Later this year, food bankers, thought leaders and partners from around the world will come together in Toronto, Canada, for the GFN Global Summit 2026. Taking place from November 3-5, the Summit will mark GFN’s 20th anniversary and will be a celebration of what our partner food banks have accomplished together and what more is possible when local action leads to [or delivers] global impact.
This year’s Summit theme, Local Action, Global Change, reflects a simple but powerful idea: Global change begins with local action. Over the past two decades, food banks around the world have been finding dynamic and innovative ways to respond to the specific needs of their communities. Food banks are essential players in alleviating hunger and creating stronger, more resilient communities. They recover surplus food from farms and markets, strengthen local economies, reduce food loss and waste, and forge partnerships that create new possibilities for individuals and families.
Together, these local actions are helping drive change far beyond individual communities. They are demonstrating how food banks and their partners play a vital role in building a food system that is more equitable, resilient and sustainable for everyone, everywhere.
This November, more than 400 food system thought leaders, experts and practitioners, spanning more than 60 countries, will gather at the Summit to explore trends and innovations that are shaping our food systems. They will share stories and spark ideas about how to overcome challenges today– and in the coming years. Together, participants will celebrate how far GFN has come as a network and build a shared vision of what the next 20 years will look like.
Throughout the event, sessions and activities will bring the theme of Local Action, Global Change to life. Global food experts, businesses and practitioners will share insights into issues and opportunities around topics, such as: agricultural recovery, supply chain logistics, partnerships, nutrition, disaster response, technology, and more. The Summit will feature an inspiring mix of speakers spanning global food companies, government officials, researchers, policy experts, and entrepreneurs and innovators who are shaping the future.
The Summit will create opportunities for participants to learn directly from one another through interactive workshops, thought-provoking conversations and field trips to local food banks and distribution centers. Attendees will hear firsthand how food banks and their peers are responding to the needs and opportunities within their communities and how those experiences can inspire action around the world.
Because global change happens when people and organizations learn from what is working locally, adapt those ideas to new contexts, and build support to bring solutions to scale.
The Global Summit will also be a moment to celebrate two decades of progress.
Twenty years ago, GFN was founded by food banks from the US, Mexico, Canada and Argentina with a vision of creating and connecting food banks around the world so they could learn from one another, strengthen their impact and build a more food-secure future. Today, GFN’s network spans more than 50 countries, demonstrating the extraordinary power of collaboration across borders, cultures and communities.
This year’s Summit takes place in Canada, home to one of GFN’s earliest members and co-founders, Food Banks Canada, and will honor the people, partnerships and innovations that have shaped the food banking movement over the past 20 years, while looking ahead to the opportunities over the next 20.
Ultimately, the Summit is about more than celebrating what food banks have accomplished. It is about sharing ideas, developing skills and building connections that can accelerate progress. It is about recognizing what they can accomplish next— and what becomes possible when a worldwide network turns thousands of local actions into a collective force for change.
From a farmer recovering surplus produce to a food bank finding new ways to nourish its community, from a business partnering to reduce food waste to a network sharing solutions that cross borders, global change starts with local action.
And together, those actions can change the future.
If you haven’t registered for the Summit yet, you can do so 여기.
For companies or organizations interested in sponsoring the Global Summit 2026, please contact Leah Heck, GFN’s corporate partnerships associate director, at lheck@foodbanking.org. All other inquiries regarding this year’s event can be sent to events@foodbanking.org.
