Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has donated $500 thousand to the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre to strengthen food security in the area.
In a news release, FCC says the money will fully fund the Food Bank's Second Chance Kitchen, which will "reduce food waste by diverting surplus produce and other donated food" for canning, freezing, and preservation. They add once the commercial-grade kitchen is operational and as capacity increases the "surplus food will be redistributed to rural communities surrounding Saskatoon".
President and CEO of FCC Justine Hendricks says it's part of their ongoing work to support communities across the province.
"And in this instance, being able to build from scratch a project, we love to be able to do that because you can really see from a quantifiable perspective how an initiative such as this one can have a direct impact with the local community." said Hendricks.
“We are proud to partner with FCC on the Second Chance Kitchen,” said Laurie O'Connor, Executive Director of the Saskatoon Food Bank. “Their investment reflects a shared commitment to reducing food waste, improving food security, and building practical solutions that serve people with dignity. This kitchen will make a measurable difference for thousands of households each year.”
Hendricks says this kind of program could expand to other communities, depending on the level of success of the Saskatoon program.
"We're always open to ideas like that. And that's how we've grown. If I go back to the Drive Away Hunger program, how we got it to be this significant, it is about bringing partners at the table and trying new concepts and new ideas and bringing them to life."
The announcement comes not long after FCC announced the Drive Away Hunger Initiative donated 635 million meals to food banks across the country.
FCC also emphasize food insecurity remains an issue in Saskatchewan. Citing Food Banks Canada's HungerCount 2025 report, "food banks in the province saw an average of 55,310 visits per month" – an increase of almost five per cent compared to the previous year. The Saskatoon Food Bank alone served around 23 thousand people per month last year, up from 17 thousand per month in 2019.
"With so much conversation about what can we do from an affordability point of view, being able to redistribute or maximize every piece that we can is so important, so we couldn't be prouder to be behind this announcement.” said Hendricks.
Last year, the Saskatoon Food Bank rescued 1.6 million kilograms of donated food, served 78 hundred hampers through its Food Bank Program, and prepared 79 hundred meals through its nutrition and cooking programs.
FCC said the Second Chance Kitchen will expand that capacity significantly.
