The Barrie Food Bank is asking the community to come together this Thanksgiving to help make sure local families and individuals have access to the food they need.
The food bank’s 2026 Thanksgiving campaign, “ONE CAN. WE CAN!”, has a goal of raising $300,000 and collecting 150,000 pounds of food.
The need remains significant.
Last month, the Barrie Food Bank recorded 7,683 visits, up two per cent from the same period last year. Those visits included 2,583 children and 395 seniors. Another 280 people turned to the food bank for the first time.
The food bank says behind each number is a neighbour dealing with the rising cost of basic essentials and trying to make ends meet.
“ONE CAN. WE CAN! is really about the power of community,” says Karen Shuh, Executive Director of Barrie Food Bank. “Not everyone can make a large donation, but everyone can be part of the solution. One can becomes a bag of groceries. One person can inspire a workplace or neighbourhood food drive. One donation, combined with thousands of others, helps us put nutritious food on the tables of people across our community.”
While Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for people to gather around the table, the Barrie Food Bank wants to make sure everyone in the community has access to the food they need.
“Behind every visit to the food bank is a person with their own circumstances and story,” adds Shuh. “Some people need us regularly, while others may only need help during a difficult month or time of crisis. What matters is that when someone needs food, our community is here for them.”
There are several ways to take part in the ONE CAN. WE CAN! campaign.
People can donate food, organize a food drive at a workplace, school, neighbourhood, community group or sports team, or encourage others to get involved.
The food bank says financial donations are especially valuable because they allow it to purchase what is needed most, including fresh meat, dairy, produce, bread and other nutritious foods.
Through bulk purchasing and grocery partnerships, the food bank says donated dollars go further and help provide more food to more neighbours.
As part of the Thanksgiving campaign, the Barrie Food Bank is also holding a Public Open House on Saturday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 42 Anne St. S.
Visitors can tour the facility, learn how donated and recovered food moves through the food bank, and meet some of the staff and volunteers involved in its programs.
Public Open House
When: Saturday, September 26, 2026, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Barrie Food Bank, 42 Anne St. S.
Admission: Free, everyone is welcome
“Our goal is ambitious, but we know what Barrie can accomplish when we work together,” says Shuh. “Whether it is one can, one dollar, one hour volunteered, or one food drive, every contribution matters. ONE CAN. WE CAN! Together, we can make sure our neighbours have food on their tables this Thanksgiving and beyond.”
Donations can be made online at barriefoodbank.org or in person, and food can be dropped off at
participating grocery stores across the city.
