Food Bank Volunteering
Support food security in your community
Why It Matters
One of the most universally respected community service activities. Shows consistent commitment to social equity - valued for health, social work, public policy, and virtually any program.
How to Start
Contact your local food bank - search Food Banks Canada to find your nearest member organisation. Most run weekend and evening shifts accessible to students.
Commitment
- Low commitment: a few hours a month, easy to fit around school.
- Best starting grade: G7
- You can start in G7. Consistent weekly volunteering over multiple years is far more impressive than a burst of hours.
Programs It Supports
- Social Work
- Public Policy
- Health Sciences
- Humanities
Majors it supports
- Social Work (BSW) – high 70s to high 80s
- Health Sciences – 95%+ average plus strong supplemental - Canada's most competitive undergrad
Universities where it fits
Our profiles for these schools suggest Food Bank Volunteering as a good fit for their applicants.
- Western University – London, ON
- University of Ottawa – Ottawa, ON
- Carleton University – Ottawa, ON
- University of Guelph – Guelph, ON
- Wilfrid Laurier University – Waterloo, ON
- Brock University – St. Catharines, ON
- University of Windsor – Windsor, ON
- Simon Fraser University – Burnaby, BC
- University of Victoria – Victoria, BC
- University of Northern BC – Prince George, BC
- Thompson Rivers University – Kamloops, BC
- Université Laval – Quebec City, QC
- Bishop's University – Lennoxville, QC
- University of Alberta – Edmonton, AB
- University of Calgary – Calgary, AB
- MacEwan University – Edmonton, AB
- Mount Royal University – Calgary, AB
- Acadia University – Wolfville, NS
- St. Francis Xavier University – Antigonish, NS
- University of Manitoba – Winnipeg, MB
- University of Winnipeg – Winnipeg, MB
- University of Saskatchewan – Saskatoon, SK
- University of Regina – Regina, SK
- University of New Brunswick – Fredericton, NB
- Memorial University of Newfoundland – St. John's, NL
- University of Prince Edward Island – Charlottetown, PE
Similar extracurriculars
- Hospital or Healthcare Volunteering – Support patients and staff in a healthcare setting
- Peer Tutoring or Academic Support – Help classmates or younger students succeed
- Seniors Centre / Long-Term Care Volunteering – Provide companionship and support to elderly residents
- Environmental Conservation Volunteering – Protect and restore natural ecosystems
- Youth Mental Health Volunteering – Support mental health awareness in your school and community
- Local Food Bank Organizer – Coordinate school-wide food drives for the local community
- Community Garden Manager – Convert school or local land into a vegetable garden
- Blood Drive Ambassador (Canadian Blood Services) – Recruit students and teachers to donate blood