Ottawa church giving free groceries to families amid rising inflation
As a pastor, Alex Osorio has likely delivered sermons about turning water into wine and multiplying fish and loaves of bread.
Those stories about feeding thousands are Sunday school staples. But with inflation hitting a three-decade high, the need for a miracle doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
That’s why Osorio’s Ottawa church, “Fire of God,” is giving away groceries for free.
"We're hearing a lot of stories of people going through a difficult, difficult, difficult time,” he said. “And we're just happy that we're able to provide a lending hand.”
The heavily-stocked room at the church is helping local families fight rising costs of ballooning grocery bills. Osorio says on a busy week, his church will help feed around a thousand families.
Canada’s inflation rate rose to 6.7 per cent in March, the highest in 31 years.
Statistics Canada is reporting an 8.7 per cent jump at grocery stores, with eggs and dairy seeing their largest annual increase since 1983.
Much of the rising inflation is being blamed on gas prices, which rose nearly 40 per cent compared to the same month as last year.
The cost of homes—and furnishing them—is also going up. With three kids and a housing upgrade, Laura Caughey and her husband are spending a small fortune.
"Probably about $25,000 on furniture. But we moved from a really small house downtown to a much larger house,” she said.
Many economists say that inflation will settle down at some point, especially with interest rates expected to keep rising. But for someone like Rosemary Bordenuk, it may be too late.
She lives on disability cheques and has been relying on free food from the church for close to three years.
"Meat is a very harsh essential. But even the vegetables -- vegetables are very high priced and everything,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
What Michael Cohen said on the stand in Trump hush money case
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
Behind the barricades: How protesters spend their first days in a new encampment
Students in Montreal describe life in a newly erected encampment in Montreal as a whirlwind of preparations, from facing rain and a potential police crackdown to setting up a space for the exchange of ideas.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Next 48 hours will be 'extremely challenging' for B.C. wildfire crews near Fort Nelson: officials
A wildfire burning dangerously close to Fort Nelson, B.C., has grown to more than 50 square kilometres, and officials are warning that the blaze's behaviour is expected to become more volatile over the next 48 hours.
Southern Ont. man charged with attempted murder in Timmins shooting
One of two men wanted for attempted murder in Timmins has been arrested, while a warrant has been issued for a second suspect, who fled police on foot.