Harvest Manitoba is the largest food distributor of its kind in Canada. For over 35 years, they have worked to collect and share food with hungry children, hardworking families and struggling adults across the province. Harvest collects and shares 13 million pounds of healthy and nutritious food to hungry Manitobans every year, with their Harvest Hampers feeding more than 50,000 Manitobans every month. We spoke with the President and CEO of Harvest Manitoba, Vince Barletta, to learn more.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Harvest Manitoba is the province’s food bank network. We collect and share about 1 million pounds of nutritious food every month and distribute it through a network of over 415 food banks and programs that serve over 100,000 Manitobans. Our work is powered by volunteers, staff, donors, and partners across the province.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Many Manitobans struggle to put enough food on the table because rising housing costs, childcare shortages, and wages don’t keep up with the cost of living. Harvest Manitoba works to address food insecurity and create a hunger-free province, while also advocating for the policy changes needed so no one has to rely on a food bank to get by.
When did you start/join it?
I joined Harvest Manitoba in September 2021, during the height of the pandemic.
What made you want to get involved?
Harvest Manitoba has been serving community for 40 years. During that time, the organization has become one of the most impactful and respected charities in our province. When the opportunity came up to be involved in an organization that makes such a big impact in the lives of tens of thousands of people, it was easy to say yes.
What was the situation like when you started?
Demand was already spiking because of COVID, supply chains were strained, and food banks were under enormous pressure. Food bank use was climbing quickly, and many communities, especially in the north, had limited access to consistent food support. Harvest was dealing with many restrictions and changes to the way we operated day-to-day. The community really rallied around our organization during the pandemic, so we continue our work during a very challenging time.
How has it changed since?
Harvest Manitoba has changed a lot these past few years. We’ve expanded our reach across the province, especially in northern, remote communities. In the past year alone, we delivered more than 454,000 pounds of food to northern Manitoba by air, truck, and seasonal ice roads, working closely with Indigenous leadership to ensure food support reflects the community’s needs.
We’ve also expanded our Meals2Go program, which provides students in underserved communities with nutritious food kits to take home on weekends when school meal programs aren’t available. In just over one year, Meals2Go has grown from serving 2,500 students to 7,000 students every week across schools in Winnipeg, northern Manitoba, and Brandon.
Our Warehouse Training Program, which reopened in 2022, gives Manitobans facing employment barriers the hands-on skills needed for warehouse and distribution roles, including safety, teamwork, and forklift operation. As of March 2025, 154 students have graduated from the program, with many of them securing reliable employment.
In partnership with Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, we’ve opened a new Winnipeg location that serves as a hub for our Meals2Go program and will expand into a community grocery store and food bank.
Lastly, we’re moving closer to a new food rescue and distribution facility. This will allow us to process and distribute an additional 8 million pounds of surplus food annually, helping more Manitobans access nutritious meals more quickly and efficiently.
What more needs to be done?
Charity alone will never solve hunger. We need governments at all levels to address the root causes of food insecurity and poverty, including inadequate incomes, housing instability, and gaps in social supports. Food banks can respond to immediate need, but lasting change requires policy decisions that prevent people from being pushed into poverty in the first place.
How can our readers help?
Harvest Manitoba relies on 3 things: food, time, and funds. Readers can volunteer, donate food, or give financially. Donations can be made securely online, by phone at 204-982-3581, in person at 1085 Winnipeg Avenue, or by e-transfer to donations@harvestmanitoba.ca. Our most-needed food items are canned fruit/vegetables/tuna/soup/stew, peanut butter, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, oatmeal, and baby formula/food. Food donations can be dropped off at 1085 Winnipeg Avenue or in yellow Harvest Manitoba bins at participating grocery stores.
Do you have any events coming up?
Harvest has our Empty Bowls Celebrity Auction and Dinner coming up on October 8, 2026. This event is one of our major fundraising events of the year and a fantastic evening.
Where can we follow you?
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Bluesky | YouTube | TikTok
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
Manitoba has so many wonderful non-profits that do amazing work. One that I am really proud to be partnering with is the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre. Ma Mawi are an Indigenous-led organization that provides community-based programs to Indigenous families in Winnipeg. They are setting an example in how to provide care to community.
