As food insecurity continues to rise across Canada, one grassroots campaign is once again inviting communities to transform small daily sacrifices into meaningful support for families in need.
The Give 30 campaign has officially launched its 15th annual season, calling on people of all backgrounds to contribute to local food banks during Ramadan, Iqra.ca reported.
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Rooted in the spirit of the Muslim holy month — when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset as an exercise in empathy and social responsibility — the initiative encourages participants to redirect money saved from skipped meals, coffee runs, or small luxuries toward fighting hunger.
The idea began in 2012 with Toronto-based lawyer and social activist Ziyaad Mia. While fasting during Ramadan, he noticed he was saving money normally spent on lunches and snacks.
“It just clicked,” Mia has often recalled. “That money could go to assisting others who don’t have enough to eat.”
International Movement
What started as a personal reflection has grown into an international grassroots movement that has raised more than $2 million and now supports nearly 20 major food banks and anti-poverty organizations in Canada, the United States, and Australia.
Although Give 30 coincides with Ramadan — running this year from approximately February 18 to March 19 — organisers stress that it is not limited to Muslims.
The campaign promotes what it calls “social solidarity,” encouraging everyone to participate in ways that suit their lifestyle.
For those not fasting, the model is simple: brown-bag lunch instead of buying one, skip a daily latte, or forgo a small subscription, then donate the savings.
As Mia often reminds supporters, “Hunger does not discriminate or have a religion; it is a human problem that requires a human response.”
The campaign has gained traction in cities such as Toronto, Mississauga, and Kingston, where partner food banks report rising demand.
In early 2026, local leaders highlighted record-high food bank visits in parts of the Greater Toronto Area, with nearly one in ten residents relying on assistance.
Because partner organizations such as the Daily Bread Food Bank, Food Banks Mississauga, the Ottawa Food Bank, and Kingston’s Partners in Mission Food Bank can leverage bulk purchasing power, even modest donations can translate into multiple meals.
The 2026 campaign will remain active through April 30, reflecting the reality that hunger extends beyond a single month.
Ultimately, Give 30 is about more than fundraising. It is a reminder that personal reflection can spark collective action — and that small, consistent acts of generosity can help build a more compassionate society, one meal at a time.