REGINA — Farm Credit Canada is reporting its Drive Away Hunger 2025 partners have donated 635 million meals to Canadians.
“Food insecurity affects our families, neighbours and communities. These donations are not just statistics,” said Justine Hendricks, FCC president and CEO.
“They can represent the difference between going to bed hungry and having food on the table, and they leave money for other essentials like rent, heat, or a child’s winter coat. The goal is to make sure food that would otherwise go to waste reaches family tables where it is needed.”
Food insecurity in Canada remains a critical issue. According to FCC, more than 10 million people live in households that do not always have enough food, including nearly one in three children. The HungerCount 2025 report from Food Banks Canada showed that food bank use rose by 5.2 per cent, with many people relying on food banks being working Canadians managing tight budgets.
Every year, partners across the agri-food industry, including producers, processors, distributors, retailers and food companies, redirect surplus food from across the supply chain to curb food waste and support families. The 635 million meals donated were valued at over $2.25 billion, equivalent to about 63 meals per person in a year.
These donations are made possible through food rescue services such as Second Harvest and FoodMesh, which help coordinate the safe and timely redistribution of surplus food by matching donors with local charities and community groups, and managing pickups and transportation.
“This achievement reflects the sustained commitment to supporting communities by Drive Away Hunger partners across Canada’s agriculture and food sector,” said Hendricks.
“By working together year after year, partners are delivering food to communities at a scale made possible through industry collaboration.”
For more than 20 years, Drive Away Hunger has been a year-round initiative that continues to welcome new partners to join the fight against food insecurity in Canada. FCC is one of over 100 Drive Away Hunger partners. In the past year, FCC donated over six million meals through corporate donations, food loss and waste partnerships, and employee giving.
For a full list of 2025 partners and information on how to get involved, visit driveawayhunger.ca
