The Gathering Place is a Food Distribution Centre  and Soup Kitchen that builds partnerships in the work of eliminating food insecurity in North Bay, Ontario. We advocate for solutions to end hunger in our community.

Our Meal Centre, run by our staff and volunteers, serves freshly prepared meals to the community. Our free meals address hunger for many people experiencing social isolation, unemployment, living unhoused, or financial hardship.

Our Distribution Centre collects rescued or donated food and redirects surplus food to other non-profit organizations in the local area. Our dedicated staff and volunteers work to collect, sort, and deliver food where it is most needed.

The Gathering Place was founded in 2003 by a concerned group of citizens to provide hot meals to those in need. It opened its doors on September 5, 2003, and served 23 lunches. In its first year of operations, The Gathering Place served close to 20,000 meals.

Between 2008 and 2010, numbers grew to a peak, hitting 30,946 lunches served, as the recession hit our community hard. As the economy started to recover during 2011, the number of meals started to drop, although they never returned to pre-recession numbers.

In the summer of 2011, The Gathering Place was a recipient of a Trillium grant, allowing it to turn a city-owned brown-space into a lush Community Garden space. Produce grown at the garden is used in The Gathering Place’s drop-in meals.

February of 2014 saw The Gathering Place participate in its first annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser, our single largest fundraiser to date, which raises close to 25% of our annual budget each year.

Autumn of 2014 was a busy one, with a few new programs launching:

First, the Breakfast program was launched, serving breakfast two days a week. It quickly became apparent that service needed to be increased, leading to The Gathering Place serving 4 days a week in November.

October 2014 also saw The Gathering Place officially launch its Food Rescue. It is estimated that in 2025, 182,000 pounds of food yearly is being directed from landfills.

November 2014 marked the beginning of a pilot Community Kitchen, initiated in partnership with the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, to improve food skills in food-insecure households.

The autumn of 2015 also proved to be another busy season. In September 2015, The Gathering Place introduced a family-based Community Kitchen program called Healthy Families Cook Together. This program allows parents and children aged 8-12 to learn important food prep and nutrition skills, while spending quality time and sharing a meal together.

In October 2016, The Gathering Place began serving dinner three nights per week, on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays. In 2026, The Gathering Place serves one meal daily Mondays to Fridays, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

September 29, 2018, The Gathering Place officially relocated to its current building at 1181 Cassells Street in North Bay. Before this, it operated out of 392 Algonquin Avenue, North Bay.

2016–2019

Strengthening Community Partnerships

During this period, The Gathering Place expanded its partnerships with local businesses, volunteers, food donors, and community agencies. These collaborations helped increase access to nutritious meals while reducing food waste through food recovery and redistribution initiatives.

With growing community support, the organization continued enhancing programs and services to meet the increasing needs of vulnerable individuals and families.

2020–2022

Responding Through Unprecedented Challenges

As communities faced the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Gathering Place adapted quickly to continue providing meals and support to those in need. Demand for services increased significantly, reinforcing the organization’s role as an essential frontline community service.

Despite many operational challenges, staff and volunteers remained committed to ensuring that no one was turned away hungry.

2023–2024

Growth, Innovation & Restructuring

The Gathering Place introduced new fundraising initiatives and strengthened community engagement efforts, including participation in the Coldest Night of the Year campaign and expanded food distribution partnerships.

At the same time, rising food costs and increased demand created financial pressures that required organizational restructuring. To ensure long-term sustainability, the organization:

• Transitioned to a focused lunch meal program
• Increased volunteer-supported operations
• Strengthened financial accountability measures
• Refinanced existing debt and stabilized operations
• Expanded leadership and operational support roles

These difficult but necessary decisions positioned the organization for future stability and growth.

2024–2026

Community Momentum, Fundraising & Renewal

Over the past several years, The Gathering Place has experienced renewed momentum through expanded fundraising efforts, stronger community partnerships, and innovative initiatives designed to support long-term sustainability.

New annual fundraising and community events were introduced, including:

• The Valentine’s Dance
• The Annual Spaghetti Dinner
• Coordination and participation with the Smile Cookie Campaign
• Taste of the Bay (formerly North Bay Taste)
• Partnership and coordination support for Shaun’s Annual North Bay Burger Crawl in 2026
• Weekly Bingo fundraising initiatives beginning in 2026
• Community 50/50 Draws launched in 2025
• Christmas Ham Sale

These initiatives joined several longstanding and successful fundraising events already supporting the organization, including:

• Coldest Night of the Year
• Soup’s On
• Community meal campaigns and donor-driven fundraising efforts:

A major milestone during this period was the formation of an Advisory Board working alongside The Gathering Place Board of Directors. Comprised of individuals with diverse professional backgrounds, community connections, and fundraising experience, the Advisory Board was created to help generate innovative ideas, strengthen sustainability efforts, and support the continued growth and forward momentum of the organization.

This collaborative approach has opened the door to exciting new opportunities for community engagement, partnerships, and fundraising initiatives that will continue strengthening support for those experiencing food insecurity in North Bay.

At the same time, The Gathering Place continued investing in facility improvements and creating a welcoming, dignified environment for guests while expanding food recovery and redistribution partnerships throughout the community.

Looking Ahead

As the needs of the community continue to evolve, The Gathering Place remains dedicated to its mission of reducing food insecurity, building meaningful partnerships, and creating a stronger, healthier North Bay for everyone.

Through compassion, collaboration, and community support, The Gathering Place continues to move forward — one meal, one partnership, and one person at a time.