The Food Bank of Waterloo Region and Cambridge Food Bank announced on April 30, 2026, that they are strengthening their partnership to better address the rising need for food support across the region. This new collaboration aims to improve how the two organizations handle day-to-day operations while continuing to serve their local communities independently.
Both groups are working to coordinate their work behind the scenes in areas such as fundraising, communications, finance, retail food donations, and agency relations.
This closer cooperation comes as demand for food assistance continues to grow. Across the region, food support programs see more than 600,000 visits annually, which serves approximately 73,000 individuals. Drivers of this increased demand include rising housing costs, food prices, and general affordability pressures that make it difficult for more households to manage everyday expenses. Across Ontario, food bank usage has reached record levels, with more than one million people served in 2024.
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region noted it distributed a record-breaking 9.6 million pounds of food this past year, representing a 7% increase over the previous year. Meanwhile, the Cambridge Food Bank is preparing to expand its own operations. It recently purchased a 31,000-square-foot facility on Franklin Boulevard, a project supported by a $1.5 million contribution from the City of Cambridge. The new facility is set to open in 2027.
