New Grant Program Funds Food Security Initiatives

CANADA, December 23 - Millions in funding for food-related initiatives will flow to communities across the province in the coming weeks using $4 million in proceeds from the sale of U.S. alcohol products.

The new Feeding Communities Fund will provide one-time funding to support meal programs, community fridges and pantries, mutual-aid groups and affordable food box or market programs.

“Today’s announcement is about turning the sale of U.S. alcohol products into meaningful, community-level impact, putting food on kitchen tables across the province,” said Premier Tim Houston. “The grant program ensures food-security organizations of all sizes, inside and outside traditional food banks, have an opportunity to access this support.”

The fund will have $2 million available for identified organizations (listed below), and the remaining $2 million will be available to other eligible organizations.

Funding is available to non-profit societies, community organizations that are registered with the Registry of Joint Stock Companies, and federally registered charities or not-for-profit corporations.

Applications open Monday, December 29, and close Thursday, January 29. The funding must be used to purchase food for distribution or meal programs.

Quotes:

“With grocery prices expected to rise again, this investment has the potential to make a meaningful difference for hundreds of households in our community who continue to feel the strain of food inflation. For Preston Township, it represents an important opportunity to expand access to fresh, culturally relevant foods through our community shelves, meal programs and emergency food supports.”
— Rev. Debbie Simmonds, food hub co-ordinator, Preston Area Food Network

Quick Facts:

• “identified organizations” are those known to the government to provide food relief programs and services
• on November 27, the Province announced it would sell its remaining U.S. alcohol inventory and direct net proceeds to community food organizations
• U.S. alcohol products were removed from Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. shelves on March 4 in response to U.S. tariffs

Additional Resources:

Feeding Communities Fund information and application: https://www.novascotia.ca/apply-feeding-communities-fund-grant

News release – Province to Sell Remaining U.S. Alcohol: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/11/27/province-sell-remaining-us-alcohol

Statement on U.S. Tariffs (March 4): https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/03/04/statement-us-tariffs

Identified organizations:

Provincial

Cape Breton Regional Municipality

• Ally Centre of Cape Breton
• CAW Louisbourg Food Bank Society
• Eskasoni Health Centre (Eskasoni Collaborative Food Network)
• Glace Bay Food Bank Society
• New Life Van Ministries
• New Waterford Food Bank
• North Sydney Food Bank Society
• Saint Theresa's Food Bank
• St. Vincent de Paul Society – Glace Bay Particular Council
• Sydney Mines Food Bank Society
• The Salvation Army – Glace Bay
• The Salvation Army – Sydney
• Townhouse Citizens Service League (Glace Bay Collaborative Food Network)

Inverness County

• Cape Breton Southwestern Food Bank Society
• Inverness Food Bank Society
• Margaree Food Security Society (Margaree Area Development Association)
• Port Hawkesbury Food Bank Society

Richmond County

• L’Ardoise Food Bank (Holy Guardian Angels Parish)
• Isle Madame Food Bank
• St. Peter’s and Area Food Bank Society
• Louisdale Community Service Committee (Louisdale & Area Food Bank Society)
• West Bay Pastoral Charge

Victoria County

• Barra Food Bank Society
• Helping Hands South of Smokey Society
• Island Food Network (collaborative food network)
• North of Smokey Food Bank Association

Antigonish County

• Antigonish Community Food Bank Society

Guysborough County

• Mulgrave Food Pantry (Mulgrave and Area Wellness Hub)
• Guysborough and Area Food Bank Society
• St. Mary’s District Food Bank (St. Mary’s Pastoral Charge)

Pictou County

• Community Support Society of River John
• Pictou County East Food Bank
• Pictou West Food Bank Society
• The Salvation Army – Westville

Colchester County

• Colchester Food Network
• Neighbours Helping Neighbours – Tatamagouche
• Portapique Market Co-operative Ltd.
• The Salvation Army – Truro Community and Family Services

Cumberland County

• Amherst Food Assistance Network Association
• Maggie’s Place – A Resource Centre for Families (Cumberland Collaborative Food Network)
• Oxford and Area Food Bank Association
• Parrsboro and Area Food Bank
• The Open Hamper Food Bank Society (also known as Pugwash and Area Food Bank)
• The Salvation Army – Amherst and Springhill

