About the role
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OPPORTUNITY at THE FOOD BANK OF WATERLOO REGION
Unpaid Volunteer Position | Apply by: August 22, 2025
Join a mission-driven board that believes in nourishing lives and strengthening communities by making food support accessible to everyone, everywhere in Waterloo region.
Are you passionate about building a healthier, more connected community—one where no one goes hungry? Do you want to use your skills, experience, and heart to support a cause that touches thousands of lives every day?
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is seeking committed, community-minded individuals to join our Board of Directors for a three-year term beginning in October 2025.
As a board member, you’ll be part of a dynamic group of leaders providing strategic direction, oversight, and advocacy to advance our mission. This is an opportunity to bring your lived experience, your professional expertise, and your commitment to equity and community well-being to a board that is action-oriented, inclusive, and focused on impact.
Our mission: Through community partnerships, we obtain and distribute emergency food from our neighbours for our neighbours.
Our vision: A Waterloo region where no one experiences hunger.
Our values: Community Impact; Operational Excellence; Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect; Continuous Improvement; Collaborative Partnerships; Integrity and Dependability.
Strategic Plan, 2024-2027
In recent years, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region has actively addressed the growing demand for food support with initiative and resourcefulness. While we have aimed to provide equitable services to the Community Food Assistance Network, we sometimes focused more on reacting to needs rather than proactively addressing them.
Our new strategic plan aims to shift our focus to proactive thinking, clarifying our purpose and role within the Network to drive greater community impact. This plan was developed collaboratively with input from our team, the Network, program participants, and community members, ensuring it meets both current and future community needs.
Our strategic plan focuses on 4 strategic directions:
1. Design for High-Performing Partnerships
We’re reimagining how we collaborate—building stronger, more people-centered partnerships that enhance community experiences and create a more equitable food provision system.
2. Bring Clarity to Community
By clearly communicating our purpose and mission, we aim to strengthen relationships, amplify our advocacy, and extend support across our diverse Community Food Assistance Network.
3. Build an Innovative and Sustainable Workplace Culture and Environment
We’re investing in our people and spaces—fostering a culture rooted in innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability to ensure our team thrives and our impact grows.
4. Strengthen Our Numbers
We’re diversifying and deepening our donor relationships—welcoming support in all forms to build a resilient, inclusive, and well-resourced future.
Why Join the Board of Directors?
- Be part of driving system-wide solutions to food insecurity across Waterloo Region.
- Support a leading, well-respected organization at the heart of a 132+ agency strong Community Food Assistance Network.
- Use your leadership, strategic thinking, and networks to help strengthen The Food Bank’s long-term sustainability and community reach.
- Share your emotional connection to the cause and help us build an organization that reflects and represents our community.
Board Member Responsibilities
As a strategic governance board, members are responsible for:
- Providing oversight of the Chief Executive Officer;
- Shaping the strategic direction and long-term vision;
- Ensuring ethical, legal, and financial governance;
- Supporting risk management and organizational resilience;
- Acting as champions and advocates in the community; and,
- Act in the best interest of The Food Bank.
Competencies and Experience Requirements
We are seeking individuals who bring a range of perspectives, life experiences, and professional skills—especially in the following areas:
- Human Resources
- Real estate
- Social services
- Transportation and logistics
We’re especially committed to increasing the diversity of our Board and welcome applicants who reflect the communities we serve, including those with lived experience of food insecurity. Previous board experience is not required - we value curiosity, commitment, and a collaborative spirit.
Expectations and Commitment Requirements
- Serve a three-year term, with the possibility of renewal up to three terms.
- Attend 7-9 meetings annually, which will be a mix of in-person and virtual formats. These meetings are held during business hours.
- Special meetings may be called based on the ongoing needs of the organization.
- Dedicate approximately 10 hours per month, including time for meeting preparation and participation in committee or working group activities.
- Demonstrate a willingness to act as a thoughtful, strategic advisor and an active ambassador within the community.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What committees do you have?
- Executive (includes Governance and Finance) - meets 4-6 times a year during business hours.
- Ad hoc committees from time to time.
- Is there compensation as a member of the Board of Directors?
