Celebrating the 2025 Food Banks Canada Partner Awards
TORONTO, July 21, 2025 /CNW/ - In 2024, thanks to its valued partners and donors, Food Banks Canada was able to distribute millions of pounds of food across the country and invest millions of dollars in food banks and other community organizations serving people experiencing food insecurity.
Food Banks Canada's Partner Awards program shines a spotlight on remarkable contributors to these collective achievements. The honorees were selected based on their total contributions in 2024, the significance of their impact, and their engagement with our mission of relieving hunger today and preventing hunger tomorrow.
"At Food Banks Canada, our partners are the driving force behind everything we do," says Kirstin Beardsley, Chief Executive Officer Food Banks Canada. "Thanks to their unwavering support, we're able to deliver high-quality food to those facing hunger, strengthen the capacity of food banks across the country, and take meaningful steps toward addressing the root causes of food insecurity."
Beardsley adds, "The recipients of the 2024 Food Banks Canada Awards have gone above and beyond in their commitment to ending hunger in Canada. We're deeply grateful for their partnership and look forward to continuing this vital work together—raising the bar higher every year."
Food Banks Canada is excited to celebrate the following award recipients:
Product Partner of the Year
To meet clients' needs and fill gaps in food donations, food banks are now buying more food than ever before. Kraft Heinz offers relief from that budgetary strain by providing a consistent supply of high-demand products, such as pasta sauce, and nutrient-rich products, such as peanut butter.
In 2024, Kraft Heinz gifted almost two million pounds of newly produced food to food banks across Canada. It was delivered at regular intervals, meaning that food banks and the people they serve could count on these products. To organizations and families that face a great deal of uncertainty, the significance of a predictable supply of staple products is hard to overstate.
Services In-Kind Partner of the Year
In-kind services such as food transportation and warehousing are essential to Food Banks Canada as they work to distribute large-scale food donations throughout the national network of food banks.
In 2024, Lineage Logistics played a vital role in the food supply chain by providing temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics solutions. Their ongoing partnership with Food Banks Canada provides the storage required to preserve and keep food before it reaches the people who need it most. Lineage Logistics also donates excess food in collaboration with their partners, further adding to their valuable contribution.
Funding Partner of the Year
Food bank use has almost doubled since 2019. Food Banks Canada relies on strong, long-term partnerships to help food banks grow their capacity and rise to this urgent challenge. In 2024, Walmart Canada renewed their partnership with Food Banks Canada to execute their annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change fundraising campaign, which directs millions of dollars to local food banks and supports Food Banks Canada's national mission each year. Walmart is also one of the founding partners of its Retail Food Program, which provides an ongoing stream of nutritious food donations from local stores.
So far, through these programs and others, Walmart Canada has helped to bring the equivalent of over 200 million meals to our neighbours in need!
Foundation Partner of the Year
As the last line of defense against hunger, food banks should be accessible to each and every person who needs them. Yet, our research shows that there are millions of people in Canada facing barriers to access, such as a lack of transportation, opening hours that aren't compatible with their work schedules, or even stigma and shame.
With financial support from the Rossy Foundation, Food Banks Canada's Access Grants empower food banks to break down barriers and increase access for all. The Rossy Foundation also supports our Capacity Boost grants, Northern Capacity Grants and Standards of Excellence Grants, all of which help food banks and community organizations to expand or upgrade their reach, infrastructure and services. These investments in Food Banks Canada's programs help equip food banks to meet the needs of both today and tomorrow.
Growth Partner of the Year
7-Eleven Canada has been a dedicated partner to Food Banks Canada since 2013. Customers look forward to the annual Slurpee Name Your Price Day, during which they can pay any amount for a large Slurpee, with all proceeds supporting Food Banks Canada.
This past year, 7-Eleven Canada more than doubled its significant annual donations with a round-up program, asking customers to support the food bank network by rounding up their purchase amount in support of Food Banks Canada. 7-Eleven Canada also collaborates with their vendors to add to their support and expand their partnership with Food Banks Canada year over year.
New Partner of the Year
Food Banks Canada is delighted to welcome Maple Lodge Farms as its new partner of the year. They've been enthusiastic and flexible, open to exploring new ideas to step up for our communities. Food Banks Canada was proud to be chosen as the primary beneficiary of Maple Lodge Farms' 2024 Tournament of Dreams golf fundraiser. In addition to $200,000 in proceeds, Maple Lodge Farms also donates their chicken product to food banks to support families and communities in need. These quality protein foods are extremely valuable to food banks, which aim to offer well-rounded nutrition to their clients.
About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada is the leader in addressing food insecurity in Canada. Our mission is to provide national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast to coast to coast. For over 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping people living in Canada with food insecurity. Over 5,500 food banks and community organizations come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours, who – this year – made over 2 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our HungerCount report. Since 2010, Food Banks Canada has shared over $1 billion in food supports and over $275 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity – while, backed by leading research, advocating for meaningful actions from governments to counter hunger and its root causes. Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit foodbankscanada.ca to learn more.
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In 2024, Kraft Heinz gifted almost two million pounds of newly produced food to food banks across Canada. It was delivered at regular intervals, meaning that food banks and the people they serve could count on these products. To organizations and families that face a great deal of uncertainty, the significance of a predictable supply of staple products is hard to overstate. Services In-Kind Partner of the Year In-kind services such as food transportation and warehousing are essential to Food Banks Canada as they work to distribute large-scale food donations throughout the national network of food banks. In 2024, Lineage Logistics played a vital role in the food supply chain by providing temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics solutions. Their ongoing partnership with Food Banks Canada provides the storage required to preserve and keep food before it reaches the people who need it most. 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