North York Harvest Food Bank

06/11/2026

For , we're sending a huge thank you to the brands who helped us celebrate our network at the Agency Conference last week.

Honey Candles for their beautifully crafted, locally made beeswax candles 🕯️

Organika Health for keeping everyone refreshed with their electrolytes ☀️💧

Your generosity helped us honour the frontline staff from food banks and meal programs across North York who show up every day for our community. Thank you for helping us make this moment count ❤️

06/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Partner Agency Conference! 🎉

Friday was a day of community, connection, and knowledge-sharing. From workshops on self-care and conflict de-escalation, to advocacy and community oral health, our network showed that we're committed to taking care of ourselves, each other, and the people we serve.

Food banks are doing everything they possibly can, and the people on the frontlines of this crisis every day are faced with overwhelming demand for support, with limited resources stretched far beyond what they were ever meant to handle.

Food banks can't solve this crisis. But the care and compassion food bank staff and volunteers bring with them to the front lines every day makes a difference to the people seeking support.

Together, we help 30,000 people meet their food needs every month, with compassion, care, and dignity.

Drop a ❤️ for the people who show up every day to make that possible.

06/08/2026

Last week, the Groceries and Essentials Benefit kicked in for an estimated 12 million Canadians.

The benefit varies based on the size of the household, for example: a single person would receive a maximum of $679 per year.

In Toronto, food bank clients have about $8 left per day after paying rent and utilities.

As North York Harvest Food Bank's Executive Director Ryan Noble explains, this benefit will help provide some immediate relief to people today, but more must be done to address affordable housing, employment, and income support.

"The majority of food bank users in Toronto are working, so that's telling us that our employment system is broken, and is not providing the levels of income that people need to meet their very basic need," he says.

"We're glad to see the government responding to this crisis, but obviously we need much more if we're going to see the numbers of people who are turning to charities like food banks start to decrease."

06/03/2026

More people than ever are turning to North York Harvest Food Bank as the cost of housing and food continues to soar, while access to full-time employment and sufficient income support stagnates.

Sadly, this reality is being played out from coast to coast to coast, according to 's Poverty Report Card - which graded Canada as a whole with a 'D+' for its poverty-reduction measures.

We join Food Banks Canada and food banks across the country in urging our federal and provincial governments to take immediate action to correct course on this crisis that is leaving so many Canadians barely getting by.

Nobody wants to use a food bank. They want the means and opportunity to secure a sustainable livelihood for themselves. Policies around affordable housing, employment, and income support are key to helping everyone live and thrive in Ontario, and across Canada.

06/01/2026

♥️ Did you know you can turn an old vehicle into support for neighbours facing food insecurity?

That’s where our partner HomelessCars comes in. They provide an alternative way to give back with a simple yet meaningful way to retire your vehicle, while also supporting North York Harvest Food Bank.

Just fill out an online form & Homeless Cars will pick up your vehicle within 24-48 hours for free — and issue a tax receipt for the value of your vehicle. Visit homelesscars.ca to learn more!

05/28/2026

Behind every number Is a neighbour.

In our previous fiscal year, North York Harvest Food Bank saw 347,382 client visits — the highest in our history. That’s more families, seniors, newcomers, and workers turning to food banks to make ends meet.

But you're reading this because, like us, you believe a better future is possible. One where everyone has what they need to live and thrive in Toronto.

On World Hunger Day, we thank you for standing with us as we work toward a community where all members are able to meet their food needs.

Learn how we're creating pathways to employment, fighting for change, and powering hundreds of community food programs with access to affordable food in our Annual Report. https://bit.ly/3PITiBy

05/28/2026

🔴 Periods are normal, but period poverty shouldn't be.

In Canada, 1 in 4 people in lower-income households who menstruate have struggled to afford period products. That can lead to missed school, missed work, and missed opportunities.

On Menstrual Health Day, we're proud to stand with our partners to remove barriers, challenge stigma, and fight for menstrual equity.

Thanks to The Period Purse and Food Banks Canada, we're able to provide essential menstrual products to our community.

No shame. No fear. No barriers. Just menstrual products for people who need them, period.

Together for a ❤️

05/22/2026

05/21/2026

We recently heard from a client named Hannah. She wanted to share her experience with you, because she wanted the people who support North York Harvest Food Bank to understand what their kindness truly means.

Her story is community care in action. It's not flashy or loud.

It's real moments of showing up for a neighbour when they're going through some of life's hardest challenges.

We're grateful for people like you, who refuse to look away from the food insecurity crisis, and refuse to let our neighbours fall through the cracks.

For $5 a month, you can provide food and support to people just like Hannah. And right now, your monthly gifts will be matched for the whole year. ❤️$5=$25, every month!

Give today at https://bit.ly/41s9B7Z

05/15/2026

North York Harvest Food Bank will be closed this Monday for Victoria Day. We'll be back to normal operations on Tuesday.

The warm weather is finally here, we hope you all enjoy it this weekend! 😎🌻