What We Do

We provided emergency food assistance to over 17,000 our of neighbours last year, one-third of whom were children.

But our work doesn’t stop at food. Read below to learn more about the services provided by Bridges to Hope.

  • Food Pantry

    Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest rate of per capita food bank usage in Canada. In 2024, our pantry saw over 17,000 total visits. We are committed to maintaining low-barrier programming. For this reason, our food bank does not place eligibility restrictions based on address or income. Everyone who accesses our services can receive a monthly food hamper, as well as an emergency top-up if they are in need of additional support.

    For more information on accessing our food bank, please click here.

  • Healthy Hamper

    This essential program ensures that everyone who visits our food bank has access to fresh, nutritious food options.

    Our food pantry always keeps fresh fruits and vegetables in stock, as well as a rotating menu of homemade meals including chicken soup, beef goulash, vegetable curry, and more.

  • Smart Snack

    This program provides nutritious snack items to the over 450 school-aged children whose families access our services each month.

    Each Smart Snack kit contains 4 days of nutritious snacks that include protein, dairy, fruit and a homemade snack such as a bran muffin or energy bite.

  • Bag to School

    For over a decade Bridges to Hope has offered support to families in our community through our annual Bag to School program. This program ensures students go back to class in September with all the supplies they need for a successful school year.

    In 2024, this program supported 725 students in the Metro region.

  • Holiday Support

    In partnership with the Rotary Club of St. John’s, each November we register local families who need grocery support during the holidays.

    Each family receives a grocery gift card which they can use to purchase items for their holiday meal. In 2024 this project supported over 1000 members of our community.

  • Community Outreach

    Bridges to Hope partners with other local organizations to distribute food hampers to those in our community who cannot physically access food banks. These outreach initiatives help address gaps in service delivery and ensure that seniors, those with disabilities, and those without access to reliable transportation can access emergency food assistance.