Groceries you choose yourself.
Our food bank works like a small shop. You walk the shelves with a basket and take what your household will actually eat. Nothing is pre-packed, and nobody hands you a box of things you don't cook.
Five steps, about twenty minutes.
Come to the side door
It's on Arbour Street, with a red sign. The entrance is level, and there are chairs if you need to wait.
Say hello
A volunteer asks your first name and how many people you shop for. That's all we need the first time.
Grab a basket
Walk the shelves at your own pace. Small signs show how many of each item a household can take this week.
Check out
At the table by the window a volunteer helps you bag it up. Nothing is scanned and nothing is paid.
See you next week
You can visit once a week, on either day. Fresh produce changes with what comes in.
What to bring
Bring if you can
- Your own bags, a backpack or a cart (we have spares)
- From your second visit: anything with your name and a Kitchener address, like a letter or a lease
- A list of allergies or diet needs, so we can point you to the right shelf
You don't need
- ID or proof of anything on your first visit
- An appointment or a referral from anyone
- To explain your situation. No address yet? Talk to us and we'll sort it out together.
A hot meal, a long table, no sign-up.
Every Thursday the kitchen crew cooks a big pot of something good, usually with whatever came in fresh that week. Everyone eats together in the main hall. Bring the kids, bring a neighbour, come on your own.
- When
- Thursdays, 5:30–7 pm
- Cost
- Free, for anyone
- Diets
- There is always a vegetarian dish, and the menu card lists what's in every pot
Can't get out of the house?
If illness, a disability or caring for someone keeps you home, a volunteer driver can bring groceries to your door on Wednesday afternoons. We deliver only to people who can't come in, and only within a few kilometres of the hall. Call us and we'll go through the shelves with you over the phone.
Good to know
Can someone else pick up for me?
Yes. Tell us their first name when you call, or send them with a note. They shop for your household as if they were you.
Do you have halal, gluten-free or baby food?
Often, not always. We keep a shelf for each, and the volunteer at the door can tell you what's in this week. Baby formula sits behind the checkout table, so just ask.
What do you do with my name?
We write it on a visit sheet so we know how many households we serve each week. We never share it, and you can use a first name only.
What if I need more than one visit a week?
Talk to the coordinator on a Tuesday. We'd rather hear about it than have you go without, and we know other food programs in Kitchener that open on different days.