Ottawa Food Bank facing donation shortage
Rising inflation is getting the blame for a drop in donations to the Ottawa Food Bank.
Ottawa Food Bank CEO Rachel Wilson told Newstalk 580 CFRA's CFRA Live with Andrew Pinsent on Saturday that inflation is having an impact not only on residents, but on the food bank as well.
"We have seen food donations go down by about 20 per cent in the last couple of weeks," she said. "We assume that's because it's just so expensive for everyone to be able to purchase the food that they need so, when they're in the grocery store, they're probably not picking up items for the Ottawa Food Bank."
Wilson said the food bank is seeing around 44,000 people every month, a roughly 17 per cent increase over pre-pandemic levels.
"We've been calling it a perfect storm, when you've got people who are without work and you add in the cost of everything go up so much, we're having the housing crisis that we've had, it's really making it harder for people to make the ends meet," she said. "It's so much easier to go without food than it is to go without rent or heat, so food is often the first thing to go."
Inflation has also affected the food bank's ability to operate, Wilson said.
"Everything is just that much more expensive. When you look between the gas we have to put in our trucks and the cost of food," she said, "and we know if it's harder for us, it's harder for people out in the city as well."
The pandemic has also had a lasting impact on people in need of the food bank, though Wilson notes in the early days, there some stability.
"When CERB came in place, our numbers really stabilized. We know that income is the real issue of food insecurity across the country. We're really hoping governments will look at increasing social assistance rates to keep pace with the cost of living," Wilson said. "Also, making sure housing is accessible. Those are the key issues."
A food drive was held at local grocery stores on Saturday to help bridge some of the gap, but donations can be made all year.
Financial donations can be made on the Ottawa Food Bank's website. Wilson says every dollar donated can be used to buy five dollars worth of fresh food, thanks to the Ottawa Food Bank's bulk purchasing.
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.
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.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
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.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
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.
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.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.