Second Harvest Gets Over Half a Billion Dollars’ Worth of Food to Communities as Food Insecurity Deepens

‍126 million pounds of fresh, healthy food reached more than 16,000 community programs, supporting 7.2 million people across Canada

TORONTO, ON — October 29, 2026 — Second Harvest rescued and redistributed $564 million worth of surplus food in fiscal 2026, helping community organizations respond to growing demand while preserving their limited budgets for other essential services.

The organization's newly released annual report shows a 41 per cent increase in the value of food redistributed compared with last year, helping more people facing food insecurity access nutritious food and easing pressure on the community organizations supporting them.

“More than a number, this is a story about what we can accomplish when we come together with a shared purpose of radically improving Canada’s food system,” said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest. “As communities face growing demand for food, our donors, volunteers, non-profit partners and staff are making sure more good food reaches people who need it. Together, we’re rescuing more food, feeding more people and building a more resilient food system.”

The need for that support remains pressing. The State of Food Charity in Canada, a survey conducted by Ipsos for Second Harvest, found that 9 in 10 non-profit organizations surveyed experienced increased demand for food over the past year. Nearly half reported receiving no support through the federal, provincial or regional food bank network.

Second Harvest helps fill that gap by connecting surplus food from farms, manufacturers, retailers and other businesses with organizations serving their communities. Most of the rescued food was perishable, making storage, transportation and timely distribution critical to putting it to use.  

Through its food rescue operations, Second Harvest:

• Helped provide an average of more than 349,000 meals a day.
• Prevented an estimated 402 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.
• Saved more than 85 billion litres of water from going to waste.

The report shows what is possible when the food system works to prevent good food from going to waste. By connecting businesses with community organizations and investing in storage, transportation and processing, Second Harvest kept valuable food in use.  

For more information on Second Harvest’s impact in 2026, see the full annual report here.

About Second Harvest

Second Harvest is Canada’s largest food rescue organization and a global thought leader on food waste and perishable food redistribution. It rescues unsold surplus food from thousands of food businesses from across the supply chain to redistribute it to non-profits in every province and territory. This prevents harmful greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere while improving access to nutrition for millions of Canadians experiencing food insecurity. Beyond food rescue and redistribution, Second Harvest is deeply involved in advocacy, research, training and education. Its groundbreaking reports, such as “The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste,” provide critical data and insights to inform public policy and educate the public on sustainable food systems.

Second Harvest is committed to driving systemic change, helping to shape policies and practices that reduce food waste and address its role in climate change, while also supporting communities by providing them with the food they need.  

To learn more, visit www.secondharvest.ca    

For media inquiries, please contact:
Giao Chau, Communications Manager
Email: giaoc@secondharvest.ca
Phone: 416-346-3617