Here’s a quick guide on how to access food.
Clients looking to access free, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods at Daily Bread supported food banks can follow the general steps below.
No ID is required for a single person to access food, but please note that with over 100 Daily Bread member food banks operating in Toronto, every program is a little different – some may require an appointment or have certain eligibility criteria like geographic catchment areas.
Step 1
Click here to find your closest food bank or visit 211central.ca. 211central.ca provides eligibility guidelines, hours, and contact information. If your local food bank uses an appointment system, you may need to call them to book a time. We recommend that you visit your local food bank as some have catchment area restrictions. If you are not in that catchment area, you may be referred to a different food program.
Step 2
You will be required to go through a client intake process to obtain a client ID. If you have already visited a Toronto food bank, you may already have one. If not, you can use our online self-enrollment portal or you can register in person at the food bank you are visiting. See our FAQs for more details.
Step 3
Once you are registered you will be able to access food. Some food banks operate a “shopping model” where you can choose your preferred items within categories and based on household size, others may provide a pre-packed food box, or there may be a mix of both. Clients can access one Daily Bread food bank once per week. See our FAQ’s for more on what you can expect.
FAQs
At your intake, you must provide your name, address, and date of birth for yourself and members of your household, but you may be asked other optional questions around housing status, education, etc. All members of one household should be registered under one ID number. No ID is required for you but if you are registering household members you should bring ID for them when you arrive. You will be asked to sign a consent form specifying that you understand how your information is being used and why it’s being collected.
Each Daily Bread food bank is a little different but generally when you walk in, you will be asked if you have ever been to a food bank in Toronto before. If you have, you may already have an ID number. If not, you will be asked a few questions and given one before you receive food. You can use this ID number at most Daily Bread food banks across the city.
Food banks may provide 2 to 3 days’ worth of food, based on the number of people in your household. Expect a mix of fresh, frozen, and non-perishable foods, including dairy and protein options like halal meat. We strive to provide healthy and nutritious food, as well as a variety of choices to meet various cultural and nutritional needs and preferences. Some food is donated, some is purchased, and choice may be limited based on demand, received donations, and how busy a program is.
Daily Bread Food Bank is a private registered charity and is not part of any level of government. We do not share your information with the government, including Ontario Works or Citizenship and Immigration Canada. We use your information to keep track of client visits and for research and advocacy purposes. We also use it to plan where additional food programs are required.
From time to time, we may share information with Feed Ontario and Food Banks Canada, as well as research partners so we can advocate to the government policies that benefit clients. The information we share is aggregated data on the demographics of food bank uses. We do not share any individual or personal information.
Still have a question?
Please call us at 416-203-0050 ext. 1
