A Day on the Road with Food Banks Mississauga

I love travelling and going on little adventures, so when I got invited to go on a ride-along with one of the Food Banks Mississauga truck drivers, I was immediately in! I was paired with Nikhilkumar Mistry (Nik) — who I quickly found out really loves driving (like, really), doesn’t need a GPS to get around, and has a deep love for playing cricket. We vibed instantly, and I was excited to learn what a “day in the life” looks like for folks on the frontlines of food banking.

Food Sharing Doesn’t Stop at City Limits

Our first stop took us to Newmarket Food Pantry. We had extra food this week after supporting our network of 60+ food programs, and rather than letting it go to waste, we partnered with Feed Ontario to share it with another community. There was something powerful about that moment, driving past the borders of Mississauga to deliver food reminded me that community doesn’t stop at city limits. It stretches as far as compassion goes. At Food Banks Mississauga, where values like ‘collaborative leadership’ and ‘respect for all’ are at its core, I saw firsthand how food security work requires us to resist the urge to draw lines around who “deserves” support.

Collaborative leadership is about choosing to lead by bringing others along — not ahead or behind, but together.

At Food Banks Mississauga, values like ‘collaborative leadership’ and ‘respect for all’ aren’t just statements on a wall — they’re lived out in every delivery, every partnership, and every decision to show up for our neighbours. Respect for all means seeing people not just as recipients of food, but as whole individuals with stories, dignity, and needs that go beyond a grocery bag. Collaborative leadership is about choosing to lead by bringing others along — not ahead or behind, but together. It’s the reason we drove past city borders to Newmarket. We don’t just look inward at our own community needs; we reach outward too, connecting agency members across regions, sharing resources, and taking action as one. On the ride, I saw clearly: food security isn’t about deciding who is worthy of support. It’s about removing the red tape that gets in the way of compassion — and moving forward, together.

A Small Stop with a Big Impact

During our stop at Newmarket Food Pantry, Nik and I also helped with a pick-up for an organization that supports individuals who have experienced abuse. Just a short stop, but it hit me hard. Something about seeing those packages of food ready to go, knowing where they were headed, made me pause. This is what food donations really do; they don’t just fill shelves, they nourish lives. They give people a reason to feel seen, cared for, and supported through unimaginable moments. It stretches to improve the quality of life of individuals.

Fresh Produce, Fresh Perspective

Next up was ATV Farms. ATV Farms donates fresh onions every week, as part of our ReclaimFRESH Food Rescue program. Our food sourcing team works with local farmers, wholesalers, producers, and grocery stores to rescue and rehome their surplus edible food. Once this food arrives at our warehouse, our volunteers inspect and sort each piece of food – like the onions we get from ATV Farms. The food is then distributed to our 60+ food programs to provide to neighbours in need across the city.

These kinds of choices, made quietly, without fanfare, are what keep food banks stocked with real, nutritious food.

The drive to ATV Farms was stunning: beautiful countryside, fields stretching for miles, and that warm Ontario sun. What struck me most, though, was seeing how local farms, like ATV Farms, partner with us to donate produce instead of throwing away their excess. These kinds of choices, made quietly, without fanfare, are what keep food banks stocked with real, nutritious food. It made me think about the kind of ripple effect we can all create just by choosing to care.

Accessibility Reimagined at Seva Food Bank

Our final stop was Seva Food Bank – Malton, one of the food programs in Food Banks Mississauga’s network. This was my first time stepping into one of our network’s members, and I was enthralled. There was a check-in desk, a full kitchen, and a grocery store-style model that gave clients the dignity to choose their own food. The space was alive: volunteers chatting, food being sorted, people moving with purpose.

It completely redefined “accessibility” for me. We often say food should be accessible, but what does that actually mean? It’s more than just saying, “You’re allowed to get food.” It’s about making sure that food gets to where people already are, removing transportation barriers, ensuring cultural appropriateness, and creating welcoming spaces. Accessibility means meeting people where they’re at, both literally and emotionally.

The People Who Make It All Happen

Throughout the day, I met people who reminded me why stories matter. There was Nik, behind the wheel but always smiling. Susan, from Newmarket Food Pantry, full of kindness and purpose. Marina, a volunteer at Seva Food Bank, organizing food and community like it was second nature. You may not always see them in a social media post or the front page of a newsletter, but they’re working diligently behind the scenes to make food accessible to our neighbours. They’re the ones doing the heavy lifting (literally and figuratively) to work towards food security for all. 

I went on a ride-along thinking I’d just observe logistics. I left with a deeper understanding of what it means to feed a community with care, dignity, and respect.

As someone who tells stories to help people feel connected, inspired, and seen, it was humbling to witness others doing the same, just in different roles. It made me want to listen more. I went on a ride-along thinking I’d just observe logistics. I left with a deeper understanding of what it means to feed a community with care, dignity, and respect.