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 10 households in Waterloo region struggle to afford to put food on the table. That number is up from 1 in 14 households. Last year, the Community Food Assistance Network supported 58,688 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 October 1 and December 31, 2023:
- 2,312 households accessed a food assistance program for the first time, a 58% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 14,625 unique households accessed a food assistance program, a 43% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 36,636 unique individuals supported by the Community Food Assistance Network, a 33% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 45,548 hampers distributed to community members, a 32% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 311,997 meals provided to community members, a 74% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
Participant demographics
Between October 1 and December 31, 2023:
Family composition
Families of all shapes and sizes depend on food assistance.
- 6,810 individuals were a single person household, a 49% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 2,615 individuals were a two-parent household with children, a 31% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 1,908 individuals were a single parent household with children, a 24% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 836 individuals were a couple household with no children, a 42% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 3,285 individuals didn’t indicate family composition. This group represents a 18% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
Ages
- 13,398 children were between 0 and 17 years old, a 19% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 1,427 seniors were aged 65 and older, a 18% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 19,121 adults were aged 18 and older, a 32% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 5,497 individuals didn’t indicate family composition. This group represents a 24% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
Housing
- 7,211 unique households lived in a private rental, a 26% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 751 unique households lived in social housing, a 6% decrease over the same quarter in 2022.
- 444 unique households were homeowners, a 7% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 238 unique households lived with family or friends, a 20% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 136 unique households lived in an emergency shelter or were homeless, a 28% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 138 unique households listed other as their housing, a 92% decrease over the same quarter in 2022.
- 3,106 unique households didn’t indicate housing type, a 100% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
Income
- 2,103 unique households were receiving Ontario Works, a 5% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 2,041 unique households were receiving Ontario Disability Support Program payments, a 10% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 2,244 unique households were employed, a 31% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 2,270 unique households have no income source, a 172% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 713 unique households were receiving an Old Age Pension, a 8% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 267 unique households were receiving Employment Insurance payments, a 8% decrease over the same quarter in 2022.
- 1,013 unique households were receiving a Student Loan, a 133% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 1,052 unique households listed other as an income source, a 19% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 3,751 unique households didn’t report income source, a 32% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
Program visits
- 134,821 food assistance program visits, a 30% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 14,625 unique households accessed a hamper program, a 43% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
- 1,556 unique households accessed a hamper program 8+ times, a 27% increase over the same quarter in 2022.
Read our 2022–2023 Hunger Count, an annual snapshot that provides insight into food insecurity in Waterloo region.