FoodForward: What happens behind the scenes of food support?

Before food reaches a family in need, there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes. It’s sorted, checked, stored, and sometimes even grown or prepared, often by members of the community themselves.

At the Cambridge Food Bank, that work is brought to life through FoodForward, a hands-on program that gives people the opportunity to step inside the process and be part of how food is shared across the community.

At a time when 1 in 8 people in Cambridge and North Dumfries are experiencing food insecurity, programs like FoodForward offer a meaningful way to understand both the scale of need and the systems working to meet it.

Through hands-on activities that bring people together, FoodForward creates opportunities for teams to take practical, collective action in addressing food insecurity. It invites individuals, groups, and organizations to get involved directly, whether that’s sorting donations, working in community gardens, or preparing meals in the commercial kitchen. Each task plays a role in ensuring food is ready to reach the people who need it most.

“I was surprised to learn about the Cambridge Food Bank’s wellness, nutrition, and cooking programs,” shared a Kitchen Experience participant. “Beyond providing food, they offer free programs for children, youth, adults, and families to explore cooking, nutrition, movement, and mindfulness.”

Experiences like these shift perspectives. What may start as a volunteer opportunity quickly becomes a deeper understanding of how food insecurity impacts the community and how many moving parts are involved in responding to it.