The numbers are “deeply concerning.”
That’s how Kim Wilhelm, CEO of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, reacted to the organization’s annual community impact report released on Thursday, highlighting how many individuals have sought food assistance over the past year.
The report indicates that the demand for food aid in the area has hit new highs.
“Food assistance is no longer just a short-term safety net. High housing costs, stagnant wages, and inadequate social supports are forcing more people to rely on emergency food programs long-term,” Wilhelm said in a release.
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region doesn’t directly hand out food to individuals. Instead, it collaborates with various organizations to distribute food through hamper programs and hot meal services.
The report states there were nearly 622,000 visits to food hamper programs last year – setting a new record. It also noted that 7,000 households accessed a hamper program more than eight times, which represents a 21 percent increase from the previous year.
Additionally, from July 2024 to June of this year, the food bank provided an unprecedented 9.6 million pounds of fresh, frozen, and non-perishable items to its network partners-a seven percent rise compared to last year.
“The latest data from our 2025 Community Impact report is deeply concerning,” Wilhelm said.
“Wilhelm highlighted that around 4,800 committed volunteers assist at fundraising events or work within warehouses-all dedicated toward ensuring no one goes hungry within our community.”
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‘Glimmer of hope’
An uptick in food bank users is becoming a common trend throughout the province. Carolyn Stewart, CEO of Feed Ontario-which represents over 1,200 food banks and hunger relief organizations-told last month that in 2024, more than one million people turned to food banks for help-a record high. “This year, things have not gotten any better,” she stated. “The affordability crisis we’re facing continues impacting Ontarians and making it hard for them to afford their basic needs; as a result, we see record numbers turning to food banks for support.” Stewart pointed out that people across Ontario are reaching out for help from food banks and other hunger relief organizations without any signs of slowing down. “We’ve seen ongoing increases in food prices and housing remains unaffordable-all these issues affect every region in the province,” Stewart explained. A single area showed a “glimmer of hope,” according to Wilhelm: slightly fewer individuals and families visited food hamper programs this time around. “This suggests that for some households circumstances may be stabilizing or community supports are helping them get by a little longer,” she said. “While this is encouraging, far too many still rely on emergency food programs long-term.”Help from community
The fall food drives have concluded but now attention will shift towards holiday-themed drives aimed at supporting the local food bank’s efforts in Waterloo region. Wilhelm emphasizes how crucial community support is during these times.</ “Without generous donations of both food and money we couldn’t restock our shelves or maintain our warehouse operations,” she mentioned.“Wilhelm highlighted that around 4,800 committed volunteers assist at fundraising events or work within warehouses-all dedicated toward ensuring no one goes hungry within our community.”
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