Hunger in Waterloo region

A snapshot

Between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, nearly 73,000 adults and children in Waterloo region accessed food assistance through the Community Food Assistance Network. There were more than 621,000 visits to hamper programs—an 11 per cent increase over the previous year.

Participants accessing the Mobile pantry

Vision

A Waterloo region where no one experiences hunger.

Mission

Through community collaboration, we obtain and distribute essential food from our neighbours for our neighbours.

Did you know?

1 in 9 households rely on food assistance

This means roughly 27,000 households across Waterloo region are accessing to food assistance just to meet basic needs.

Food hamper programs

Visits to food hamper programs reached 621,854—an 11 per cent increase from the previous year and the highest number we’ve ever recorded. Even more concerning, 7,066 households accessed a hamper program more than eight times—a 21 per cent increase from the year before. These numbers tell us that food assistance is no longer a short-term solution for temporary hardships. For many people, it has become a long-term necessity, driven by systemic challenges such as rising housing costs, wages that lag behind the cost of living, and social assistance that falls short of meeting basic needs.

Nearly 622,000 visits

What does 621,854 visits

to food hamper programs really look like?

1,703

people through the door every day

51 seconds

between participant visits during a standard 8-hour day

~12,000

visits every week across 61 locations in the region

+11%

jump in a single year—the highest total ever recorded

Demographics

Food assistance participants can come from many different backgrounds and can be made up of a variety of demographics. Children aged 0–17 make up over one-third (36%) of participants, with adults representing the majority overall.

Most participants live in private rental housing (61%). Income sources are varied, including employment and government supports, though some individuals report having little or no income.

Pie charts showcasing the participant demographics of the Food assistance program, including ages, houseing types amd income source.

Without the local Salvation Army food pantry and The Food Bank, I wouldn’t have enough food to get through the month. As a senior on a low income, I simply don’t have money left for food after paying my regular bills. I’m often nearly broke once everything is paid. I am thankful for the food pantries, but after working all my life, I shouldn’t have to depend on them.

Christine

In their own words

Caroline—a senior

“Without the local Salvation Army food pantry and The Food Bank, I wouldn’t have enough food to get through the month. As a senior on a low income, I simply don’t have money left for food after paying my regular bills. I’m often nearly broke once everything is paid. I am thankful for the food pantries, but after working all my life, I shouldn’t have to depend on them.”
Tess—mom of a small family

Tess works part-time while managing cooking, cleaning, and daily care at home. With rising food costs, she carefully stretches her budget and relies on support to get by. “My small family relies on food assistance,” she says.
Jared—construction worker

Jared picks up construction jobs when he can and manages the household day to day. With unstable income, he stretches meals and depends on assistance between paycheques.

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