Agency spotlight: St. Andrew’s Kitchener and Nexus

Every Sunday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., community members living within the neighbourhood boundary and in need of food can pick up a hamper at St. Andrew’s Kitchener. The program operates by appointment and is entirely run by volunteers from St. Andrew’s and Nexus, another church that shares the space. 

Supporting neighbours every week 

With support from The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, the program offers a wide variety of fresh, frozen, and non-perishable food to participants. Popular items include pantry staples like peanut butter and pasta, as well as snack foods such as cookies and chips, and lunchbox-friendly options for kids. 

“We rarely get it, but when we do, ice cream is a huge hit!” says Sarah Holmes, one of the program’s lead volunteers. “We have a lot of guests who eat halal, so the halal meat products are also very popular.” 

Some of the food available at the program.

In addition to food, participants can access essential household and personal care items, including dish and laundry soap, shampoo and conditioner, and menstrual products. Each week, the program serves about 40 households, reflecting the diversity of the community it supports. 

“We see many young families, including newcomers to Canada with young children, as well as seniors living on fixed incomes,” Sarah explains. “We also serve individuals at different stages of life who are trying to manage the rising cost of food. What’s been most noticeable is how broad the need has become. It’s not limited to one group—it’s being felt across our community.” 

Building connections 

For Sarah, the most rewarding part is the relationships she’s built. 

“I’m lucky to be there every week, so I’ve gotten to know many of our guests,” she says. “That connection with people is by far the best part of running the program.” 

Sarah Holmes.

She shares two stories that highlight those connections. The first took place during a visit to tour The Food Bank’s distribution centre. 

“While I was there, I ran into one of our regular guests sorting produce,” she recalls. “I chatted with him and learned he volunteers as a way to give back!” 

Another memory comes from a Sunday when her 12-year-old son stayed to help. 

“There was a little guy who’d been coming with his mom every week,” Sarah shares. “He’d get bored and start getting in trouble with his mom. My son ended up asking him if he wanted to play mini-sticks. The two of them had a blast together, despite not even speaking the same language.” 

Moments like these bring a deeper understanding of food insecurity. 

“Food insecurity is pervasive,” Sarah explains. “If you’ve never dealt with it personally, you can tend to just think of it as an issue. But once you’ve talked to people experiencing it, heard their stories, or played mini-sticks with them, it’s hard to look at it in the same detached way.” 

Sarah Holmes and volunteers.

Beyond meeting immediate needs, Sarah hopes the program leaves a lasting impact. 

“I hope that when people are with us, they feel seen and cared for,” she says. “That they know there are people out there who think all people deserve access to healthy food and who are committed to doing what they can to make that happen in our neighbourhood.” 

Sarah emphasizes that none of this would be possible without the support of The Food Bank. 

“It has been a privilege to work with The Food Bank,” she says. “It’s encouraging to see an organization like The Food Bank with such amazing infrastructure, saving food from being wasted and getting it into the hands of people who need it. We’re so happy to partner with them in this process and in serving our community.” 

The hamper program at St. Andrew’s is one of 120+ programs in the Community Food Assistance Network. If you’d like to help The Food Bank support food assistance programs like the one at St. Andrew’s, visit our Get Involved section on our website to learn more about donating food, funds, or time.