GFN Food Banker Agenda at a Glance
For the GFN Global Summit 2026, we are creating a special day focused on GFN member food banks. These activities are designed specifically for GFN food banks and attendance is by invitation only. For everyone else, please refer to the regular agenda, which starts on the evening of Day 1. For questions, please contact: events@foodbanking.org.
Day 0
Monday, November 2
Arrival and Welcome Reception
Food Banker arrival and registration, followed by a special evening reception to welcome GFN food bankers and close partners. Please plan to arrive by early afternoon.
Day 1
Tuesday, November 3
Food Bankers: Connect and Collaborate
Exclusively for GFN food bankers, offering a chance to reconnect, meet new members and dig into critical trends and topics specifically focused on food banking. It will be a chance to hear from GFN leaders and staff on the organizational vision going forward.
Through engaging and interactive sessions, we will explore topics including:
- Global trends shaping hunger, economics and food banking
- Supply chains and food product sourcing
- Disaster management and response
- Communications and the power of campaigns
- Partnerships and philanthropy
- Technology and AI
- Policy and advocacy
- Climate, food loss and waste, and related topics
- Fundraising and operational best practices
The afternoon will include a town hall featuring GFN leadership and conclude with the official Summit opening reception, bringing the whole community together to connect, share and set the tone for the days ahead.
Day 2
Wednesday, November 4
Tackling Today’s Food Challenges
The second day of the Summit will bring together a wide range of perspectives, from bold ideas and deep expertise to applied insights. We will explore pressing challenges and emerging solutions around food security, business trends, supply chains and related topics intended for food bankers and the wider food system community.
High-energy plenaries, deep-dive breakouts and interactive, hands-on sessions will examine topics including:
- Global hunger and nutrition trends
- Pathways and ideas to strengthen food systems
- Agriculture recovery
- Food sector operations, including cold chain, storage and logistics
- Disaster management and response
- Youth engagement and advocacy
- Private sector strategies and opportunities
- Data, AI and technology
- Climate change, food loss and waste, methane, and more
Day 3
Thursday, November 5
Creating a Stronger Food System
The final day of the Summit will begin with field trips and hands-on learning opportunities. The day will feature visits to local food banks and distribution centers, along with forward-looking sessions on what’s next for food systems and food banking.
Activities will include:
- Future-forward sessions on food systems and food banking
- Focused problem-solving sessions on technical topics
- Interactive cooking demos
- Closing plenary and food bank awards ceremony
The day will culminate with a celebratory dinner to mark GFN’s impact over the last 20 years, while inspiring ideas to strengthen the food system. The evening will bring together voices across the GFN network, including from the early days, along with external partners, who will share stories, reflections and their vision of the future.
Day 4
Friday, November 6
Post-Summit Activities
Optional post-Summit field visits will provide opportunities for food bankers to connect with and learn from peers at food banks near Toronto (November 6) and across Canada (November 9). We will share details in the near future.
Additional program details to follow
