The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for people around the globe. More families in Ontario have sought help to put food on the table, creating shortages across the province’s food bank system. Feed Ontario, a network of 130 food banks and 1,110 affiliate hunger-relief agencies, has developed an innovative program supporting food banks – the COVID-19 Emergency Food Bank Program.
So far, their network of food banks has distributed 450,000 emergency food boxes containing a week’s worth of groceries to Ontario communities affected by the pandemic.
“While COVID-19 significantly impacted people and communities across the province, the strength and resilience that Ontario’s food bank network has shown, and the incredible support of its partners, is a testament to the amazing things that we are able to accomplish when we work together, even in the most extreme of circumstances.”
Carolyn Stewart, Executive Director, Feed Ontario
Ontario’s commodity groups have increased their support by providing additional food and financial resources for Feed Ontario’s emergency response program.
- Grain Farmers of Ontario donated $100,000.
- Ontario Beef Farmers donated $10,000.
- Egg Farmers of Ontario are donating a total of 223,000 cartons of eggs – over 2.5 million eggs – with a value of $401,400 to help feed those in need.
- Ontario Pork and industry partners have contributed 198,000 pounds of fresh ground pork to Feed Ontario, including 10,000 pounds donated on March 31st.
- Chicken Farmers of Ontario have delivered more than 500,000 chicken meals to food banks since the beginning of March and has made an additional donation of $25,000.
- Dairy Farmers of Ontario have given Feed Ontario a donation of $100,000 as well as 200,000 litres of milk, in addition to the over one million litres donated to food banks annually with their partners at the Ontario Dairy Council and the Ontario Milk Transport Association.
These donations show the Ontario agri-food sector’s commitment to supporting those most in need, local communities and the province’s food system.
If you’d like to contribute to the program, visit
