The 2025 Hunger Count report from Food Banks Canada, released in October, highlights troubling trends in food security across the country, with close to 2.2 million visits to Canada’s food banks in 2025. From the national level down to local communities, food banks in Alexandria, Hawkesbury, L’Orignal, and Vankleek Hill have shared data to provide a clearer picture of food insecurity in the region.
The Food Banks Canada report shows that food insecurity is rising sharply among working individuals, with nearly one in five 2025 food bank clients (19.4 per cent) being employed, up from 12.2 per cent in 2019. Additionally, one-third of food bank clients are children, accounting for nearly 712,000 monthly visits in 2025, up more than 300,000 from pre-pandemic monthly levels.
Food Banks Canada Public Relations Specialist Debra Quinn said 70 per cent of food bank clients live in market-rent housing, 23.1 per cent are two-parent families, and 8.3 per cent are seniors (up from 6.8 per cent in 2019).
Although Ontario-specific numbers are not yet available, Feed Ontario Senior Manager of Marketing and Public Relations Andrea Waters confirmed the 2025 Hunger Report is being released in early December. The report will examine Ontario food banks and provide updated statistics from across the province.
Across the region, four food banks reported steady year-over-year increases, reflecting an urgent local trend.
Vankleek Hill
Demand at the Vankleek Hill Food Bank (VKHFB) has increased by approximately 23 per cent over the past year, from September 2024 to September 2025. The VKHFB is centrally located at 124 Main Street East and has a volunteer team of about 15 individuals helping those in need.
VKHFB Director Rod Scoble said a significant portion of the increase has come from newcomers and recent immigrants to the area. Additionally, Scoble noted he has noticed working-class families are increasingly turning to the food bank due to lower wages and rising living costs.
“We’re seeing two to three new clients every week. That tells you there’s a problem out there,” Scoble said. “Demand grew by 23 per cent, but our costs went up by 40 per cent last year.”
Scoble says the VKHFB has stayed afloat because of organizations making monetary donations and their consistent partnership with sourcing food from Foodland in Vankleek Hill and Second Harvest. The partnerships allow the food bank to provide hampers full of meat, fruits, vegetables, and common necessities like eggs, butter, and bread.
“We prepare a basic hamper for every client, and then clients can choose what they need from us on top of that,” said Scoble. “We served 62 clients with hampers last month.”
The VKHFB has not experienced any major shortages over the past year; however, Scoble emphasized the food bank’s space is fairly cramped and limits how much the organization can hold.
He explained they are looking for a new, larger location that will allow them to serve more clients with greater resources. “With more space, we could offer more staples like milk and bread regularly. Right now, we don’t have the fridge space,” Scoble said.
Scoble said food bank clients are always welcomed with a smile, “It makes a huge difference. You have to make them feel like they’re at home and without judgement. Every new client is paired with a volunteer who walks them through the process.”
Scoble encourages anyone concerned about food security to call the food bank at 613-678-8119 to seek support or to find out how they can help their community.
Hawkesbury
The Hawkesbury Central Food Bank (HCFB), located at 419 Cartier Boulevard, was founded by 10 residents in 1998 and continues to support community members facing food insecurity.
HCFB Treasurer and Mayor of Hawkesbury Robert Lefebvre said the food bank saw a 15.4 per cent increase in individuals using its services from September 2024 to September 2025. He noted that while the increase was larger (27.5 per cent) between September 2023 and September 2024, the continued year-over-year growth is concerning.
Lefebvre said in September 2024, approximately 1,092 individuals (728 adults and 364 children) used the service. Of those who used the food bank in September 2025, the number rose to 1,157 individuals (742 adults and 415 children).
Lefebvre said 39.5 per cent of clients were receiving Ontario Disability Pensions (ODP), 15.7 per cent were receiving Ontario Works Assistance (OWA), and 11.5 per cent were receiving pensions. Significantly, 19.6 per cent had no income, 8.6 per cent were employed, and 5.1 per cent did not wish to identify their status.
He emphasized the food bank does not turn away anyone seeking assistance, crediting the generosity of the community, including individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations, for financial support.
Lefebvre also highlighted the contributions of local grocery stores that provide food donations and participate in fundraising events.
L’Orignal
The L’Orignal Food Bank (OFB), located at 261 Longueuil Street, operates alongside a thrift store that sells second-hand clothing.
OFB Coordinator Jo-Anne Poirier said approximately 100 individuals used the food bank each month between September 2024 and September 2025. She said the food bank saw roughly a 15 per cent increase in clients over the past year, with the majority being individuals (63 per cent), followed by families with children (29 per cent), then couples (7 per cent), and people experiencing homelessness (1 per cent).
Poirier said OFB does not turn away anyone seeking food, but clients from outside L’Orignal are referred to the appropriate food bank in their area.
Alexandria
The Alexandria Food Bank (AFB), operated through St. Vincent de Paul, is located at 162 Main Street South. St. Vincent de Paul Alexandria President Suzanne Gareau said all monetary donations are used entirely to purchase food through partnerships with local vendors.
Gareau said approximately 187 families used the food bank each month on average between September 2024 and September 2025. Among those served, 561 were adults and 243 children under 17. Of these, 66 were employed, 124 were on disability, 36 were unemployed, and the remainder received Old Age Security (OAS), Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits, and Employment Insurance (EI).
“Our clientele includes a few couch surfers, typically around five individuals per year, as well as some clients living in trailers and newcomers. My understanding from speaking with them is that they are often promised a job and wages, but this doesn’t pan out when they arrive in the area,” Gareau said.
Many clients told Gareau that rising costs for essentials such as water, heat, housing, and clothing are consuming their wages, leaving far less available for adequate food.
This graph shows the number of families who visited AFB over the past year, with 2024 numbers in yellow and 2025 numbers in green. Gareau said the number of families using the food bank has risen by 23 per cent compared to last year.
Despite rising demand, Gareau said the food bank will never turn anyone away. She also encourages residents to donate when possible to help meet community needs.
Together, the rising numbers across Alexandria, Hawkesbury, L’Orignal, and Vankleek Hill paint a clear picture: the demand for food support in Eastern Ontario is growing rapidly, and local organizations are working hard to keep pace.
