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Our Town Food Bank celebrates 35 years of serving Tottenham

February 27, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Our Town Food Bank in Tottenham is celebrating 35 years of helping people with food insecurity.

Established in 1991, the food bank opened its doors for the first time on Feb. 14 of that year after founding members realized there was a need for the service in Tottenham.

It was originally located in a modular home in Tottenham; however, the structure wasn’t adequate for visitors and required some work.

It was relocated to the rear of 18 Queen St. In 2016, a building that was originally Tottenham Town Hall. The plan was for the food bank to be there for a year, but it worked so well that they are still there.

The Food Bank is run by volunteers, several of whom have been there for over 20 years.

“When the (town) amalgamation happened, which is when this food bank opened, there was a need for this service in town,” explained Susan Iacoucci, president of Our Town Food Bank. “We have a shopping model here, so clients can use the points system and shop for what they want. We give them that dignity to come in and do a quick shop. If you sign up as a client and are having food insecurity, we have a conversation and assess how many points a person should have. We’re a supplement – we’re not meant to feed you, we are meant to give you a helping hand.”

Our Food Bank is open every Tuesday afternoon, and there is usually a line-up of clients waiting for their turn to shop.

Over the years, the food bank has evolved. Food banks used to accept only non-perishable food donations. However, it was finally decided that people can’t eat only food from a box or a can, and they can also eat other products like fruits, vegetables, and bread.

The food bank relies on donations from local residents and several local farms and businesses to keep food on its shelves.

“Our operating budget is $150,000 to $180,000 to stay open,” Iacoucci explained. “Around 99 per cent of the money donated goes right into the food bank. We have only a one per cent overhead. If it wasn’t for the community, we wouldn’t be here,”  

Our Town Food Bank provides a valuable service to local residents who face challenges accessing healthy food. 

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