There were over 490,000 visits to food programs in Ottawa last year. That number is 68% higher than 2019.

Sadly, 37% of those who need emergency food are children.

The Ottawa Food Bank is the charity responsible for the collection and distribution of food to all the major food banks and emergency food programs in Ottawa. Working with 112 agencies across the city, we are the central voice and organizer for emergency food in Ottawa.

Your gift will make sure food is available for our neighbours in their greatest times of need.

Your gift will provide food to 112 agencies including:

• Food banks across the city

• Meal programs, including downtown shelters

• After-school programs

• Summer lunch programs

Your donation will provide nutritious food to families and individuals across the city. Your gift will also provide essential baby items, like formula, diapers and baby food, to new parents and their babies.

Because we purchase food items in such large quantities and have amazing food industry partners and donors, we are able to take your dollar and stretch it further, meaning more food delivered to the community.

About Our Charity

The Ottawa Food Bank has been providing food to those in need since 1984. We work with 112 agencies to provide food and support for over 490,000 visits to food programs in Ottawa each year. 

Agencies include shelters, community food banks, and meal programs right across the national capital region. The Ottawa Food Bank also provides food to after-school programs and summer day camp lunches as well as providing basic baby supplies, such as diapers and formula to mothers. Sadly, 37% of the people we serve are children.

Low income coupled with fixed expenses like rent and utilities leave little left for good food. The result is skipped meals or buying cheaper, less nutritious foods. The cycle ultimately leads to food insecurity, which leads to difficulty learning or working, poor mental health and increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Healthy food is a top priority for the Ottawa Food Bank. Our goal is to ensure that all food we acquire, purchase and deliver is of the best quality and nutritional value. Our neighbours deserve that.

The Ottawa Food Bank is committed to having a significant portion of the food we distribute be fresh. In fact, 50% of the food we distribute is fresh food. Nutritious foods like milk, fruit and vegetables, eggs, meat and poultry. We even have a farm on donated land near Stittsville. Over 140,000 lbs of fresh fruit and vegetables are grown on our Community Harvest Farm each year. 

Many people don’t realize that the Ottawa Food Bank spends millions of dollars on food purchasing. In 2022, we spent $6 million dollars on food purchases. This number jumped to over $9 million in 2023. 

The Ottawa Food Bank is dedicated to distributing food to our neighbours facing hunger across Ottawa. With just 2.5% of funding from government sources, the Ottawa Food Bank is truly by the community and for the community.

You can read more about hunger in Ottawa in our Hunger Report here. 

You will also find our most recent newsletters and our Year in Review reports on our website.