More users, higher costs: Montreal-area food bank says donations critical as families battle inflation
Inflation and soaring food costs have many Quebec families feeling the pinch, and the head of one food bank says demand has increased by nearly 40 per cent in 2022.
According to Suzanne Scarrow, executive director of the West Island Mission (WIM), there's a struggle to keep up inventory.
"We’ve registered over 70 families since May alone," she told CTV News.
These days, the WIM is seeing more young families and a lot more seniors.
"Seniors are typically able to budget themselves very well based on their pension and fixed income, but now going into the grocery store, it’s a whole different story," Scarrow explained.
Cherry Dunn says she and her husband are barely making ends meet.
"I’m horrified at how fast everything is going up. I mean, just your normal, everyday stuff, like your eggs, your bread -- it’s prohibitively expensive," she said.
The average grocery bill is up nearly 11 per cent since last year. Bakery prices went up by more than 13 per cent, while the cost of edible fats and oils went up by nearly 28 per cent.
All of this means higher costs for food banks as well.
The WIM relies on food donations as well as its own produce from over 100 gardens. But some foods, like milk and eggs, are purchased by the organization.
"I would encourage people, when they're in the grocery store, to add a little extra in their basket if they're able to do that, or go online and donate," said Scarrow. "Cash over cans makes a huge difference, operations costs are just rising and we have to make sure we can keep the door open."
"If I had not had the food bank, we would have had to have left our home and gone into a shelter."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.