As the October wind swept through the grounds of McMaster University, dozens of students gathered not for lectures or exams, but for a mission that stretches across every province and territory in Canada. Clipboard in hand, Sarah Jennings, a 19-year-old sociology major, directed volunteers with the confident efficiency of someone twice her age.
“Last year, we collected over 4.5 million pounds of food,” Jennings told me as we walked between tables of enthusiastic student organizers. “This year, we’re aiming for six million. It’s ambitious, but hunger doesn’t take a break, so neither do we.”
The scene unfolding at McMaster is just one small part of Canada’s largest youth-led food initiative, which kicks off this weekend in communities across the country. What began as a modest high school project in Halifax fifteen years ago has evolved into a nationwide movement involving more than 650,000 students from elementary to university levels.
The timing couldn’t be more critical. According to Food Banks Canada’s HungerCount 2023 report, food bank visits reached an all-time high last year with 1.9 million visits in March 2023 alone – a staggering 32% increase from pre-pandemic levels. Nearly one-third of food bank users are children, despite representing only 20% of the general population.
“We’re seeing families who’ve never needed help before,” explains Dr. Martin Cohen, who teaches public policy at Ryerson University and has studied food insecurity trends for over a decade. “The combination of housing costs, inflation, and stagnant wages has created a perfect storm where working families simply can’t stretch their dollars far enough.”
The youth-led initiative operates with remarkable sophistication. Students divide neighbourhoods into routes, distribute collection bags days before, then return to gather donations. They’ve developed a mobile app that tracks real-time collection statistics and helps identify areas with high or low participation rates.
In Winnipeg, 16-year-old Aiden Reimer has participated for three years. Standing outside his high school gymnasium where towers of canned goods await sorting, he reflects on what drives him. “My mom used a food bank when I was really little. I don’t remember it, but she tells me those volunteers treated her with dignity when she felt ashamed. That’s why this matters to me.”
This human element – the connection between young volunteers and their communities – may explain the program’s extraordinary success. While many food drives see declining participation, this youth movement continues growing year after year.
Behind the scenes, provincial coordinators work with local food banks to identify specific needs. “We’re moving beyond just asking for any non-perishable item,” explains Monique Baptiste, who oversees operations in Quebec. “We provide lists of most-needed items like baby formula, diapers, and culturally appropriate foods that reflect our diverse communities.”
The initiative has caught the attention of corporate Canada, with several major grocery chains providing matching donations. Last year, these partnerships added an additional $2.8 million in food and essential supplies to the student-collected items.
In Yellowknife, where food insecurity rates are among the highest in Canada, coordinator Thomas Nakehko has adapted the program to northern realities. “We can’t do door-to-door collection in some communities because of distance, so we’ve set up collection points at schools, government buildings, and community centres,” he explains during our video call, where I can see boxes already filling with donations behind him.
The federal Minister for Families, Children and Social Development recently acknowledged the program’s impact, stating that “these young Canadians demonstrate leadership that inspires all of us.” However, students like Vancouver’s Mei Lin Wong believe government could do more.
“It’s amazing to see Canadians donate so generously,” Wong tells me as her team prepares collection routes for Vancouver’s densely populated West End. “But we need policies that address why so many people need food banks in the first place. We’re putting bandages on a wound that needs stitches.”
This sentiment – that direct action and policy change must work in tandem – emerges repeatedly in my conversations with student leaders. Many see their volunteer work as complementing their advocacy for living wage policies, affordable housing, and expanded school nutrition programs.
Recent polling from Abacus Data suggests these young Canadians may be onto something. Their survey found that 76% of Canadians believe government should play a larger role in addressing food insecurity, while 82% expressed concern about children going hungry in their communities.
Back at McMaster, Sarah Jennings checks her watch and rushes off to a planning meeting. “The food we collect matters right now to families who will eat because of it,” she calls over her shoulder. “But the long-term impact might be that we’re building a generation that understands these issues and will fight to solve them for good.”
As thousands of students prepare to knock on millions of doors this weekend, they’ll be doing more than collecting cans – they’ll be connecting communities in a shared response to a growing crisis. Whether they reach their six-million-pound goal or not, they’ve already succeeded in showing what youth-led initiatives can accomplish.
For information on how to participate or donate to Canada’s youth food drive 2024, contact your local food bank or visit any participating school. Most collection activities will take place this weekend, with some communities extending efforts through the end of October.
