The Food Bank of Waterloo Region initially opened in 1984 “with the intention of being a response to a temporary crisis.”

Carolyn Fast, who was the Executive Director of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region from 1987 to 1990 explained in a 1989 interview that the crisis was becoming long term.

“Originally they thought that [the response] would go down after the recession,” said Fast.

“But that has not in fact happened. It has to some degree, but they found that certain categories of needy people have maintained and even increased after that time, for a number of reasons.”

Fast explained in the 1989 TV documentary “Food for Thought’ the need was caused by a chain reaction of events. They included low wages, inflation, and higher housing costs. Additionally, Fast said people were using the majority of their income to pay for housing.

That left them reaching out to the food bank and its agencies for help.

Unemployment/Under employment

In 1989, the population of Waterloo region, which included three cities and four townships, was around 363,000. At the time one annual food drive was held at Thanksgiving to collect food for people facing food insecurity.

The Food Bank in Waterloo Region was the second to open in the province of Ontario in 1984. The first to open was the Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank.

In its first year the region’s food bank collected 75,000 pounds of donated food. By 1988 around 466,000 pounds of food was collected. That amount would help charitable agencies who worked directly with the public. Those agencies served 450,000 meals over the course of the year.

Items of food on a table.
In its first year,1984 the Food Bank of Waterloo Region collected 76,000 pounds of food. In 1988 they collected 466,000 pounds. (Still photo from ‘Food for Thought Documentary)

While the region, on paper, had a low unemployment rate, the numbers didn’t show the reality many people were facing.

“Aside from unemployment there is another factor regarding employment and that is under employment. A word that could mean people are either involved part-time at a job or at a job that pays very low wages,” said Fast.

“Or individuals that simply don’t have the education and skills that get a high paying job so they’re stuck in kind of a low paying job.”

Carolyn Fast was the Executive Director of the Waterloo Region Food Bank from 1987 to 1990
(Still photo from ‘Food for Thought Documentary)

Food For Thought

“Food for Thought” was the name of a documentary produced for a college TV assignment in my third year. I was a student in the Broadcast and Radio Television program at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario.

I went into this assignment a naive college student who didn’t really understand the struggles people were facing. Working on the story was an eye opener. It’s still shocking to read the stories years later knowing that the struggle continues for many and the need for food continues to grow.

Please note when watching this video: the language used to narrate the food bank’s story are different compared to today. The video reflects its historical context.

WATCH: Food For Thought

“Food for Thought” 1989 college TV documentary.

More information about Food Banks

1989 Video Credits

  • Host Joe Pavia
  • Featuring Carolyn Fast
  • Produced by Susan Mondoux and Joe Pavia
  • Camera Brad Brough, Jeff Hicks, Gord Maier

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