Phil A Truck returns May 12 to help feed Waterloo region

Waterloo Region, Ont., May 7, 2026 – As food insecurity continues to impact nearly 73,000 adults and children across Waterloo region, Melloul-Blamey and local first responders are once again stepping up to help ensure neighbours have access to food support.

On Tuesday, May 12, Waterloo Fire Rescue, Kitchener Fire Department, Waterloo Regional Police, and Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services will team up with Melloul-Blamey for the fourth annual Phil A Truck event in support of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Together, they will collect food and funds at Sobeys stores to help ensure individuals and families can continue accessing food support through the Community Food Assistance Network.

The public is invited to stop by any Sobeys store in Kitchener-Waterloo between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. to make a cash or non-perishable food donation. Shoppers can also support the campaign by buying a pre-filled bag containing some of The Food Bank’s most needed items and placing it in the donation bin in the back of a Melloul-Blamey pickup truck.

“We’re incredibly grateful to our first responders, Melloul-Blamey, and Sobeys for coming together once again to support neighbours struggling to afford food for their families,” says Kim Wilhelm, CEO of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. “Support from the community helps ensure nutritious food continues to reach people across Waterloo region when they need it most.”

Jeffrey B. Shantz, vice president of Melloul-Blamey Construction Inc., adds, “Phil A Truck is a meaningful tradition our Melloul-Blamey team looks forward to every year. It’s a chance for us to come together, give back, and support our neighbours facing food insecurity. We’re eager to load up our trucks and make an impact again this year.”

For every dollar raised during the Phil A Truck event, The Food Bank can provide two meals to people in need. Food and funds collected at the event will be added to this year’s Spring Food & Fund Drive total, which aims to raise 120,000 meals in combined food and financial donations.

Community donations help The Food Bank maintain a consistent supply of fresh, frozen, and non-perishable food across the Network, respond to rising demand, and support the 61 organizations operating more than 120 food assistance programs throughout Waterloo region.

Participating locations

• Sobeys Bridgeport, 94 Bridgeport Road, Waterloo
• Sobeys Columbia, 450 Columbia Street West, Waterloo
• Sobeys Fischer-Hallman, 1187 Fischer-Hallman Road, Kitchener
• Sobeys Highland, 274 Highland Road West, Kitchener
• Sobeys Ira Needles, 235 Ira Needles Boulevard, Kitchener
• Sobeys Northfield, 640 Parkside Drive, Waterloo

About The Food Bank of Waterloo Region

Founded in 1984, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region (The Food Bank) was the first organization of its kind in Ontario dedicated to providing emergency food. Forty-one years after its incorporation, The Food Bank continues to evolve to meet the community’s needs, ensuring that no one in Waterloo region experiences hunger. As a distribution centre, The Food Bank distributes more than 9.6 million pounds of fresh, frozen, and non-perishable food to 61 organizations within the Community Food Assistance Network. Learn more at thefoodbank.ca.

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Media contact

Michelle Rickard
Manager, Marketing and Communications
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region
micheller@thefoodbank.ca