FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I am in need of food. How can I request food delivery?
You will need to sign up with your local food bank, not with Feed The City. Feed the City works behind the scenes with food banks. We cannot take delivery requests directly from community members.
If you are in need of food delivery, please reach out to your local food bank. If you need assistance finding your local food bank, please visit https://www.ottawafoodbank.ca/get-help/ or call 2-1-1.
How can I donate to Feed The City?
Feed The City is a registered charity and our work is powered by volunteers throughout Ottawa, Ontario. The best way to support us is with a one-time or monthly donation. Your donation supports our rapidly-expanding network of supported neighbourhoods and partner food banks and helps ensure vulnerable community members in Ottawa do not go hungry due to inability to physically get to their local food bank. Click here to donate now, or click here to see donation options.
Can volunteer hours donated to Feed The City be used towards my required volunteer hours for graduation?
Yes, they absolutely can!
If you have a license and access to a vehicle, we need your help delivering boxes of food. Shifts are flexible and you choose which ones you sign up for. Click here to learn more about volunteering as a driver.
You can also get a friend who has a vehicle and license to help you make deliveries.
If you don’t have access to a vehicle, you can still help! Complete your volunteer hours by planning and running fundraisers for Feed The City. You’ll complete volunteer hours while helping us make more deliveries in more Ottawa neighbourhoods.
Are there any volunteer opportunities that do not require a vehicle?
We are always in need of delivery drivers, but we do have ways that you can help without having access to a vehicle. Click here to learn more about volunteering without a car.
I would like to volunteer, but how much time do I have to commit?
There’s no minimum commitment. We need your help, but you get to choose which shifts to sign up for.
You will get an email every Friday with shifts for the next week. You’ll then be able to sign up for the shifts that work for you. If you aren’t available that week, no problem! You’ll continue to receive the weekly emails and can sign up for shifts when you have time. Some of our volunteers donate their time daily, some weekly, some monthly, and some are seasonal. Whatever time you have to give is truly appreciated.
Each shift involves picking food up from a food bank and delivering it to community members at home. Shifts are usually between 1 and 2 hours long, based on service requests received that week.
Are there evening or weekend shifts for volunteers?
Right now most of our volunteer shifts are weekdays during the daytime. Feed The City works in partnership with local food banks and our deliveries happen during the scheduled delivery times required by each food bank.
We currently offer an evening shift through Confederation Court Food Bank for bread pickup from a nearby bakery. To learn more, visit our Volunteer Information page and sign up to volunteer!
Do I need to drive a van or large vehicle to complete deliveries?
No, a small or mid-size vehicle will work! When you register to volunteer with Feed The City, we will ask you for the make and model of your car. This will help us estimate your capacity. A typical delivery load is approximately 15 boxes, each box measuring approximately 18" x 12" x 12", but we are flexible.
Our food bank would like to partner with Feed The City. How do we get started?
Feed the City is expanding our services by partnering with food banks in more neighbourhoods across Ottawa. To learn more about partnering with Feed The City for “last mile” delivery of emergency food, please email director@feedthecity.ca
Still have questions?
Contact us at: director@feedthecity.ca