Food4Kids Waterloo Region moves to larger facility to meet demand

Food4Kids has found a new home. CTV’s Spencer Turcotte found out how the expanded space will help children experiencing food insecurity in Waterloo Region.

In an effort to help more children, Food4Kids Waterloo Region has moved to a larger facility to help meet the increasing demand.

Their new location is at 300 Trillium Drive in Kitchener. Staff believe it will help them serve more kids in need.

“In an effort to reach our strategic objective by June 2028, we’re going to serve 2,250 deserving children which includes Cambridge, Wilmot, Woolwich, Kitchener and Waterloo. In order to do that, we need space,” said Faune Lang, executive director at Food4Kids Waterloo Region.

The non-profit charitable organization serves children between the ages of one and 14 who are facing food insecurity. Their programs offer food to students on weekends, holidays and summer breaks. Food4Kids strives to ensure no child goes hungry when class is not in session. That program is offered at 126 local elementary schools, covering approximately 170 days a year.

The Food4Kids program fills the need that is not fulfilled through the provincial Student Nutrition Program.

“We know that approximately 4,000 children in the region need our support and right now [the actual number of children in need of assistance is] probably close to 6,000,” said Lang. “Currently, 257 children are on that waitlist and [with the new facility] we have room and the space in order to help.”

Staff say the new space will allow them to get and store food at a higher rate now that they have sufficient room for it.

“We have enough food in the world to ensure that children are fed. It’s an access problem and we need to do better to partner together and find ways to solve that to meet that need,” said Lang.

The new facility is only part of the equation – both financial and food donations help.

“These kids deserve the best part of every one of us in whatever way that we can give,” said Lang. “This is a dream come true, that we have more space to be able to serve these deserving children.”

For more on how to donate to Food4Kids Waterloo Region, click here.