2025 was a year that showed, more than ever, how much our community depends on each other. Across Ontario, more than one million people needed a food bank last year, as the cost of living continued to rise and families struggled to make ends meet. Here in Cambridge and North Dumfries, the reality was clear: food insecurity is affecting more people, and people are turning to the Cambridge Food Bank for help more often than ever before.
Between January and December 2025, the Food Bank supported 10,717 individuals across 4,664 households. Of those households, 1,334 were accessing our services for the first time, highlighting the growing number of people who had never needed a food bank before but now find themselves in need. Over the year, we distributed 24,268 hampers, each one a vital source of food, dignity, and stability for the families we serve.
Children and seniors continue to be some of the most vulnerable in our community. In 2025, 3,470 children under 18 received support through the Food Bank. Families, working adults, and individuals living with disabilities also form a large part of those we help. In fact, one in five visitors was a person with a disability, and one in four households accessing our services were employed, showing that hunger doesn’t just affect those without income—it affects people trying to make ends meet every day.
Housing pressures make food insecurity even more challenging. Seventy-four percent of households we served live in private rentals, while others rely on social housing, stay with family or friends, or are experiencing homelessness. For many, high rent and limited income mean difficult choices between paying for housing, bills, or food.
The broader numbers from the Feed Ontario Hunger Report confirm what we see every day: across the province, families are visiting food banks more frequently just to get by. In Cambridge and North Dumfries, the Food Bank was visited over 22,000 times in the year, an increase of 10% over the previous year. One in four visitors were new to the Food Bank, and one in three visitors were children. These numbers remind us that hunger is not an occasional problem—it is a daily challenge for thousands in our community.
Behind every number is a neighbour doing their best. Every hamper we pack, every volunteer shift, and every donation matters. Without the generosity of our community, the Cambridge Food Bank could not meet this growing need.
If you want to make a difference today, your support can help feed someone in need immediately. Every donation helps ensure that no one in Cambridge goes hungry. Donate today and be part of the solution.