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
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Tips to make a house or apartment safe and accessible for older adults living at home
Here's a summary of tips from the U.S. National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Here are some gardening questions, answers
When it comes to gardening, a lot of questions come up, including the best way to keep pets away from plants, maintaining your lawn and keeping the dandelions at bay.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.