Record Demand at Allan Gardens Food Bank Signals Deepening Crisis

Food insecurity in Toronto’s Downtown East continues to reach new and alarming levels, with the Allan Gardens Food Bank now facing one of the highest surges in demand in its history. Each week, hundreds of residents — including many from Regent Park, Moss Park, and Cabbagetown — rely on the service as rising costs and stagnant incomes push more families into hardship. Volunteers say the pressure has never been greater. Paul Uytenbogart, longtime volunteer and former director, describes a growing gap between what the food bank can provide and what the community urgently needs. With limited supplies and no sustained public funding, the strain is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Uytenbogart emphasized that while volunteers remain committed, elected representatives must pay closer attention to the realities unfolding on the ground. Recent data underscores the severity of the situation. The Who’s Hungry 2025 report shows 4.1 million food bank visits across Toronto. At Allan Gardens, those numbers are deeply felt, reflecting what many Downtown East residents already understand: food insecurity is part of a wider crisis tied to poverty, housing instability, and economic inequity. Despite these challenges, volunteers continue to support their neighbours with consistency and compassion. But long-term solutions demand coordinated civic action, ensuring that access to food is treated as a collective responsibility rather than a burden shouldered by local charities alone.