No Waste. No Hunger.
That’s our vision, and we’re making it a reality through our core work of Food Rescue. We find surplus, edible food that businesses can’t use, and through our food recovery network, get it to the people in our communities who need it.
By rescuing food, we’re helping create lasting, positive change for people and for our planet.
- We’re reducing our country’s environmental footprint by keeping surplus food out of landfills and reducing harmful greenhouse gases, a leading source of human-caused climate change
- We’re creating an efficient food supply chain by optimizing the resources that go into producing and distributing food, like energy, water and land
- We’re feeding people experiencing hunger in communities across Canada
Our job of rescuing food is supported by our programs like Harvest Kitchens and Feeding Our Future, and our ongoing work in education, training, and research.
We’re here to create meaningful impact for people and the planet, so we’re playing our part to meet Canada’s commitment to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, Goal 13: Climate Action and Goal 2: Zero Hunger.
Climate change, food waste and hunger are challenging issues, and it takes drive and the passion to face them head on. Realizing our vision of No Waste. No Hunger. can only be done when we all believe that it can – and will – be achieved.
Our Programs
Food Rescue
Food Rescue is the core of what we do. We work with food businesses across the supply chain, including producers, distributors, retailers, hotels, and restaurants, to collect their surplus food, then connect that food to charities and non-profit organizations, coast to coast to coast. These organizations use the food to feed their local community. Whether it is a shelter in Vancouver or a meal program in Iqaluit, Second Harvest is proud to support partners across the country. Our goal: that no Canadian is left behind.
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Research
We can’t change what we don’t understand. As a global thought leader on food waste, our research focuses on the issues of food waste and food access to identify the real issues and develop innovative, effective solutions. Our research studies like “The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste” and “Canada’s Invisible Food Network” are shaping the approach to mitigate food waste here in Canada and around the world.
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Training and education
We’re passionate about educating non-profits, businesses, and people everywhere about food waste and giving them accurate, actionable information. Food waste doesn’t happen because people don’t care, it happens because they don’t have the information they need to make positive changes. Our training and education programs are designed to equip social non-profits, businesses and Canadian families with the tools and know-how to change the way surplus food is managed. And that helps all of us.
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Harvest Kitchens
We created the Harvest Kitchens program in 2001 to make sure the food we rescue gets to the people who need it. Working with partner businesses and charities, these Harvest Kitchens teams create nutritious and delicious meals using rescued food. The meals are then donated to non-profits who can’t produce meals themselves and so they can be served in the community.
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Feeding Our Future
Second Harvest’s Feeding Our Future program works to end summer hunger. While there are many excellent food programs available to kids during the school year, many children and youth don’t have regular access to healthy lunches in the summer months. Feeding Our Future prepares and delivers meals for children at summer camps across Toronto, keeping them healthy in the summer and ready to thrive when they get back to school.
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