Food banks in Toronto are doubling up on their efforts to provide meals to those in their community who are affected more severely by COVID-19’s economic impact, to those families and individuals experiencing food insecurity, in an effort to lessen the financial strain of this crisis.

The organizations listed below are located in and around Toronto, and have COVID-19-specific plans in place. All accept donations online. If you're able, consider donating today to help them serve their and your communities during this pandemic.

The Stop

The Stop’s Food Bank is open three days a week, and the Drop-In service offers meals in takeaway form. They accept monetary donations, noting it’s the most efficient way for them to purchase items on short notice, but they also appreciate donations of baby supplies, unused personal care items, and clean take-out containers with lids.

Daily Bread Food Bank

Tthe Daily Bread Food Bank’s distribution facility houses the New Toronto Street Food Bank, which launched its COVID-19 hunger relief effort to support its community and provide access to food. At the moment they’re asking for online monetary donations to help them purchase goods.

Flemingdon Food Bank

Located in North York, Flemingdon Food Bank delivers fresh and shelf-stable foods to families throughout the community. In a post on their Instagram, they urged people to donate PPE items, such as face masks, for their volunteers and for those who make use of the food bank, in addition to alcohol-based sanitizers, and personal hygiene products. 

Scarborough Food Security Initiative

Offering support throughout Scarborough Southwest, the initiative’s COVID-19 relief endeavours are working to provide families and individuals with assistance in face of the recent food bank closures and financial insecurity due to layoffs or reduced hours. They’re asking for volunteers in addition to donations of food.

Muslim Welfare Canada (MWC)

Housed in Scarborough, the 27-year-old MWC works to assist families all over Canada. Its COVID-19 Food Fund focuses these efforts on those most vulnerable to the crisis, recognizing that many families do not have the resources to stockpile on necessities. It is accepting monetary pledges through its website.

Parkdale Community Food Bank

The 13-year-old grassroots organization is asking for donations as it expects an influx of clients in the coming weeks. The food bank is creating programs that will reach out to vulnerable clients who are in isolation due to COVID-19, and will be distributing hampers on the street level, where before it offered a shopping model for food.

North York Harvest Food Bank

The food bank is working on modifying its food distribution strategies during the pandemic. It’s asking for both food and monetary donations but monetary pledges are preferred because they allow staff to maintain social distancing measures. They are in need of pasta and grain products, canned vegetables, canned fish, and cooking oil.

Haven on the Queensway

Changing its service strategy to serving clients by appointment or pick-up only, the Etobicoke food bank is maintaining its efforts to provide relief to those in crisis situations. They ask for donations specifically of toilet paper, canned goods, dish soap, laundry detergent, and juice boxes, among other things.

The Churches on the Hill

Housed inside Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, the Churches on the Hill food bank has cancelled its annual food drive this year because of COVID-19. In lieu of the food drive, they ask for monetary donations out of concern for the health and safety of their volunteers and donors. 

Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC)

The CFCC has centres in 175 communities all across Canada, and has launched its Good Food Access Fund to provide emergency relief for vulnerable Canadians, such as children, single parents, Indigenous peoples, and seniors, among others. Manulife, the insurance company, is currently matching donations up to $150,000. 

Black Creek Community Farm (BCCF)

The BCCF launched an initiative called the Emergency Food Box for residents in the Jane and Finch Community who are experiencing food insecurity due to COVID-19. They also have statistics on their website depicting the demographics of the people in the community who will be receiving the boxes. To facilitate distribution of these boxes, they are asking for monetary donations.

Building Roots

Building Roots is working not just to provide food to those in Moss Park who are in self-isolation, but also at-home resources for children out of school, families, seniors, and those with emotional or mobility barriers. In addition to delivering food baskets to vulnerable community members, the organization will also be delivering educational resources at its Moss Park Market.

Food banks at the Toronto Library

The Toronto Public Library has now converted a number of branches to food banks. Once they are all up and running there will be nine locations across the city.