About

Hunger in Waterloo region

There’s no typical food bank recipient and there are many reasons a person may access emergency food assistance, such as sudden job loss, low income, the rising cost of food, and/or lack of affordable housing. Food insecurity is a complex problem and the solutions are complicated.

1 in 8 households in Waterloo region struggle to afford to put food on the table. That number is up from 1 in 10 households. Last year, the Community Food Assistance Network supported 73,615 individuals in need.

Thanks to you, our caring community, the Network can provide access and connection to food and other essential services and resources that help people move forward with their lives.

the need: What we’re seeing in Waterloo region

Between July 1 and September 30, 2024:

1,331 households accessed a food assistance program for the first time, a 71% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.
13,760 unique households accessed a food assistance program, a 2% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
37,110 unique individuals supported by the Community Food Assistance Network, an 11% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
49,051 hampers distributed to community members, a 23% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
278,691 meals provided to community members, a 7% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.

Participant demographics

Between July 1 and September 30, 2024:

Family composition

Families of all shapes and sizes depend on food assistance.

5,922 individuals were a single person household, a 7% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.
2,777 individuals were a two-parent household with children, a 20% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
2,008 individuals were a single parent household with children, a 16% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
771 individuals were a couple household with no children, 1% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.
3,262 individuals didn’t indicate family composition. This group represents a 6% increase over the same quarter in 2023.

Ages

14,014 children were between 0 and 17 years old, an 8% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
1,506 seniors were aged 65 and older, a 15% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
18,671 adults were aged 18 and older, a 15% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
6,009 individuals didn’t indicate family composition. This group represents a 19% increase over the same quarter in 2023.

Housing

6,952 unique households lived in a private rental, a 2% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
760 unique households lived in social housing, a 6% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
398 unique households were homeowners, a 5% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.
296 unique households lived with family or friends, a 28% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
134 unique households lived in an emergency shelter or were homeless, a 6% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.
115 unique households listed other as their housing, a 13% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.
2,598 unique households didn’t indicate housing type, a 13% increase over the same quarter in 2023.

Income

2,307 unique households were receiving Ontario Works, a 12% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
2,032 unique households were receiving Ontario Disability Support Program payments, an 11% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
2,178 unique households were employed, a 1% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
1,985 unique households have no income source, an 4% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.
693 unique households were receiving an Old Age Pension, a 7% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
303 unique households were receiving Employment Insurance payments, a 15% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
411 unique households were receiving a Student Loan, a 63% decrease over the same quarter in 2023.
1,046 unique households listed other as an income source, a 3% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
3,784 unique households didn’t report income source, a 20% increase over the same quarter in 2023.

Program visits

148,963 food assistance program visits, a 19% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
13,760 unique households accessed a hamper program, an 2% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
1,823 unique households accessed a hamper program 8+ times, a 26% increase over the same quarter in 2023.

Read our 2022–2023 Hunger Count, an annual snapshot that provides insight into food insecurity in Waterloo region.