Over 113,000 meals donated at Food Bank of Waterloo Region annual event

The local food bank’s annual drive has raised over 113,000 meals for people who are struggling to afford food.

Canstruction Waterloo Region is an annual drive to bring in donations and raise funds for the Food Bank of Waterloo Region and to highlight issues of food security in the community.

This year the event, held at Conestoga Mall over March break, collected 30,140 lbs of food and raised $44,868 through donations from individuals and businesses, equaling 113,284 meals.

Since 2008, Canstruction Waterloo Region has raised more than 1.8 million meals.

“Every year, during Canstruction, the people and businesses in our community show remarkable generosity, and we can’t thank them enough for helping neighbours in need so that no one in our community goes hungry,” said Kim Wilhelm, CEO of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, in a press release.

As part of the event, local businesses use their creativity to build structures from donated cans. Brock Solutions won the People’s Choice Award.

In 2023, the Food Bank of Waterloo Region distributed more than 6.8 million lbs of food to people in the community.