Real people making a real difference in the fight against hunger
With a national network consisting of food banks, agencies, and provincial associations, Food Banks Canada is proud to be part of a community that is driven by a passion to impact lives for the better. These are the stories that feed our desire to make a difference.
When life gives you potatoes, make tuktu poutine! That’s what the Ikurraq Food Bank in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut did after receiving 22,500 pounds of P.E.I. potatoes distributed by Food Banks Canada between March and May this spring. Utilizing its strong food recovery network, the Ikurraq Food Bank secured funding to purchase cheese and gravy, and…
Every year, food banks in Canada strive to ensure that individuals experiencing food insecurity are provided with fresh and nutritious food where and when they need it most. With the abundance of choices on the shelves of your local grocer, accessibility to these items may appear relatively easy. However, with the increasing cost of living,…
Child hunger in Canada is a serious issue. Year after year, one of the most alarming findings to emerge from Food Banks Canada’s annual HungerCount report is how disproportionately food insecurity is impacting children — even in a country as wealthy as ours. According to HungerCount 2021, one third of food bank clients in Canada are…
We are always interested in hearing more about the individuals in food banking across Canada! This month, our spotlight is on Arianna Scott from Food Banks Alberta. What is your role in food banking? 2011–2018: Executive Director, Wood Buffalo Food Bank, Fort McMurray, Alberta 2013–2015: Various Positions on the Board of Alberta Food Banks Network…
When Shontell MacInnis was working as a teacher in Iqaluit, she remembers how serious an issue summer child hunger was for her students. Now on the board of directors for the Niqinik Nuatsivik Nunavut Food Bank in Iqaluit, MacInnis says Canadians need to work together to ensure sufficient access to safe and nutritious food for…
Not all people experience food insecurity equally. Some populations, like people living with HIV/AIDS, are more vulnerable to hunger because of ongoing stigma and discrimination rooted in homophobia, transphobia, racism, and gender-based violence that they face. According to Food Banks Canada research, people living with HIV/AIDS are more likely to experience poverty and rely on…
Since time immemorial, the Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation people in northern Alberta have used Gipsy Lake to gather fish as a healthy source of food in the winter. However, following the creation of the reserve system, the administrative base for the Nation became Janvier 194, which is located about 50 kilometres southwest of Gipsy…
Reaching our most vulnerable neighbours with nutritious food when they need it is at the heart of Food Banks Canada’s mission to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow. Across the country, vulnerable groups are continuing to encounter inequitable social and economic conditions. Refugees face extensive disadvantages resulting from their forced displacement. For many refugees,…
Food waste is having a deeply felt impact on our physical environment. At Food Banks Canada, we are all too familiar with the paradox of millions of tons of food decomposing while millions of people experience food insecurity in their daily lives. A report released in March 2020, for example, found that there were 4.4 million…
Constantly worrying about where your next meal is coming from can be an incredibly stressful experience. According to a Statistics Canada report on food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians living in severely food-insecure households were seven times more likely to report symptoms of moderate or severe anxiety compared to households that were food…
