The Agape Centre continues to be a leader in our community, alleviating food insecurity for our most vulnerable citizens. We are in the midst of a food insecurity crisis in our country, and we need substantial changes like living wages, adequate fixed income rates, and affordable housing. While we advocate for change at a provincial level as members of Feed Ontario and nationally with Foodbanks Canada, we continue to work collaboratively within our community with compassion, removing barriers and improving access to food to ensure no one is hungry.
Food banks have become the grocery store, not the intended purpose of seeing someone through a temporary tough time requiring some additional support. More and more working families still struggle with the impossible decision to keep food on the table, pay the rent or pay the utilities. These are impossible decisions to make.
Most shocking this year has been the increased demand for our Kids Community Kitchen program, which is open each weekday from 7:30-9:00 a.m. for children to enjoy a nutritious breakfast and pack a lunch for school. In June 2025 we had 50 visits, September 240 and in October 2025 this had risen to 353 visits. It’s incomprehensible that families are without the basic necessities of life, but we are beyond grateful to our generous donors for supporting this essential program and feeding the youth in our community.
In addition to our core programs, we continue to focus on identifying gaps in services in our community and building bridges for people to access additional support. The newest initiative that we have introduced is our own on-site Access to Justice Hub made possible by a grant through the Law Foundation of Ontario. Weekly hubs are staffed with legal advocates who can provide guidance and support with system navigation and education in a safe and familiar space.
We are proud to be able to offer the following extras:
ID Clinics
Hep C screening clinic
Free haircuts
Stuff the Stocking Christmas event
Kids Shopping Day Christmas event
Back to School giveaway – 150 backpacks distributed
Community Shower program
2024-2025 STATS
Community Market visits→39,161 (35% of which are children)
Community Kitchen meals→33,178
Between the foodbank and the community kitchen we distributed 1,006,552 lbs of food with a value of $3,656,066 representing a 10% increase from last year.
A quick look over the last 4 years shows the following…
117% increase in individuals served
257% increase in children using the foodbank
193% increase in food bank visits
350% increase in community kitchen meals
These numbers are staggering but very realistic of how poverty and food insecurity has risen in our community and continues to rise. As a non-profit organization that receives no funding from any level of government, we are truly fortunate to be part of this generous and supportive community. Your belief in the work we do keeps our doors open and the shelves stocked. Our hearts go out to every donor, every volunteer, every business or individual that has held a food drive and every customer in the New for You thrift shoppe who all contribute to our success in feeding our community. What we do each day to address poverty and food insecurity is only possible thanks to you.
The Agape Centre team wishes each of you a joyous holiday season.
Lisa Duprau
Executive Director
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