, 2014 | Mark Underwood - Vote for Community Matters
The Link | March 21, 2014 | Aditi Ohri
2011
- Nah’msayin? – The People’s Potato & the Plastic Paradox
The Link | November 29, 2011 | Colin Harris - Fringe Food – Gather ‘Round the Table
The Link | October 21, 2011 | Josh Davidson - Fringe Food – Concocting Community Since 1999
The Link | September 27, 2011 | Josh Davidson - People’s Potato or Chartwells? Concordia conference takes bite out of food habits
The Montreal Gazette | February 28, 2011 | Peggy Curran - Fringe Food – Concocting Community Since 1999
The Link | September 27, 2011| Josh Davidson
2007
- Profile of the Week – The People’s Potato
The Concordian | March 7, 2007
2002
- People’s Potato peels out new cookbook
The Concordian | September 11, 2002 | Archives - New food provider means loss of employment
The Concordian | June 5, 2002 | Archives - A transformation in Food Services
Concordia’s Thursday Report | March 28 2002 | Barbara Black - Students’ palates in pique – Concordia’s vegans want more on menu
The Montreal Gazette | March 26, 2002 | Alison Lampert - Take back Concordia’ topic of forum
The Concordian | February 13, 2002 | Archives - People’s Potato Soup Kitchen hoping to branch out
Concordia’s Thursday Report | January 10, 2002
2001
- Potato gets bigger share
The Concordian | April 4, 2001 | Archives - Police might be taken to court for illegal assembly
The CMAQ collective| May 13, 2001
2000
- Help the People’s Potato
Concordia’s Thursday Report | May 11, 2000 - Both campuses to get a touch of green
Concordia’s Thursday Report | May 11, 2000
SERVICES:
- Free/by donation lunch, 4 weekdays weekly, during the school year
- Emergency Food Baskets, bi-weekly from September to May and weekly from May to August.
- Solidarity catering for events
- Summer garden
- Volunteer program
TIMELINE
1999 — Founding
- The People’s Potato is founded by Concordia students as a student-run vegan soup kitchen responding to rising student poverty and lack of affordable campus food.
- The project is rooted in food justice, community organizing, and anti-poverty activism.
Early 2000s — Establishment on campus
- The program becomes a regular service on the Sir George Williams (downtown) campus, serving hot vegetarian/vegan lunches by donation.
- It develops a collective governance model with student workers and volunteers.
2002 — Cookbook and expansion
- The People’s Potato publishes the “Vegan on a Shoestring” cookbook, sharing affordable vegan recipes.
2008–2009 — Community garden launched
- The People’s Potato Garden opens at the Loyola campus, allowing volunteers to grow fresh vegetables used in meals.
2011–2012 — Food preservation and food bank projects
- A food bank program offering groceries to students.
- A canning and preservation project to store local produce for winter meals.
2010s — Growth and campus recognition
- The program becomes one of Concordia’s largest student food security initiatives, serving hundreds of meals daily.
- It is funded primarily through a student fee levy approved by referendum.
2020–2021 — Pandemic disruptions
- COVID-19 interrupts regular lunch service, though food assistance efforts continue in different forms.
2022 — Return of daily meal service
- The kitchen reopens fully after pandemic disruptions, serving hundreds of meals per day again and welcoming volunteers.
2025
- The Potato campaigns to increase their fee levy, with success
- Service returns to 4 days weekly
Videos
https://www.youtube.com/@ConcordiafoodgroupsCa/search?query=potato