The past few months, Meal Exchange volunteers and staff have been eagerly preparing for another successful year ahead. With over $351,000 raised through our youth network during the last academic year, we are hoping that this coming year can surpass even its amazing success.

1. Trick or Eat  2007

2. September Lecture Series

3. Esurio Conference Highlights

4. Portraits of Hunger

5. Staff Changes at Meal Exchange

6. Get Involved Today!

Trick or Eat 2007

It’s that time of year again! We are preparing for our largest event of the year- Trick or Eat- happening on October 31st all across Canada. Last year over $263,603 of food was raised and with even more communities involved this year our goal of $400,000 in 2007 is possible! With the generous support of UPS and The Cooperators, we already have a foundation for success.  

By Registering you will join others as we canvass neighborhoods in costume for non perishable food items to support an agency in your community and raise awareness about local hunger. Click here to register.

By Donating you help increase the number of meals we can provide to our neighbors in need.  Make a donation online today by clicking here.

By Organizing you help make Trick or Eat a success in your community! Click here for a list of existing participating communities and their contact information. If you have questions or if your community is not listed, contact Leisha Zamecnik ( This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ) today!

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September Lecture Series

We can end hunger.  Think about it.  Meal Exchange and the Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) are collaborating to organize a lecture series between September 17th and 28th at select university campuses across Ontario.

We have asked experts, opinion-shapers, political figures and community leaders to answer the question: how can we reduce hunger and poverty in Ontario?  These thinkers will present their answer to the university and broader community in order engage the community, build dialogue, and present solutions for fighting hunger and poverty.

Elections on the horizon at a provincial and federal level make these discussions even more important, as they build public consciousness at a time when the public is paying close attention to the plans and actions of their elected representatives.  Upon completion of the Thought for Food Lecture Series, the speeches will be compiled into a book that will be made publicly available. 

If you are interested in finding out more about these lectures, please contact Sean Park, Public Education Projects Coordinator at the OAFB at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or Leisha Zamecnik, Communications and Program Manager of Meal Exchange at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Toronto - 'The Two Decades We Lost' with Mustafa Koc, Associate Professor, Sociology, Ryerson University.  SEPT 24, 12PM-1PM, Rogers Communication Centre Rm. 304. Ryerson University.

Kingston - 'Facing Up To Poverty' with Marvin Novick, Peter Clutterbuck, and the Social Planning Council of Kingston.  SEPT 20, 3PM-7PM, St. George's Cathedral.

Guelph - 'Poverty in Rural or Smaller Communities' with Harry Cummings, Professor from the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph.  SEPT 25, 7PM-9PM, Landscape Architecture Room 143, University of Guelph.

Ottawa - Judith Maxwell and Marion Dewar.  SEPT 26, 7PM-9PM, University of Ottawa.

London - Glen Pearson, MP London North Centre.  SEPT 21, 11AM-12PM, UWO Council Chambers Room 215.

Sudbury- Geoffrey, Lougheed,Chair, Banque D'Aliments Sudbury Food Bank. SEPT 26th, 7PM-8:30PM, Governor's Lounge 11th Floor, Parker Building, Laurentian University.

The Lecture Series is just one of the exciting collaborations between Meal Exchange and the OAFB. For more information on the relationship between these two organizations, read about the 'Youth Leadership in Research Program' here

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Esurio Highlights

From Friday July 27 to Sunday July 29, Meal Exchange Chapter Leaders and Student Food Network food bank coordinators from coast to coast united in Toronto to get the year off to an incredible start. The success of the conference was only possible through the generous support of ING.

With the support of the ING Foundation, this intense, and fun, 3-day experience included informative sessions on hunger by Michael Olliphant from the Daily Bread Food Bank and Adam Spence from the Ontario Association of Food Banks. Skill building workshops on goal setting, leadership, fundraising and media relations allowed delegates to learn from industry experts.

The highlight, though, was the emphasis on peer-led learning. The combined experience of the students at the conference was inspiring and much time was dedicated to building relationships between this group of dynamic leaders.

When it came time to go our seperate ways, there was a profound sense of inspired energy and the knowledge that we formed a passionate team, ready to begin the journey of creating change back in our own communities.

Thanks to the ING Foundation we were able to provide travel subsudies so that students outside of Toronto were able to attend.

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Portraits of Hunger

The aim of the program is to:

• Engage students by providing them with a greater understanding of hunger
• Impact communities through the medium of theatre and
• Spark Change through meaningful discourse and increased awareness.

The process involves students interviewin gan individual with a personal experience related to hunger. Then, using the material that was gathered through the interview process, it can be used to create an anonymous monologue that is entered into a national competition. Monologues are then selescted to help create a social theatre production.

We are looking for volunteers knowledgable in the performance arts to help with this exciting project. Email  This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it today to get involved!

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Staff Changes at the National Office

Meal Exchange is pleased to introduce Leisha Zamecnik as Communications and Program Manager of Meal Exchange. Although new as staff, Leisha has a history with our organization as both a coordinator from the University of Guelph and a researcher through the Youth Leadership in Research Programme run collaboratively by Meal Exchange and the Ontario Association of Food Banks. Her role in the office will be mainly focused on communications and campus advising. We are excited to have her join us in this new capacity! Leisha can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

In June, Amanda Ono, former Development and Communications Director, moved on to pursue another employment opportunity. Over the last two years Amanda has provided Meal Exchange an immense amount of energy and commitment and we will miss her a great deal. Her organization, ability to communicate and overall enthusiasm never ceased to amaze us. We wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.

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FEED SOCIAL CHANGE

Are you looking for a dynamic volunteer opportunity? Are you interested in feeding social change through Meal Exchange? Check out Meal Exchange's volunteer opportunities by clicking here.

Make a donation today and support youth addressing local hunger across Canada through Meal Exchange. Click here.

Thank you to our generous volunteers, supporters and sponsors who support our continued growth, including: