Today, 90% of the Community & Emergency Food Banks in our network offer their own home delivery services.
The Beginning of the Home Delivery Program
In March 2020, vulnerable residents facing food insecurity could no longer access their regular food programs due to the pandemic. As member agencies navigated overlapping crises and were unable to deliver food directly to people’s homes, the Ottawa Food Bank introduced Home Delivery as a rapid and effective emergency response to critical gaps in food access.
What began as an urgent solution quickly revealed an ongoing need. The Ottawa Food Bank adapted the program into a more sustainable short-term service, with an increasing focus on delivering fresh, nutritious food to individuals facing barriers to in-person access. Originally intended as a temporary measure, the program was also designed to give member agencies time to build and implement their own home delivery services.
How the Program Grew
It has been incredible to see how the network has adapted to meet the evolving needs of the community. According to Link2Feed data, an impressive 12,354 deliveries were recorded between April 2022 and August 2025. Over time, the program grew significantly, becoming too large for the Ottawa Food Bank to manage effectively, but strong enough to be shared across the network.
The Home Delivery Program was built through collaboration, care, and a focus on long-term sustainability. Team members and volunteers played a key role in developing a strong foundation, enabling a smooth transition to the community. The Home Delivery Working Group was central to this effort, helping agencies prepare to take on the service with the right tools and resources while maintaining a high level of quality service to the community.
Feed the City Partnership
In 2023, Feed the City officially partnered with the Ottawa Food Bank to provide last mile delivery support and ensure food continued to reach those in need. This made a lasting impact that changed the course of our program forever. Today, they continue to work alongside local food banks, dispatching volunteer drivers to deliver emergency food directly to individuals facing barriers when necessary.
Home Delivery Transitions to Member Agencies
The Home Delivery Program was active for five years, from its emergency launch in 2020 to its conclusion in 2025. Due to an agency needing help with a few emergency deliveries once a week, the last delivery was made on Friday, January 23, 2026.
During this time:
food boxes were prepared and delivered to individuals in need.
hours were contributed by 21 dedicated volunteers.
kilometers were travelled – which is more than the circumference of the earth!
Volunteer commitment made a lasting impact:
"The team that faithfully volunteered as our hamper delivery drivers together gave consistently and reliably. They showed us the best of how volunteering can impact the community and an organization for good. Simply said, we could not have done this without their generous support of time, talent, and resources."
Today, 90% of the Community & Emergency Food Banks in the Ottawa Food Bank network offer their own home delivery services – an incredible example of how the system has adapted to meet a critical and previously underserved need. This evolution means that individuals facing barriers to access, including some of the most vulnerable members of our community, can continue receiving the nutritious food they need.
Thank you to Volunteers, Staff, the Network, and Feed the City!
Even beyond the pandemic, volunteers and staff continued their work until member agencies were ready to take on home delivery themselves. We extend our deepest gratitude to volunteers for their time and patience, member agencies for their collaboration during a time of uncertainty and growing demand, and to Feed the City for helping make this transition possible.
When communities come together in times of crisis, meaningful and lasting solutions are possible. The Home Delivery Program is a powerful example of how partnership, planning, and compassion can reduce barriers and help ensure that everyone has access to food.
Need Home Delivery Support? Use the Find Food Tool to explore your options.
While many agencies now offer delivery, capacity remains limited, and eligibility requirements vary between locations.
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