Emergency Food Bank
We’ve partnered with Daily Bread Food Bank to open a food bank at the Progress Campus, offering food hamper pick-ups at our four other campuses as well.
We provide emergency food supplies to our students to help fight food insecurity.
Food Bank Hours of Operations
Ashtonbee – Wednesday, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Downsview – Tuesday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Morningside – Tuesday, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Progress – Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Story Arts Centre – Thursday, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
First Time Using Our Food Bank?
Follow these steps to register with the Daily Bread Food Bank and be able to create an appointment at your campus.
Step 1
Secure Your Daily Bread Client Number
You will need to sign up with Daily Bread Food Bank before you can make an appointment. You can do this on their website.
Step 2
Book an appointment
Once you have a Daily Food Bank registration number you can scroll to the bottom of this page and fill in the appointment form. You’ll hear back from our team within 48 hours and receive an assigned 15-minute pick up time – we’ll do our best to book the appointment in your preferred time slot.
Step 3
Fill Out the Appointment Request Form
Once you have a Daily Food Bank registration number you can scroll to the bottom of this page and fill in the appointment form. You’ll hear back from our team within 48 hours and receive an assigned 15-minute pick up time – we’ll do our best to book the appointment in your preferred time slot.
Step 4
Check-In at Student Centre at Your Assigned Time
Visit the Student Center for your scheduled appointment. Students with dependents will need to provide proof of identification for their household members for them to receive the appropriate quantity of food. Without this, we can only serve the primary account holder. Claim your hamper at the Lower Level of the Student Centre.
Please do not show up unless you have an appointment.
Step 5
Present Your myCard
After you show your ID, our staff will bring out your food hamper. The hampers will be pre-packed based on your dietary requirements. If you don’t like it, give it to someone who needs it or give it away. There is also a trade of food items.
Starting October 1, 2024, Daily Bread Food Bank requires the primary client to show identification (ID) for all household members to confirm they live together. You can learn more here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can use this service?
Any current Centennial College student is eligible to use the food bank. The food bank is intended for emergency food relief. You must be registered with Daily Bread Food Bank (info and link below) and you must be able to travel to the Progress campus to access the food bank.
What do I receive?
The CCSAI Food Bank distributes pre-packaged food hampers. The hampers are intended to meet an individuals meal needs for 2-3 days
What is in the food hamper?
The hampers are packed in accordance with your dietary restrictions and preferences that you indicate on your Daily Bread Food Bank application. Please note for the initial operation of the CCSAI Food Bank, we will only be offering non-perishable food items. Once we can begin in-person service and assess ongoing demand, we will add fresh produce, grains and dairy to the hampers.
How Often Can I Use The Service?
Members can access the food bank at Progress Campus a maximum of once every 7 days, provided that we have an adequate supply.
At all other campuses, members can access the food bank maximum of once every 14 days.
We will have limited stock week-to-week. We do our best to maintain ample stock year-round but may run short on items from time to time depending on demand.
If you have ongoing food security needs beyond these limits, you can access external services like Daily Bread Foodbank for continuing support across the GTA.
* Members must submit a request each time they would like to access the service.
** Requests for food bank visits must be submitted a minimum of 48 business hours prior to the day you want to visit for example:
Tuesday Visit Request
Submit by 10 am the Friday before
Thursday visit request
Submit by 10 am the Tuesday before
Example: Request visit on June 3 (Thursday)
Submit by 10 am June 1 (Tuesday)
How Do I Access The Food Bank?
There are four (4) easy steps to access the service. You can see them directly below here.
Are There Any Other Services On Campus?
Yes, there is a weekly grab-and-go breakfast program at each campus. Check out the schedule for location and times of service.
What's the different between Best Before and Expired items?
Sometimes items you receive at the food bank may be near or beyond their best-before date. They’re still good to eat and are not expired.
“Best Before” Date and “Expiration Date” are terms commonly found on food packaging, but convey different meanings. Here’s an explanation of the difference between the two:
Best Before Date:
Meaning: The “Best Before” date indicates the period during which the product is expected to be at its best quality in terms of taste, texture, and nutritional value. It is more about the product’s freshness and peak quality rather than safety.
Function: This date serves as a recommendation from the manufacturer to consume the product before the specified date for the best sensory experience. However, it does not necessarily mean that the food is unsafe to eat after this date.
Example: A box of crackers with a “Best Before” date of July 1, 2023, means that while the product might still be safe to eat after this date, the quality may not be as optimal.
Learn more at DailyBread.ca/Best-Before-vs-Expired.
Make a Donation
The need for food resources in our community can regularly exceed our inventory and community donations can be essential to help provide food security for Centennial students. If you are in a position to donate and would like to support the CCSAI Food Bank, here is how you can help:
Non-Perishable Donation Drop-Off Hours
- Monday – Friday between 10 A.M. – 3 P.M.
- Closed on Sunday and Saturday
You can also contact our Student Supports team at [email protected] to arrange donation drop-offs outside of our standard hours.
Monetary Donations
Monetary donations can be made online to Centennial College via their Donate Now page. Donations can be directed specifically to the CCSAI Food Bank.
100% of all donations received are used to purchase food supplies for distribution to Centennial College students.
Thank you for your generosity and support.
