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Waterloo Heights raises nearly $1,000 for food bank
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region saw an increase in demand in 2025; residents stepped in to help
2/11/2026
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Deron Hamel
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Waterloo Heights residents raised nearly $1,000 for the Food Bank of Waterloo Region in 2025 through a series of fundraising events.
On Jan. 30, John Porter, the charity's philanthropy officer of corporate sponsorship, visited the Waterloo, Ont., seniors living community to meet residents and accept a cheque for $937.25, representing the total amount raised last year.
At the start of 2025, residents voted to direct their annual fundraising efforts to the food bank in response to rising food insecurity and increased demand for food assistance in the region.
According to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, the organization distributed 9.6 million pounds of food in 2025, while visits to food assistance programs increased by 11 per cent over the year.
“The number of people experiencing food insecurity in our community remains high,” Melissa Carpenay, Waterloo Heights' activity director, tells S&R Today. “People are accessing food assistance more than ever before.”
Like other S&R Group seniors living and long-term care communities, Waterloo Heights places a strong focus on S&R's mission of “creating communities that are good for life,” and initiatives like this are one way residents and team members help put that mission into action.
Residents select a nonprofit organization to support each year through a variety of fundraising activities, including a fashion show, garage sale, strawberry social, Christmas market and bake sale.
In 2023 and 2024, residents chose Lisaard & Innisfree Hospice as the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts.
Kim Wilhelm, the Food Bank of Waterloo Region's CEO, says community collaboration is essential to ensuring no one goes hungry in Waterloo Region.
“Together, we can support our neighbours and work towards lasting solutions to food insecurity,” she says.
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