2258 Mountainside Drive
Burlington, ON L7P 1B7
Acting Executive Director: Meaghan Richardson
Board Chair: Paul Keery

Charitable Reg. #:89094 3772 RR0001

STAR RATING

Ci's Star Rating is calculated based on the following independent metrics:

[Charity Rating: 5/5]

✔+

FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Audited financial statements for current and previous years available on the charity’s website.

A

RESULTS REPORTING

Grade based on the charity's public reporting of the work it does and the results it achieves.

Average

DEMONSTRATED IMPACT

The demonstrated impact per dollar Ci calculates from available program information.

NEED FOR FUNDING

Charity's cash and investments (funding reserves) relative to how much it spends on programs in most recent year.

81%

CENTS TO THE CAUSE

For a dollar donated, after overhead costs of fundraising and admin/management (excluding surplus) 81 cents are available for programs.



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OVERVIEW

About Food for Life Canada:

Food for Life Canada (FFL) is a 5-star charity with Average demonstrated impact. It is financially transparent, has overhead spending within Ci's reasonable range. It has a high results reporting grade.  

Founded in 1995, Food for Life Canada (FFL) rescues and redistributes food in Hamilton and the region of Halton. FFL collects unsold and unused perishable food from grocery stores, wholesalers, restaurants, and farms and redistributes it to people in need through community programs and partners. The charity reports that 60% of food produced in Canada (35.5 million tonnes) is wasted annually.   

A Charity Intelligence 2023 Top 100 Rated Charity

In F2022, FFL rescued 4,602,933 pounds of food, valued at $14.9m. The food was distributed through 108 access points across Hamilton and Halton. The charity had 141,945 client visits in F2022. FFL reports that it supported over 3,200 households each week in F2022. 

In F2022, Food For Life Canada launched the Mountainside Market in Burlington and the Tremaine Market in Milton. The markets are 100% stocked with rescued food. 

FFL operates local programs such as pop-up food banks and distribution onsite at churches and community centers. FFL’s 15 youth programs work in collaboration with agencies, including Boys and Girls Clubs and Frontline Outreach. It supports 1,612 youth each week who have reduced access to healthy food. 

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Results and Impact

FFL reports that by diverting over 4.6 million pounds of usable food, it reduced the equivalent of six million kilograms of greenhouse gases. Since 1995, FFL has diverted over 51 million kilograms of greenhouse gases. The charity reports every $1 donated allows it to buy $7 worth of food. 

While Ci highlights these key results, they may not be a complete representation of Food for Life Canada’s results and impact. 

Ci has rated Food for Life as Average impact based on demonstrated impact per dollar. 

Impact Rating: Average

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Finances

In 2020, Food for Life Canada changed its year-end from September to December. Ci did not include the 3-month stump year for the period October 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 in this financial analysis.   

Food for Life Canada received cash donations of $2.0m in F2022. It also received $14.9m in donated food. Administrative costs are 2% of revenues less investment income and fundraising costs are 17% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 19%. For every dollar donated, 81 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. 

FFL has $1.2m in reserve funds in F2022. Reserve funds are the charity’s cash and investments net of $84k in interest-bearing debt. Excluding the cost of donated food, the charity could cover 64% or eight months of its annual program costs with reserves. 

Charity Intelligence sent this update to Food for Life Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated August 1, 2023 by Alessandra Castino. 

Financial Review


Financial Ratios

Fiscal year ending December
202220212020
Administrative costs as % of revenues 1.9%1.1%0.9%
Fundraising costs as % of donations 17.4%13.8%9.6%
Total overhead spending 19.3%14.9%10.4%
Program cost coverage (%) 64.2%67.7%71.2%

Summary Financial Statements

All figures in $000s
202220212020
Donations 1,9682,0392,113
Goods in kind 14,91614,8258,947
Government funding 711592265
Other income 108187130
Total revenues 17,70317,64311,455
Program costs 1,8121,7111,250
Grants 3601
Donated goods exp 14,91714,8258,947
Administrative costs 32819298
Fundraising costs 343281203
Other costs 455
Total spending 17,40617,07510,503
Cash flow from operations 297568952
Capital spending 371599663
Funding reserves 1,1651,198891

Note: Ci excluded amortization of deferred capital contributions, decreasing total revenues by $332k in F2022, $311k in F2021, and $140k in F2020. Ci adjusted for deferred donations and received capital contributions, increasing total revenues by $210k in F2022, $366k in F2021, and $264k in F2020. Ci reported administrative and fundraising costs from the charity’s T3010 filings with the CRA. 

Salary Information

Full-time staff: 28

Avg. compensation: $55,693

Top 10 staff salary range:

$350k +
0
$300k - $350k
0
$250k - $300k
0
$200k - $250k
0
$160k - $200k
0
$120k - $160k
1
$80k - $120k
4
$40k - $80k
5
< $40k
0

Information from most recent CRA Charities Directorate filings for F2022

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Comments & Contact

Comments added by the Charity:

No comments have been added by the charity.

Charity Contact

Website: www.foodforlife.ca
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 905-635-1106

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Charitable Registration Number: 80340 7956 RR0001