Hants County

• Caring and Sharing Angel Tree Food Bank Association
• Hantsport and Area Community Food Bank
• Shumilacke Food Bank Society
• Hants North Community Food Bank
• Windsor and District Food Bank

Halifax Regional Municipality

• Beacon House Interfaith Society
• Brunswick Street Mission
• Chebucto Connections (Spryfield Collaborative Food Network)
• Chebucto Family Centre
• Cobequid Food Security Network
• Cole Harbour Community Fridge
• Cole Harbour Woodside United Church
• Corporation of Christ Church
• Demetreous Lane Food Bank
• East Dartmouth Christian Food Bank Association
• Eastern Passage-Cow Bay Food Bank (St. Peter’s Anglican Church)
• Eastern Passage Food Security Society
• Eastern Shore Volunteer Food Bank
• Emmanuel Anglican Church
• Gateway Community Church
• Halifax West Ecumenical Food Bank
• Helping Hands – Chaswood
• Jesus House Halifax (Uniacke Square Community Food Bank)
• Knox United Church (Freedom Kitchen)
• Lake Echo Community Food Bank Association
• Life Branch Church – Dartmouth North Christian Food Bank (St. Anthony’s Parish Hall)
• Lighthouse Food Bank Society
• Safe Harbour Metropolitan Community Church – Manna For Health
• Marine Communities Food Bank Society
• Mobile Food Market Society
• Musquodoboit Valley Food Bank Association
• North Dartmouth Outreach Resource Centre Society
• Old School Community Gathering Place (Musquodoboit Collaborative Food Network)
• Parker Street Food and Furniture Bank (Community Care Society)
• Preston Area Food Network
• St. Margaret’s Bay Food Bank
• St. James United Church Food Bank – Dartmouth
• St. Mark’s Food Bank (St Mark’s Anglican Church)
• St. Paul's Family Resources Institute Inc. (St. Paul’s United Church)
• St. Vincent de Paul Society – St. Clement Conference (Halifax)
• The Gerald Hardy Memorial Society - Rainbow Food Bank
• The Salvation Army – Dartmouth Encounter Community Church
• The Salvation Army – Halifax Community and Family Services
• VETS Canada (Dartmouth site)
• Victoria Road Baptist Church
• Westend Community Food Bank (formerly Bayers Westwood Food Bank)

Lunenburg County

• Bridgewater and Area Interchurch Food Bank
• Lunenburg Interchurch Food Bank
• Mahone Bay Area Food Bank Association
• New Germany and Area Food Bank Society
• The 664 Revitalization Network – New Germany
• We Feed Lunenburg Association

Kings County

• Berwick Food Bank Association
• Berwick Community Pantry
• Canning Area Food Bank Network
• Fundy Interchurch Food Bank
• The Salvation Army – Kentville
• Upper Room Food Bank Association
• Wolfville Area Food Bank (Wolfville Area Inter Church Council)

Annapolis County

• Annapolis Area Food Bank Society
• Annapolis Valley Frugal Moms (Annapolis / Digby)
• Bear River East Baptist Church
• Bridgetown and Area Food Bank Association
• Belle’s Blessing Community Food Pantry
• The Salvation Army – Bridgetown Community Church

Digby County

• Clare Food Bank Society
• ClareShare Fridge Communautaire
• Digby and Area Food Bank
• Freeport United Baptist Church (Digby Neck Food Bank)
• Twelve Baskets Food Bank Association
• Weymouth Area Food Bank

Queens County

• Community Food Resource Network – Caledonia
• Queens County Food Bank

Shelburne County

• Centreville United Baptist Church Food Bank
• Lockeport and Area Food Bank (Lockeport United Baptist Church)
• Shelburne Loyalist Food Bank
• Villagedale Community Association

Yarmouth County

• Evangel Assembly
• Ste. Anne du Ruisseau Social Aid
• Yarmouth Collaborative Food Network (Parents’ Place & A-OK Society)
• Yarmouth Food Bank Society

Other than cropping, Province of Nova Scotia photos are not to be altered in any way