The short answer
London's main emergency food provider is the London Food Bank, at 926 Leathorne Street. Bring one piece of identification for every family member — required every visit — and expect to come once every 30 days. Two other food banks and several meal programs operate in the city, listed through Information London.
- Where London Food Bank, 926 Leathorne Street, London, Ontario, N5Z 3M5 — 519-659-4045, info@londonfoodbank.ca
- What to bring One piece of identification for each family member. The food bank states this is required every visit.
- How often Once a month, every 30 days. There is no means test, but everyone is interviewed.
- Students Saturdays 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. are reserved for post-secondary students, who may also come during the week.
- Everything else Information London keeps the city's meal calendar and food bank list; the London Food Bank points people there.
Searching for a food bank in London, Ontario turns up a confusing mix of organisations, some of which do not actually hand out food. This guide sorts it out: who runs emergency food in the city, what each one actually provides according to its own website, what you need to bring, and where to look when the obvious answer is not the right one.
Everything below is drawn from the organisations' own published pages, with sources listed at the end. Where an organisation's website does not confirm something, we say so rather than guessing.
846,724
food bank visits across Ontario in March 2026
Food Banks Canada, HungerCount 2026 — provincial results
Source+149.3%
change in Ontario food bank visits between March 2019 and March 2026
Food Banks Canada, HungerCount 2026
SourceWhat food banks and food-support programs operate in London, Ontario?
The London Food Bank is the city's largest, operating from 926 Leathorne Street, London, Ontario, N5Z 3M5, on 519-659-4045 or info@londonfoodbank.ca. Its own FAQ puts its scale at more than 3,500 families, or about 8,500 individuals, each month — a figure it does not date on the page, and one that excludes people helped through food it supplies to other programs and agencies.
It is not the only one. The London Food Bank's FAQ says plainly that there are two other food banks in London, as well as places that offer meals, and directs people to Information London as the best place to find them. It names St. Paul's Daily Bread Food Bank, at (519) 434-8979, among them.
Does the Salvation Army Centre of Hope run a food bank?
This one is worth getting right, because searches for “salvation army food bank london ontario” are common and the answer is not what people expect. The Salvation Army London Centre of Hope's own What We Do page states: “Currently, we offer four main programs described below.” Those four are Withdrawal Management, the Recovery Community Centre, Emergency Shelter and the Housing Stability Bank. A food bank is not among them.
The Housing Stability Bank is described on the same site as interest-free loans and grants for Londoners with low income, to obtain and retain their housing. That is real help, and for a household choosing between rent and groceries it may be the more useful door — but it is housing money, not a hamper. The Centre of Hope's published phone number is (519) 661-0343. If you need food specifically, the London Food Bank is the better first call.
Where can you get a hot meal?
Meal programs come and go, so the safest answer is Information London's meal calendar. One that is currently published is the Soup Lunch at St. Paul's Cathedral, 472 Richmond Street, held Wednesdays at 12:45 p.m. in the Assembly Room. The cathedral's listing says “All are welcome. No sign-ups needed. Join us whenever you are able.”
How do you access food bank support in London?
The London Food Bank's Get Help page sets out the requirements in two lines, and the emphasis is theirs: “1 piece of identification for each family member – REQUIRED EVERY VISIT.” Post-secondary students bring a student card or other proof of enrolment, plus one piece of identification for each additional family member.
| Requirement | General visits | Post-secondary students |
|---|---|---|
| What to bring | One piece of identification for each family member, every visit | Student card or proof of enrolment, plus ID for each additional family member |
| Dedicated hours | Weekday client service hours — confirm by phone | Saturdays 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., students only |
| Can you come at other times? | Yes, during client service hours | Yes — students may also come any time the food bank is open during the week |
| How often | Once a month, every 30 days | Once a month, every 30 days |
| Means test | None. Everyone is interviewed and asked for proof of dependents | None |
On the means test, the food bank's wording is worth quoting because it is reassuring: “We don't have a means test as such: everyone is interviewed and we keep pertinent information in a database. We require our clients to provide proof of dependents and other important information.” In other words, you are not expected to prove poverty — you are expected to prove who is in your household.
One gap worth flagging: the food bank's contact page lists client service hours, student hours and donation reception hours as headings, but the times themselves are not readable as text on the page. Phone 519-659-4045 and ask rather than assuming.
How does London's broader food-support network fit together?
Food Web maps food businesses and food programs together, which makes the shape of a city's food economy visible. London's shape is stark: grocers and supermarkets make up the clear majority of its mapped food businesses, while food access is a single pin — the London & Area Food Bank on Leathorne Street. A farmers market, a couple of farm stands, an urban farm and some food processing fill out the rest.
Food Web map
Food banks, grocers and local food in London, Ontario
That imbalance is not a criticism of London — it is what most Canadian cities look like once you count honestly. Grocery retail is dense and easy to map; food access is sparse, often run from church basements and community centres, and badly under-represented in commercial data. You can open the same view full screen on our London food map page, and we have written the same guide for Windsor, Hamilton and Kitchener.
If you run a food program in London that is not on the map, you can add it. The map is open for suggestions, and a pin costs nothing — but it is the difference between someone finding you and someone giving up.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is the food bank in London, Ontario?
- The London Food Bank is at 926 Leathorne Street, London, Ontario, N5Z 3M5. It can be reached at 519-659-4045 or info@londonfoodbank.ca. Its Get Help page says to check the contact page for locations and hours, and to bring one piece of identification for each family member every visit.
- Does the Salvation Army run a food bank in London, Ontario?
- Not according to the Salvation Army London Centre of Hope's own website, which lists four main programs: Withdrawal Management, the Recovery Community Centre, Emergency Shelter and the Housing Stability Bank. The Housing Stability Bank offers interest-free loans and grants for housing costs, not food hampers.
- How often can you use the London Food Bank?
- Its FAQ states that individuals and families are allowed to come for help once a month, every 30 days. There is no means test as such, but everyone is interviewed and asked to provide proof of dependents.
- Can students use the London Food Bank?
- Yes. Saturdays from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. are reserved for university and college students needing assistance, and a student card or other proof of enrolment is required. Students may also come at any time the food bank is open during the week.
- Are there other food banks in London, Ontario?
- Yes. The London Food Bank's FAQ states there are two other food banks in the city plus places offering meals, and names St. Paul's Daily Bread Food Bank at (519) 434-8979. It points people to Information London for the full list and meal calendar.
Sources
- London Food Bank — Get Help — London Food Bank, Nov 8, 2026
- London Food Bank — FAQ — London Food Bank, Nov 8, 2026
- London Food Bank — Contact — London Food Bank, Nov 8, 2026
- What We Do — The Salvation Army London Centre of Hope, Nov 8, 2026
- Soup Lunch — St. Paul's Cathedral, London, Nov 8, 2026
- HungerCount 2026: Impossible Trade-Offs — Food Banks Canada, Nov 8, 2026
Written by
Justin Andrews
Kitchen access and local food infrastructure, Atlantic Canada
Justin Andrews is a chef-turned-founder who has spent the last decade working across farms, markets, restaurants, nonprofits, and academic research. He’s now the CEO of Food Web, a platform built to unlock underused commercial kitchens and strengthen local food systems. Justin writes about food, entrepreneurship, and the work of building resilient local economies.
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