Feb. 2026 Update: Successful Funding Recipients

In the 2025 operating budget, Council approved a total of $300,000 for food programming, combining a one-time $200,000 contribution with $100,000 in remaining ‘Fines for Food’ funds. After an extensive application and review process, the funds have now been allocated to 13 new and existing initiatives that directly support the local food system.

Background

Between August and October 2025 staff launched a funding application process with four streams: meal provision, food access pilots, small capital improvements and innovative projects.

The program was promoted through a City-wide call-out and targeted outreach to community organizations, social enterprises, business partnerships with tangible community benefit and neighbourhood partners. The goal was to encourage broad participation, collaboration and support initiatives that improve access to healthy, affordable and culturally relevant foods.

The funding received strong interest, with 42 applications requesting a total of $830,027.

Review Process and Emerging Themes

Applications were reviewed by a cross-departmental team and in collaboration with the United Way and the Community Foundation of Kingston and Area, using criteria aligned with the Food Framework including community impact, equity, sustainability and collaboration.

Several themes emerged across submissions, including increased demand for meal, hamper and gift card programs, expanded transportation and delivery supports and the need for cold storage units like freezers and fridges. Community pantries also surfaced as an important area of growth, offering a low-barrier, volunteer-supported way for residents to access non-perishable items at any time.

In selecting projects for funding, the review committee balanced proposals that address immediate food access needs while also creating pathways to longer-term, coordinated solutions. Funded projects include those that increase access to food through direct supports, pilot new models for volunteer coordination, expand nutrition and cooking education and build on proven concepts that can be scaled or connected to broader food system initiatives.

This balanced approach supports both urgent community needs and the development of a more resilient and collaborative food system for Kingston.

Funding Recipients

On Dec. 16 2025, staff presented a report to Council outlining the application process and recommended 13 projects for funding:

Food Access (Meal Provision):

  • Lunch By George: Program Support and Expansion
  • Martha's Table: Program Support for meal service
  • St. Vincent de Paul: Food for Meal Program
  • Bloom Skills Centre: Community Pantry at Lakeside Community Garden
  • The Mess Studio: Community Pantry
  • Sexual Assault Centre of Kingston: Community Pantry
  • Queen's University West Campus/Nourish Q: Community Pantry
  • Kingston Interval House: On-site food pantry and expanded community meals
  • Farmers' Market Association of Kingston: Weekly collection of surplus produce for redistribution

Food Access (Pilot Programs):

  • Kingston Community Health Centres – Wide Open Kitchens: Cooking workshops and shared meal for vulnerable communities across partner site
  • Ryandale Transitional Housing - Volunteer Coordination & Food Access Operations: Coordination of a volunteer-supported network to improve food distribution, share resources and streamline logistics across multiple partner agencies.

Capital Improvements:

  • Tipi Moza Iron Homes – Fridges for Indigenous Housing: Replacing aging fridges in Indigenous housing units for safe food storage and improve household food security.

Innovative Projects:

  • Food Sharing Project – Lunch is Ready! Secondary School Food Hub: A pilot hub that activates unused secondary school cafeterias to provide free lunches and skills building while testing a scalable model for other schools.

Council Approval and Next Steps

Council voted unanimously to pass the motion and approve the projects for funding.

The application process affirmed the need to work more collaboratively on key themes in the food system such as access to infrastructure, increasing food training and bulk buying efforts and including more culturally appropriate food options.

In addition to the $200,000 provided to local organizations, nearly $100,000 has been reserved for future projects including expansion of food literacy and education programs, development of a collaborative purchasing model and kitchen infrastructure.