Key to the City will honour food bank founder’s decades of service in Brampton

The city is giving its highest honour to Annie Bynoe, the founder of a food bank and outreach group who’s been helping feed hungry Brampton residents for decades.

Founded over 30 years ago, Knights Table has served the needs of people dealing with issues related to poverty and homelessness in Peel Region.

Bynoe is executive director of the not-for-profit group and has developed initiatives for youths and seniors, and ensured children get a healthy start to school through breakfast programs, the city says.

Brampton will be awarding Bynoe the Key to the City “for her leadership, compassion and unwavering advocacy for individuals and families facing hunger, poverty and housing instability.”

Knight Table offers many food security and social service programs, including a Kid’s Breakfast Club, the Our Pantry Food Bank, holiday hampers and Cecil’s Kitchen serving three-meals-a-day to some of Brampton’s most needy men, women and children.

There are some 1,800 people and families in the Pantry program, and food bank use has been spiking across Canada in recent years.

A recent Food Banks Canada report says monthly visits to food banks came close to 2.2 million in March 2025, five per cent higher than the year before and nearly double the rate in 2019.

The report says food banks in Canada received a “historic and very concerning” number of visits this year, “far more than enough to call an emergency.”

The city says it is honouring her work at a time when Brampton is seeing an “unprecedented need for food security.”

“Her commitment to supporting residents, advocating for food security and uplifting our most vulnerable neighbours reflects the very best of our community,” Mayor Patrick Brown said in a release. “Annie’s compassion and leadership have touched countless lives, and we are proud to celebrate her contributions.”

Bynoe’s work has also included founding the Brampton Food Hub, a collaboration with other food banks to provide culturally appropriate food access for racialized communities, and the Mobile Community Kitchen food truck, which helped bring meals directly to vulnerable communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Under her leadership, Knights Table has expanded its reach and strengthened its capacity to serve thousands of residents every year,” the city says, adding that her “commitment to empowering people has defined her entire career.”

Bynoe was also previously awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the city says it is giving her its highest municipal honour in recognition of decades of serving the less fortunate.

“Through her vision, compassion, and collaborative approach, Annie continues to lead efforts that serve, uplift, and empower individuals and families across Brampton to thrive,” the city says.

For more information on Knights Table and their services, visit www.knightstable.org.