Box of Blessings: Supporting  communities across Canada this Ramadan

When we think and talk about global hunger, it’s easy to forget that that includes Canada. In a world where access to nutritious and adequate food remains elusive for billions, addressing food insecurity requires local and global solutions. This past Ramadan, Human Concern International (HCI) led a national initiative to provide tangible relief to vulnerable families facing food insecurity. Through the Box of Blessings campaign, we were able to reach nearly 2,000 households with critical food aid. Efforts aimed to restore dignity, provide nourishment and share hope during one of the most sacred times of the year.

A growing crisis

Food insecurity has deepened across Canada. According to Statistics Canada, 6.9 million people, including one in four households in Ottawa, struggled to afford enough food in 2022. In March 2024, food bank visits soared to over 2 million, marking a 90% increase from 2019.

This crisis is especially acute for Muslim communities. With Ramadan being a time of fasting and communal meals, the strain is particularly felt among low-income families. Many are unable to afford the essential foods needed for iftar and suhoor. The National Zakat Foundation reported a 140% increase in local applications for assistance, revealing the mounting pressure on families in need of zakat and food support. At the same time, traditional food banks often fall short in addressing the needs of the Muslim population due to gaps in halal offerings and service coverage.

How the Box of Blessings campaign helped

The Box of Blessings campaign responded to this growing crisis with compassion and coordination. Through partnerships with local organizations in Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Calgary and Edmonton, we were able to:

• Distribute over 1,200 food hampers filled with culturally and religiously appropriate essentials including to newcomers from Gaza to ensure they have the basics they need.
  
• Serve 700 hot iftar meals to underserved individuals and families.
  
• Provide $12,500 in grocery cards to give families the flexibility to purchase items suited to their needs.

This initiative ensured that thousands of individuals could observe Ramadan without the added burden of food insecurity, and helped foster a sense of dignity and connection during a spiritually significant time.

What we learned

The campaign also underscored broader systemic gaps. In Ottawa, for example, the city’s only Muslim food bank has been unable to meet the growing demand from a Muslim population of 145,000. Many mainstream food banks are limited by postal code restrictions and lack culturally appropriate foods. For homebound individuals, no delivery options exist. This leaves many without access to basic sustenance.

In the GTA, the scale of need became equally evident. Organizations like the National Zakat Foundation and local mosques reported unprecedented increases in families requesting food and zakat support. In some areas, partner mosques were forced to turn families away due to limited resources.

In Calgary, grocery prices and housing costs have skyrocketed, leading to a surge in requests for assistance from newcomers and working-class families. Similarly, in Edmonton, food partners reported long waitlists and inconsistent access to halal food options, prompting HCI to step in with direct procurement and delivery of food hampers.

In Montreal and Kingston, local community groups emphasized that first-time food bank users, particularly among refugee and newcomer populations, are now becoming long-term clients, indicating that food insecurity is no longer a temporary issue but a chronic one.

The campaign highlighted a sobering reality: across Canada, Muslim families are increasingly falling through the cracks of conventional food assistance programs. Faith-based, culturally appropriate aid is not just helpful, it’s essential.

The overwhelming response to Box of Blessings revealed the power of coordinated, community-led responses. But it also showed that one-time relief efforts are not enough.

How can these lessons apply to international programs

The experience gained through the Box of Blessings campaign offers valuable insights that can strengthen food security programs in diverse international settings. While our work focused on communities across Canada, the principles that emerged are universal, rooted in dignity, access and local leadership. Here’s how these lessons can inform global efforts:

• Culturally and religiously appropriate aid builds trust.
  We learned that aid is most effective when it reflects the values, dietary needs and lived experiences of the communities it serves. For Muslim families, receiving halal food wasn’t just a preference — it was essential. Globally, aid programs must take the time to understand local customs and religious practices, whether that means sourcing culturally familiar staples or aligning distributions with local holidays and fasting periods. This deepens trust and ensures recipients feel seen and respected.
  
• Local partnerships are the backbone of effective programs.
  In every city we worked in, grassroots organizations, mosques, and community leaders played a central role in identifying needs and distributing aid. Their local knowledge and relationships allowed us to respond quickly and appropriately. This model can be applied anywhere: successful international programs must be rooted in collaboration with those on the ground, not imposed from the outside. Community-based leadership is key to reaching vulnerable groups and adapting to changing realities.
  
• Dignity-focused aid — like flexible funding — empowers people.
  Our grocery card initiative reminded us that giving people agency is powerful. When families are trusted to make their own choices, they feel respected. In many parts of the world, cash assistance or digital vouchers can offer the same dignity while boosting local economies. It’s a simple shift with lasting impact, especially in places where rigid aid packages may not meet diverse or changing needs.
  
• Inclusive delivery models reach those most at risk.
  One clear gap we saw in Canada was the lack of delivery options for people with mobility issues, transportation barriers or caregiving responsibilities. Globally, these barriers are even more pronounced, particularly in refugee camps, remote villages, or urban slums. International programs should explore creative delivery mechanisms. Mobile distribution hubs, peer-to-peer networks and community health workers are just a few options that can ensure aid reaches everyone, not just the most visible.
  
• Food insecurity is often chronic, not just seasonal.
  Many families we supported had long been struggling, and Ramadan simply intensified their hardship. Internationally, millions live with persistent food insecurity due to poverty, conflict, climate change or displacement. While seasonal or emergency food drives are important, lasting change requires sustained programming. Ongoing food banks, nutrition support, school feeding programs and economic empowerment initiatives must be built into long-term strategies.
  
• Faith-based giving models can be a powerful force for good.
  The demand for zakat-eligible aid showed us that faith-based giving can mobilize large-scale community support. Around the world, similar models — whether rooted in Islamic zakat, Christian almsgiving, Sikh langar or other traditions — can be formalized and scaled to support food security. These are not just charitable acts; they’re community-driven safety nets that deserve serious attention and integration into humanitarian planning.
  
• Data and community feedback should drive decisions.
  From Ottawa to Calgary, we adjusted our response based on what our partners and clients told us. Listening made our work more effective. In an international context, that means building feedback loops into program design: gathering local data, engaging community voices, and continuously refining approaches. This helps ensure programs stay relevant, responsive, and rooted in real needs, not assumptions.

The work continues

While the Box of Blessings campaign has concluded, our commitment to eradicating food insecurity continues. HCI has now launched a dedicated Food Bank initiative to offer sustained support to food-insecure households. Through this initiative, we aim not only to deliver food but also to address the root causes of food insecurity by:

• Offering food hampers year-round
• Partnering with local organizations to ensure equitable distribution
• Providing workshops and skills development to reduce long-term dependence

To learn more about Human Concern International’s efforts, please visit their website.