First annual Right to Food Day in Ottawa
The city of Ottawa declared Oct. 5 “Right to Food Day", to mark this the Parkdale Food Centre held an event in Parkdale Park Wednesday evening, offering information, music and free food to those attending.
The goal was to increase awareness about the level of food insecurity in the capital, raise funds to support the centre’s work and to connect with the community they serve.
Karen Secord, the executive director of the Parkdale Food Centre, says one of the main reasons people are not getting enough healthy food is money.
"Our government legislates poverty, only giving people $733 a month on Ontario works, only giving $1,227 if they are disabled and by only offering $15.50 an hour as minimum wage," Secord said. "The Ontario Living Wage Network says in Ottawa a living wage is at least $18.60."
Terrie Meehan, who has used food banks occasionally in the past, says the Parkdale Food Centre is different from other agencies. She says they make the clients feel like they have value and treat them with dignity.
"There are so many people who have too much month for their money. My children are adults now but I remember times where I pretended to eat so they did not know I was not eating," Meehan said. "I’ve had a few experiences where I’ve had to use the food bank to feed my family and feeling like I should be ashamed."
The Parkdale Food Centre is located at 30 Rosemount Ave and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.