- No. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall serve without remuneration, as this is a volunteer position.
- How will I be supported as a new Board member?
- All new board members are matched with a buddy on the board, invited for an orientation tour and meeting with the CEO and provided an orientation binder.
How to Apply
To express your interest, please send a cover letter outlining your motivation and relevant experience, along with your resume, to the Nominating Committee at foodbankboard@thefoodbank.ca.
Application deadline: August 22, 2025.
What to Expect After You Apply
Initial Follow-Up: After you submit your application, you will be sent a follow-up questionnaire to be completed by September 5, 2025.
Application Review: The Executive Committee, acting as the Nominations Committee, will review applications.
Interview: The Executive Committee will select candidates for virtual interviews during the months of September and October.
Committee Meeting: Candidates will be selected and recommended to the Board of Directors.
Appointment: New board members will be officially appointed at the AGM in November.
Commitment to Inclusion and Accessibility
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require accommodations or communications in an alternate format at any stage, please contact Wendy Lauzon, Executive Assistant, at wendyl@thefoodbank.ca or 519-743-5576 x 346.
We will work with you to meet your needs in a timely and respectful manner.
Our Impact Together
- 1 in 8 households in Waterloo Region struggles to afford food—a number that’s rising.
- More than 73,000 people used an emergency food program last year.
- 35% of those served are children under 18 - that’s 25,000 kids.
- Over 186,000 food hampers and 1,200,000 community meals were distributed.
- More than 9 million pounds of food were distributed across the Network.
Help us continue to meet urgent need, advocate for long-term solutions, and build a community where no one goes hungry.
Please share this opportunity with your networks to help us reach a broad, diverse, and passionate audience.
About The Food Bank of Waterloo Region
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is dedicated to meeting the needs of the community and ensuring no one goes hungry. Through corporate and community partnerships, The Food Bank acquires, coordinates, and distributes emergency food to more than 100+ community programs and agency partners – known as the Community Food Assistance Network – that work together to distribute food and other vital supports to people in need. These programs are located throughout Waterloo Region, which includes Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich townships.
About the role
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OPPORTUNITY at THE FOOD BANK OF WATERLOO REGION
Unpaid Volunteer Position | Apply by: August 22, 2025
Join a mission-driven board that believes in nourishing lives and strengthening communities by making food support accessible to everyone, everywhere in Waterloo region.
Are you passionate about building a healthier, more connected community—one where no one goes hungry? Do you want to use your skills, experience, and heart to support a cause that touches thousands of lives every day?
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is seeking committed, community-minded individuals to join our Board of Directors for a three-year term beginning in October 2025.
As a board member, you’ll be part of a dynamic group of leaders providing strategic direction, oversight, and advocacy to advance our mission. This is an opportunity to bring your lived experience, your professional expertise, and your commitment to equity and community well-being to a board that is action-oriented, inclusive, and focused on impact.
Our mission: Through community partnerships, we obtain and distribute emergency food from our neighbours for our neighbours.
Our vision: A Waterloo region where no one experiences hunger.
Our values: Community Impact; Operational Excellence; Equity, Inclusivity, and Respect; Continuous Improvement; Collaborative Partnerships; Integrity and Dependability.
Strategic Plan, 2024-2027
In recent years, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region has actively addressed the growing demand for food support with initiative and resourcefulness. While we have aimed to provide equitable services to the Community Food Assistance Network, we sometimes focused more on reacting to needs rather than proactively addressing them.
Our new strategic plan aims to shift our focus to proactive thinking, clarifying our purpose and role within the Network to drive greater community impact. This plan was developed collaboratively with input from our team, the Network, program participants, and community members, ensuring it meets both current and future community needs.
Our strategic plan focuses on 4 strategic directions:
1. Design for High-Performing Partnerships
We’re reimagining how we collaborate—building stronger, more people-centered partnerships that enhance community experiences and create a more equitable food provision system.
2. Bring Clarity to Community
By clearly communicating our purpose and mission, we aim to strengthen relationships, amplify our advocacy, and extend support across our diverse Community Food Assistance Network.
