Toronto, February 29, 2024 — A major funding lifeline is being cut off to one of the city’s largest food banks after allegations of financial irregularities surfaced. Daily Bread Food Bank is severing ties with Feed Scarborough, a move that raises serious questions about how charitable donations are being managed and, ultimately, who’s getting fed.
The split comes after Daily Bread uncovered discrepancies in invoices submitted by Feed Scarborough, prompting a police investigation.
- Daily Bread will stop providing food and funding to Feed Scarborough at the end of February.
- The charity reported concerns to Toronto police after finding questionable invoices and self-approved expense claims.
- Feed Scarborough’s CEO, Suman Roy, denies wrongdoing and claims an ongoing investigation will clear the organization.
- Police confirmed they are investigating the allegations.
The decision by Daily Bread’s board of directors, made last week, means Feed Scarborough will no longer receive food deliveries or grant money. It’s a dramatic step, and one that underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in the non-profit sector. The core question, as Daily Bread CEO Neil Hetherington put it, is simple: “Were those funds directed towards the charitable purposes that they were intended to go to?”
Financial Concerns Trigger Investigation
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Daily Bread had previously paused funding to Feed Scarborough while investigating the issues, but continued to supply food to ensure residents of south Scarborough weren’t impacted. However, the concerns persisted, leading to the complete withdrawal of support. Feed Scarborough has historically been one of Daily Bread’s largest member agencies, receiving millions of dollars worth of food annually and $620,000 in grant funding between 2021 and 2023, according to a police report filed by Daily Bread.
A review of the police report, along with supporting documents like invoices and property records, revealed several troubling issues. Among them: $18,000 in invoices submitted by Feed Scarborough to support grant applications that the vendors have no record of, over $100,000 in expense claims self-approved by then-board chair (now CEO) Suman Roy, and $10,000 spent on food purchased from Roy’s own company.
“If those financial irregularities prove to be true, obviously there is a great sense of betrayal of trust,” Hetherington said.
CEO Denies Allegations, Cites Investigation
Roy, who founded Feed Scarborough in 2018, issued a statement denying any wrongdoing. He cited an ongoing third-party investigation commissioned by the charity, stating, “I am confident that with the conclusion of this investigation all allegations will be proven unfounded.” He adamantly denied that any Daily Bread funds were spent with vendors with conflicts of interest.
Daily Bread’s report alleges that Feed Scarborough initially promised to provide documentation to address the irregularities but later denied access to those records. Toronto police confirmed they received a report from Daily Bread in November 2025 and that their Financial Crimes Unit is investigating.
Roy stated that Feed Scarborough has not been contacted by police but will cooperate fully with any investigation. He expressed disappointment with Daily Bread’s decision, emphasizing that Feed Scarborough has “continued to act in good faith” throughout their relationship. He also sits on Toronto’s board of health.
Questions Remain About Expenses
The police report details several specific concerns. In February 2025, Daily Bread contacted a vendor and discovered a “major discrepancy in financial reporting.” The vendor provided only one invoice for approximately $220 in food from 2024, despite Feed Scarborough submitting over $18,000 in invoices from that vendor to support grant applications. One of those invoices was even dated two months *before* the vendor’s company was incorporated.
Further scrutiny revealed that a $10,000 invoice for emergency food hampers was paid to Gourmet Alchemy in 2023. An accounting firm hired by Daily Bread discovered Roy was the sole director of Gourmet Alchemy, which was incorporated just a month before the invoice date. The business address was a residential property owned by Roy, and the invoice address belonged to Roy’s relatives. Roy had previously incorporated a similar business in 2013.
Despite this, Feed Scarborough’s board chair, Clifford Gomes, stated in an October 2024 email to Daily Bread that all vendors were at “arm’s length.” Gomes did not respond to requests for comment on the specific allegations.
The report also details $111,000 in expense reimbursements paid to Roy between December 2021 and March 2023 for gift cards, food, and rent. Roy signed the checks, and most claims were not approved by a third-party board member. The two exceptions occurred when Roy was CEO and his wife was board chair.
Feed Scarborough maintained it had sufficient funds at the time of these payments, citing cash flow issues. Roy and Gomes did not respond to specific questions about these expenses.
Soso World Ministries will now distribute food to residents previously served by Feed Scarborough. Founder Garth Soso expressed concern about the situation, stating, “It sheds a negative light on all food banks… So we have to make sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing.”
What does this mean for food security in Scarborough? The transition to Soso World Ministries aims to ensure continued service, but the allegations against Feed Scarborough serve as a stark reminder of the need for rigorous oversight in the charitable sector.
