Toronto Food Run Challenge

Second Harvest is Canada’s largest food rescue charity with a dual mission of environmental protection and hunger relief. We recover nutritious, unsold food from food businesses before it becomes waste and distribute to a broad network of social service organizations.

FoodRescue.ca is a free digital platform that connects businesses with surplus food to non-profits who can use that food. By directly connecting businesses and non-profits, FoodRescue.ca allows for easy food recovery, positively impacting both people in the community and the environment.

Women's T-shirt

Back of T-shirt will proudly display your specific challenge!
Shirts can be gender-specific AND will be challenge-specific (the number on the back reflects the distance you will cover for your challenge).

Unisex T-shirt

Back of T-shirt will proudly display your specific challenge!
Shirts can be gender-specific AND will be challenge-specific (the number on the back reflects the distance you will cover for your challenge).

Challenger Magnet Medals are 4x4 inches and are fade resistant.

What is food insecurity?

Household food insecurity is the inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints. It is a serious problem in Canada that negatively impacts physical, mental, and social health, and costs our healthcare system considerably.

1 in 8 households in Canada is food insecure, amounting to over 4 million Canadians, including 1.15 million children, living in homes that struggle to put food on the table.

What causes food insecurity?

One "bad month" can be enough to plunge a household into food insecurity. Layoffs at work, unexpected car maintenance or an accident on the job can suddenly force a family to choose between buying food and paying bills. A global pandemic only heightens this vulnerability.

Second Harvest is the largest food rescue organization in Canada and a global thought leader on food recovery. Working across the supply chain – from farm to retail – we capture surplus food before it ends up in landfill and has a negative environmental impact.

Since 1985, Second Harvest has redirected more than 165 million pounds of food and prevented over 200 million pounds of greenhouse gas equivalents from entering our atmosphere. Supported by hundreds of corporations, foundations, and the community at large, Second Harvest rescues and delivers enough food to provide over 50,000 meals every day, benefiting a growing network of over 1,500 social service organizations across Canada.

Second Harvest also developed FoodRescue.ca, a free online platform that directly connects businesses with surplus, unsold food to local organizations to positively impact our environment and ensure good food gets to people who can use it. With the escalating global pandemic,

Second Harvest is leading the Food Rescue Canadian Alliance (FRCA), that brings together government, private and non-profit sectors to ensure food reaches the most vulnerable members of our communities, from coast-to-coast.

Who can enter the event?

This challenge is designed for anyone and everyone! With the challenge of covering as few as five miles a week, anyone in your family can participate. You can also encourage family members to join you, to help you achieve your goal. If you are running or walking more these days, then see if you can achieve the 90 -Mile Challenge (15 miles per week). And if you're really ready to push yourself, lock in the 120 Mile Challenge! You can run from anywhere to participate.

What do I get?

Your inherent reward is that you are improving yourself while supporting those in need of food. All challenges will also receive a Gilden Softstyle T-shirt - female-specfic or unisex, and challenge-specific. In addition, all will receive a 4x4inch Car Magnet Medal to proudly display your accomplishment. And each challenger will receive a virtual challenge bib that can be downloaded from the race page. We will also be promoting random prizes throughout the challenge to help make it more fun - and keep you more connected with other participants!

How do I complete the challenge?

You can complete it any way you wish. You can walk, roll, run, spin - whatever makes you happy! And you can cover your miles any day, and in any way, that works for you - you could run/walk one day, bike a few days later, and hop the last day of the week.

When Can I Start?

You can start anytime after June 23rd and before August 5th. But the later you start, the more challenging your challenge will be! (though you can also backdate any miles if you register after June 24th :)

How Do You Track Our Progress?

This challenge relies on the honor system. Though we encourage you to take photos of your watch, phone screen, treadmill, etc showing your results and/or activity.

These are the ways you can track and prove your accomplishment:

1. Join our Toronto Food Run Challenge Facebook Group - you can upload photos of your activity and also connect with other challengers.
Join The Toronto Food Run Challenge Facebook Group

2. www.TorontoFoodRun.com - Submit your results straight through RESULTS page. (detailed instructions are below the FAQ's on this page)

How does the charity component work?

100% of all donations will go directly to the selected charities. This challenge supports local food banks and hunger relief programs. We have provided the option to donate to Second Harvest Food Rescue. Our initial goal is to raise $10,000 CAN.

When will my shirt, magnet, and any other swag be mailed to me?

We will start mailing out your swag the week after the event concludes. Please allow a couple of weeks for everything to get shipped!