World Food Day highlights the need to feed all people

By Lethbridge Herald on October 16, 2025.

Joe Manio
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Food insecurity is a continual issue on all levels from global to local, driven by factors including poverty, economic shocks, conflict, and climate change. 

In Canada, this national and provincial issue has seen rising rates, and it is also a daily reality at the local level for many individuals and observed annually on Oct.16 since 1981, World Food Day aims to increase awareness of world hunger, food insecurity, and poverty, and to inspire solutions and action to address these issues. It also commemorates the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations which was established to free humanity from hunger and malnutrition.

Local not-for-profit organizations like the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen (LSK) and the Interfaith Food Bank are doing their best to help fight food insecurity.

The LSK was founded on Oct. 1, 1984 when a group of local citizens and church members decided to help the less fortunate, initially by serving warm soup and buns. Four decades later, the LSK continues providing its services in a way that restores and enhances the dignity of guests by providing them in a warm and respectful environment.

“We’re dedicated to providing nourishing meals, a welcoming space, and a sense of hope to those facing hunger and hardship,” says Executive Director Bill Ginther.

The faith-based not-for-profit organization provides three daily meals, seven days a week to hundreds of guests in need. LSK receives no government funding and relies entirely on community financial and food donations; plus help from a small battalion of volunteers.

“Through the generosity of our volunteers and community and business donors, we strive to create a brighter, more compassionate future for everyone,” he says..

As part of its mission the LSK also endeavours to distribute food to many different community organizations in Lethbridge that need it.

For its part, the Interfaith Food Bank Society of Lethbridge has been providing emergency food assistance since 1989; distributing food hampers and supplements to individuals and families facing food insecurity. 

Beyond emergency help, it connects clients with resources to address root causes of hunger and offers programs like the Community Kitchen and the Interfaith Learning Garden to promote food security and empowerment for all community members. 

Like the LSK, it operates on the principles of human dignity and confidentiality, serving a diverse range of people, including single parents, seniors, the unemployed, and those with other social or economic barriers.  

Food insecurity also affects students, from children in primary school to young adults at the post-secondary level. According to the Breakfast Club of Canada, 40 per cent of children in Alberta live in food-insecure households, and the number of students attending school hungry has increased significantly. 

While there is no exact number for how many go to school hungry, this percentage is the highest in Canada, with advocates citing factors like the rising cost of living as a major cause. 

Programs in Lethbridge to help hungry school children include the Lethbridge Food Bank’s Mindful Munchies lunch program, various breakfast and lunch programs run by individual schools like Westminster School, and food initiatives at the University of Lethbridge for post-secondary students.