3. Build an Innovative and Sustainable Workplace Culture and Environment
We’re investing in our people and spaces—fostering a culture rooted in innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability to ensure our team thrives and our impact grows.
4. Strengthen Our Numbers
We’re diversifying and deepening our donor relationships—welcoming support in all forms to build a resilient, inclusive, and well-resourced future.
Why Join the Board of Directors?
- Be part of driving system-wide solutions to food insecurity across Waterloo Region.
- Support a leading, well-respected organization at the heart of a 132+ agency strong Community Food Assistance Network.
- Use your leadership, strategic thinking, and networks to help strengthen The Food Bank’s long-term sustainability and community reach.
- Share your emotional connection to the cause and help us build an organization that reflects and represents our community.
Board Member Responsibilities
As a strategic governance board, members are responsible for:
- Providing oversight of the Chief Executive Officer;
- Shaping the strategic direction and long-term vision;
- Ensuring ethical, legal, and financial governance;
- Supporting risk management and organizational resilience;
- Acting as champions and advocates in the community; and,
- Act in the best interest of The Food Bank.
Competencies and Experience Requirements
We are seeking individuals who bring a range of perspectives, life experiences, and professional skills—especially in the following areas:
- Human Resources
- Real estate
- Social services
- Transportation and logistics
We’re especially committed to increasing the diversity of our Board and welcome applicants who reflect the communities we serve, including those with lived experience of food insecurity. Previous board experience is not required - we value curiosity, commitment, and a collaborative spirit.
Expectations and Commitment Requirements
- Serve a three-year term, with the possibility of renewal up to three terms.
- Attend 7-9 meetings annually, which will be a mix of in-person and virtual formats. These meetings are held during business hours.
- Special meetings may be called based on the ongoing needs of the organization.
- Dedicate approximately 10 hours per month, including time for meeting preparation and participation in committee or working group activities.
- Demonstrate a willingness to act as a thoughtful, strategic advisor and an active ambassador within the community.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What committees do you have?
- Executive (includes Governance and Finance) - meets 4-6 times a year during business hours.
- Ad hoc committees from time to time.
- Is there compensation as a member of the Board of Directors?
- No. The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall serve without remuneration, as this is a volunteer position.
- How will I be supported as a new Board member?
- All new board members are matched with a buddy on the board, invited for an orientation tour and meeting with the CEO and provided an orientation binder.
How to Apply
To express your interest, please send a cover letter outlining your motivation and relevant experience, along with your resume, to the Nominating Committee at foodbankboard@thefoodbank.ca.
Application deadline: August 22, 2025.
What to Expect After You Apply
Initial Follow-Up: After you submit your application, you will be sent a follow-up questionnaire to be completed by September 5, 2025.
Application Review: The Executive Committee, acting as the Nominations Committee, will review applications.
Interview: The Executive Committee will select candidates for virtual interviews during the months of September and October.
Committee Meeting: Candidates will be selected and recommended to the Board of Directors.
Appointment: New board members will be officially appointed at the AGM in November.
Commitment to Inclusion and Accessibility
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require accommodations or communications in an alternate format at any stage, please contact Wendy Lauzon, Executive Assistant, at wendyl@thefoodbank.ca or 519-743-5576 x 346.
We will work with you to meet your needs in a timely and respectful manner.
Our Impact Together
- 1 in 8 households in Waterloo Region struggles to afford food—a number that’s rising.
- More than 73,000 people used an emergency food program last year.
- 35% of those served are children under 18 - that’s 25,000 kids.
- Over 186,000 food hampers and 1,200,000 community meals were distributed.
- More than 9 million pounds of food were distributed across the Network.
Help us continue to meet urgent need, advocate for long-term solutions, and build a community where no one goes hungry.
Please share this opportunity with your networks to help us reach a broad, diverse, and passionate audience.
About The Food Bank of Waterloo Region
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is dedicated to meeting the needs of the community and ensuring no one goes hungry. Through corporate and community partnerships, The Food Bank acquires, coordinates, and distributes emergency food to more than 100+ community programs and agency partners – known as the Community Food Assistance Network – that work together to distribute food and other vital supports to people in need. These programs are located throughout Waterloo Region, which includes Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich townships.