Regional Food Distribution Association is a 2-star charity that is not financially transparent. It has an Average impact rating and a below-average C- results reporting grade. It has $1.3m of reserve funds that can cover just over one year of its program spending. The charity has 9% overhead meaning for every dollar donated, 91 cents are available to go to the cause.

Founded in 2003, Regional Food Distribution Association (RFDA) delivers food to organizations across the city of Thunder Bay and surrounding area. RFDA receives food from farms, local businesses, and individual donors before distributing it to its agency network. According to the charity, families in Northwestern Ontario no longer earn enough to afford groceries, meaning many now rely on food banks.

RFDA spent $1.3m cash on its food distribution operations in the March 2024 fiscal year (F2024). It did not disclose the value of food distributed in either its F2024 annual report or audited financial statements. The charity reports distributing over 26,000 meals worth of food to over 13,000 people each month. It also reported that it distributes food hampers containing 3-5 days worth of food. It did not disclose the number of hampers distributed in F2024. RFDA also did not disclose the size of its agency network in any of its public reporting.

Regional Food Distribution Association is not financially transparent as its audited financial statements are not publicly available on its website. Accordingly, Ci retrieved its financials after contacting the charity.

RFDA’s financials neither report government funding nor the value of donated goods received and distributed. It is unusual for food banks to not report the value of the food they receive and distribute to those in need.

The charity’s financials follow line-item costing. Its total expenses are not separated into program, administrative, and fundraising activities. This is not a best practice.

RFDA incorrectly filed its T3010 filings with the CRA as it does not report program, administrative, and fundraising expenses despite clearly carrying out such activities. As such, Ci estimated expense activities from its audited statement line items.

In F2024, RFDA received $2.5m in donations (89% of total revenue) and $256k of government funding (9% of revenue).

Administrative costs are 7% of total revenue and fundraising costs are 2% of donations. Its 9% overhead means that for every dollar donated, 91 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

RFDA spent $1.3m cash on food distribution operations in F2024 – a 17% decrease from $1.6m spent in F2023. RFDA is in the process of building a new community centre which will include a community kitchen, outdoor social space, and multipurpose rooms.

At the end of F2024, RFDA had $1.3m in reserve funds (cash and investments). Its reserves can cover 101% or just over one year of its annual program spending.

Profile updated by Julian Dranitsaris on August 7, 2025. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.

Questions? Contact jdranitsaris@charityintelligence.ca