The Food Bank of Waterloo Region launches its Full Bellies. Happy Hearts. campaign as school nutrition programs pause and demand for food support increases

Left, Allan Bush, senior wealth advisor of the Allan Bush Investment Team, and Sarah Worthen, annual fund manager at The Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

Waterloo Region, Ont., June 1, 2026 – The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is calling on the community to help provide 1.5 million meals for children and families this summer as food insecurity remains at high levels across the region.

Starting today, The Food Bank launches its eighth annual Full Bellies. Happy Hearts. campaign—a summer-long initiative that supports children and their families experiencing food insecurity. Since 2019, the campaign has raised more than 10 million meals.

“In Waterloo region, more than 26,000 children live in food-insecure households,” says Kim Wilhelm, CEO of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. “During the school year, many of them rely on school nutrition programs for regular access to meals and snacks. When summer arrives and schools close, those programs pause or become less available, creating a gap that many families simply can’t afford to fill.”

“This gap can have a real impact on children’s health, learning, and overall well-being,” Wilhelm adds.

“Access to nutritious food is essential for children’s growth, development, and daily functioning,” Wilhelm says. “It supports healthy physical and cognitive development, helps children stay focused and energized, and reduces the stress that comes with not knowing where the next meal will come from. That’s why we run our Full Bellies. Happy Hearts. campaign every summer—to help ensure kids and their families can access healthy, nutritious food all year round, especially during the summer months.”

How to help

• Donate in person: Drop off non-perishable food items at participating Kitchener-Waterloo grocery stores, or local police, fire, or paramedic stations, or at The Food Bank at 50 Alpine Court in Kitchener.
• Most needed items: Applesauce pouches, fruit and pudding cups, granola bars, juice boxes, and peanut butter.
• Donate online: Visit thefoodbank.ca/fullbellies. From now until August 31, the Allan Bush Investment Team is once again matching donations up to $50,000—doubling the impact of every dollar.
• Host a food and fund drive: Visit thefoodbank.ca/ffd for more information on how to get involved.

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