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
Canada outlines national action plan to fight auto theft
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Iran's president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.
Michael Cohen says he stole from Trump's company as defence presses key hush money trial witness
Former Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen admitted Monday to jurors in the Republican's hush money trial that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from Trump's company as defence lawyers seized on the star witness' misdeeds to attack his credibility.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Woman, 35, in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
Investors watching posts from 'Crypto King' in the wake of fraud, money laundering charges
Former investors of the self-styled “Crypto King” say they are watching his social media accounts and worried his displays of wealth are signs he’s spending their money, even now, as another large expense tied to Aiden Pleterski has triggered a previously unreported lawsuit.
Almost 2 months after it destroyed Baltimore's Key Bridge, the Dali cargo ship has been moved
The cargo ship Dali is being moved from the site of its catastrophic collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in a crucial step toward fully reopening the busy Port of Baltimore.