Food Banks Mississauga Launches Give 30 Ramadan Fundraiser with Food Insecurity on the Rise
As they project serving double the number of Mississauga residents by 2027
As the month of Ramadan is set to begin, Food Banks Mississauga launches its annual Give 30 fundraising campaign. Give 30 is a grassroots initiative that was founded in 2012 and encourages everyone, regardless of faith, to show empathy for those who face food insecurity and give in the spirit of Ramadan. This comes at a crucial time as Food Banks Mississauga is serving, on average, almost 10% more food bank visitors every month compared to the same times the previous year.
Food insecurity is on the rise and worse than it has ever been. Food Banks Mississauga estimates over 100,000 Mississauga residents will rely on a food bank by 2027, almost double the current number of over 56,000 residents. The City of Mississauga declared food insecurity an emergency last November, which has been a monumental step in recognizing that food insecurity has gone beyond crisis levels and is not a temporary issue. Toronto and Kingston have since followed suit, and Feed Ontario reported that over 1 million Ontario residents accessed a food bank last year – the highest on record. This further indicates that there is an affordability crisis across the province.
“We are not immune to economic pressures here at Food Banks Mississauga. This Ramadan, we need the support of our community more than ever as the cost of food continues to rise and the threat of tariffs looms. Food banks have been continuously forced to increase our capacity to keep up with the number of folks who turn to us and we can only do that with your support,” says Meghan Nicholls, CEO of Food Banks Mississauga. “As you fast, please think of your neighbours who are forced to skip meals or reduce portions so their children have enough to eat. It could be the person praying next to you at the mosque, fellow parents picking up their child from school, or the cashier at your grocery store. As you embark on this holy month, please consider donating to support the 1 in 13 Mississauga residents who rely on us for food support.”
By donating financially to the Give 30 campaign, you will be helping food bank visitors like Bilal and Zoya*, who came to Canada to escape conflict and seek a better future for their children.
“Every day, there were bomb blasts. You don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t have a proper education for your kids. You don’t have a secure future,“ says Bilal. “It’s such a great relief. When you are in trouble, and you get support. I can’t even put into words what it means. I’m so grateful to the people here.”
To ensure that Food Banks Mississauga can provide food to neighbours like Bilal, Zoya, and their three children today, make a gift to the Give 30 campaign. A donation of $84 will provide a family with a week of food from their monthly visit to a food program. To ensure Mississauga is a food-secure community for tomorrow, Food Banks Mississauga implores you to review the platforms of provincial parties and vote for representatives who pledge to address poverty and food insecurity.
The 2025 Give 30 campaign runs until March 30, 2025. Learn more and get involved today!
*Names changed for privacy
