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About Us

Burlington Food Bank has been proudly serving Burlington since 1991. Our role in the community is to collect, purchase, grow, and distribute food directly to families in Burlington who are experiencing food insecurity. A client can visit our food bank once every three weeks, and we provide a full grocery shop’s worth of food and hygiene products. We also provide baby items, such as diapers, formula, and baby food to new parents.

Our Mission, Our Promise

To build food security in Burlington by providing access to fresh and nutritious food with dignity and kindness.

Burlington Food Bank was formed in 1991 when several small community Churches decided to work together and pool resources to help the most vulnerable in our community. Our organization has grown significantly since that time and now feeds over 35,000 people a year.

Who We Are

Our Clients

Our Food Bank is committed to feeding the hungry in our community. Our clients are treated with dignity & respect. We welcome all clients without judgement.

Our Donors

Donations from our financial supporters allow us to purchase perishable food items like milk, meat, eggs, etc. Our food donors allow us to feed the hungry.

Our Board

Our Board of Directors ensures the organization remains mission-driven, accountable, and responsive to community needs. Through governance and strategic oversight, the Board provides long-term direction while supporting effective leadership.

Our Service

Our Food Bank is about food distribution. We collect, sort and distribute food to our clients and outreach food programs.

Our Partners

Our valued partners provide the Food Bank with nutritious food and hygiene products to help meet our client needs.

Our Team

Our Food bank relies on the dedicated staff and volunteers to help receive food, inspect for expiry dates, sort and distribute to our clients.

Our Team

Christina Mulder

BFB Executive Director

Contact Christina

Stacey Allen-Cillis

Community Engagement & Marketing Manager

Contact Stacey

Mike Deyo

Warehouse Operations
Manager

Contact Mike

Tracy Peeters

Administrative Manager

Contact Tracy

Gayle Kabbash

Community Care & Social Navigator

Contact Gayle

Erica Smith

Volunteer Engagement Coordinator

Contact Erica

Samantha Le Grand

Community Garden Coordinator

Contact Samantha

Our 2026 Summer Students

Sakeenah

Community Engagement & Marketing Assistant

Zach

Warehouse Assistant

Owen

Garden Assistant

Jake

Garden Assistant

Our Board of Directors

Rick Owens

Chair

Contact Rick

Graham Browne

Vice Chair

Contact Graham

Geraldine Hewitt

Secretary

Contact Geraldine

Louise Rayner

Treasurer

Contact Louise

Dezi Singh

Director (HR)

Contact Dezi

Dave Dyson

Director

Contact Dave

Stephanie Neate

Director

Contact Stephanie

Jennifer Kelner

Director

Contact Jennifer

We are proud members of

Feed Ontario

Rick Owens

Secretary

My wife and I moved from northern Ontario to Burlington in 1984 where we made our home, raised 2 wonderful children and both recently retired from our respective careers. As many retirees do, we wanted to give something back to the community that has been so good to our family. Once I became aware of the Burlington Food Bank and their goal to help people get beyond hunger, I knew this was the type of organization I wanted to be a part of. To date I have met many of our wonderful and committed volunteers and truly am impressed with their dedication to supporting those in need in our community. I look forward to working with our Board of Directors for many years to ensure the continued success of the Burlington Food Bank.
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Graham Browne

Director

With over 40 years of HR and administration experience across private, public and not-for-profit sectors, Graham brings deep insight and leadership to the table. He’s chaired multiple boards, including United Way and Community Living Burlington, and remains an active community volunteer.

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Geraldine Hewitt

Director

Geraldine Hewitt is a lawyer, who lives and works within the Halton community . She is a firm believer in community involvement, with a long history of community service, from volunteering in a legal aid clinic to active participation in her sons’ school’s Parent Council. Her desire to contribute to the eradication of poverty has led her to her current position on the Burlington Food Bank board. Geraldine is a wife and a mother of two teenage boys, and is also active in her local church.
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Louise Rayner

Treasurer

Louise brings an invaluable knowledge base to the board as a BFB volunteer, accountant by trade, and an experienced treasurer with the Home of Grace orphanage out of Kisii, Kenya. 

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Stephanie Neate

Director

Stephanie Neate is an experienced lawyer with deep roots in the Burlington community. Raised in Burlington and having returned in 2017, Stephanie brings both professional expertise and a heartfelt commitment to the city she calls home. As the Board’s Governance Committee Chair, she offers a thoughtful, principled perspective to board governance and decision-making.

Stephanie is passionate about community engagement and is proud to support the Board’s mission to build food security in Burlington with dignity and kindness. Her involvement reflects a strong belief in the power of local action to create meaningful change.

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Dezi Singh

Director, HR Committee Chair

Dezi Singh is a Human Resources Executive with over 17 years of experience in the field, and has lent his expertise to esteemed organizations such as Canada Post, the CBC and CIBC before assuming his current role as VP of HR & Labour Relations at Maple Leaf Foods.

Dezi’s focus on human resources coupled with his adeptness in alternative dispute resolution, has positioned him as a formidable force in the field. Having spearheaded negotiations for over 60 collective agreements, he’s no stranger to navigating complex HR landscapes.

Beyond his corporate endeavours, Dezi is a part-time instructor at York University, and George Brown College. 

Dezi holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business at York University, a Master of Industrial Relations from Queens University, and most recently a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. 

In Dezi’s spare time, he enjoys coaching soccer in the community and spending time with his family. 

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Dave Dyson

Board Director

Dave moved to Burlington with his wife and young family in 1994. With a strong commitment to community service, Dave has volunteered extensively, initially focusing on activities involving his three children and later transitioning into nonprofit work.

Dave Dyson holds an MBA from McMaster University. From 2014 to 2021, he served on the board of directors for Carpenter Hospice and was the Board Chair in 2019-2020. Eager to continue his contributions to the nonprofit sector within a community-focused organization, Dave chose to join the Burlington Food Bank Board. He is driven by the mission to address food insecurity in the Burlington community and looks forward to working alongside dedicated volunteers to ensure the organization’s continued success. 

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Jennifer Kelner

Director

Jenn is a CPA with over 20 years of experience across financial reporting, audit, and advisory. A graduate of Western University’s Ivey School of Business, she’s worked with accounting firms as well as major automotive and engineering companies, and even built and sold her own consulting business. Today, she works alongside her husband at Conceptinero, helping clients get the most out of their SR&ED tax credits.
 
Outside of work, Jenn is passionate about giving back. She’s actively involved in her community, supporting local food security initiatives and staying engaged in her kids’ sports. When she’s not working or volunteering, you’ll likely find her at the gym or planning her next trip.
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