London Food Bank is a 3-star charity with High demonstrated impact. It has a below-average results reporting grade and it is not financially transparent. The charity's overhead costs are within Ci's reasonable range for overhead spending, and with its current reserves, the charity can cover four years and nine months of annual program costs. 

Founded in 1987 by the husband-and-wife duo of Glen Pearson and Jane Roy, London Food Bank gives food to hungry people in London and distributes additional food to community organizations in Ontario. It also recovers food from farms and local grocery stores. 

In F2023, 16,667 different households received assistance from London Food Bank, representing 38,775 individuals. Of these individuals, 68% visited four times or fewer. 38% of the individuals assisted were children and youth, and 8% were adults aged 60 or older. Of the people assisted, 21% received no income, 20% received Ontario Works assistance, 19% received Ontario Disability Support assistance, and 18% were employed. The remaining 22% received other forms of support.

London Food Bank distributed over 3.6 million pounds of food in F2023. Of this, 56% was fresh and 28% was produce. The charity also distributed 65,188 hampers of emergency food to 175,758 people. Its vehicles travelled over 49,500 km to pick up and deliver donations throughout the city and region.   

London Food Bank distributed 756,000 pounds of food to 40+ organizations in F2023, representing 21% of all food. The organizations include other charities in London, school lunch programs, and food banks. 

The Community Harvest program collects produce from farmers and grocery stores which cannot be sold and would otherwise be thrown out or tilled back into the soil. London Food Bank also encourages individual gardeners to plant one extra row of seeds in their garden and donate the additional produce.  

London Food Bank is not financially transparent. Its audited financial statements are not posted on its website nor provided when requested. Charity Intelligence's financial review uses the F2022 audited financial statements. This is the most recent information Ci has received from the Charities Directorate from its request for information. 

London Food Bank received $3.5m in cash donations in F2022. It also received $7.3m in donated food (66% of revenues).  

Administrative costs are 1% of revenues (less investment income), and fundraising costs are 5% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 6%. For every dollar donated 94 cents are available for programs. This is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

In F2022, the charity spent $2.0m on its programs, which is 53% of total revenues (excluding donated food). The charity had a surplus of $1.5m which is 40% of total revenues (excluding donated food). 

London Food Bank has $9.4m in reserve funds. These are the charity’s cash and investments. Reserve funds have increased by 62% since F2020. Excluding donated food, reserve funds could cover annual program costs for four years and nine months. 

London Food Bank’s funding reserves earned investment income of $146k in F2022. This represents an annual return on investment of 9%. The average annual return on investment for the past five years has been 6%. As of F2022, the charity holds its investments in GICs (82%) and equities (18%). 

This charity profile has been sent to London Food Bank for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.   

Updated on July 24, 2024 by Alessandra Castino.