Toronto, ON (June 23, 2026): More than 1 million people in Ontario turned to food banks for help in the last year, visiting more than 8.7 million times. Behind every visit is someone struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living.
Feed Ontario’s Impact Report demonstrates how, with the support of donors and corporate partners, the organization was able to keep food bank shelves stocked with healthy food and ensure its network had the resources to respond to the unique needs communities across Ontario.
“This past year has shown us what is possible when people come together,” said Carolyn Stewart, CEO at Feed Ontario. “As food bank visits continued to rise, so did the support of people, businesses, foundations, and partners committed to making a difference. Their generosity helped make sure food banks could provide people and families access to the food they need while allowing us to continue building solutions that will end hunger in the future.”
When food bank visits went up, Feed Ontario and its community of supporters built solutions together. Examples of innovative programs and initiatives highlighted in this year’s report include:
- Farm to Food program: Through a partnership with the Leamington Food Hub, Feed Ontario delivered 3.2 million pounds of fresh produce to more than 30 communities, including members of the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres and rural food banks.
- Investments in Northern capacity: In collaboration with Food Banks Canada and local businesses, Feed Ontario supported the expansion of the Cochrane Food Bank’s warehouse space. As a result of this collaborative effort, the Cochrane Food Bank can now operate five days a week and extend its reach further north, helping address critical service gaps in Indigenous, First Nations, and remote communities.
- Metro Shared Kitchens: With support from Metro, four new community kitchens were opened at food banks in Renfrew, Orillia, Thunder Bay, and Oakville. These spaces create opportunities for culinary programming, professional training, community outreach, and food rescue innovation, while providing welcoming places for people to connect, learn, and enjoy healthy food together.
The achievements highlighted throughout the report were only made possible by the generosity of donors and partners who helped make a meaningful difference. While hunger remains a complex problem that cannot be solved overnight, the 2025-2026 Impact Report shows what is possible when people come together to ensure everyone has access to the food and support they need.
Read the full report find out more about Feed Ontario’s work this year and the powerful impact of collaboration.