Inflation taking bite out of women's shelter meal program

Cornerstone Housing for Women says inflation has hit its food service program particularly hard,makingit more difficultto provide nutritious meals to women escaping difficult living situations.

On Monday, Cornerstone's kitchen co-ordinator Omar Lyttle prepared the one hot breakfast he'll serve shelter residents this week bacon, french toast and fruit cups.

The shelter said the basket of ingredients it useshas increased in cost by 18 per cent since January due to inflation. That'spushed the meal program over budget and is frustrating the shelter's efforts to serve more hot meals.

"Vegetables, meats, fresh produceanything that is grown is hard to get," Lyttle said.

• Food keeps getting more expensive even as overall inflation slows

Lyttle preparesa variety of homemademeals to provide comfort and nutrition to residents at one of Cornerstone's shelters. Itcurrently offers three daily meals and an evening snackto about 100 people at its two facilities.

"It's not [fewer] meals, but we do have to get creative with what we do," Lyttle said.

He said that can involve adding chicken stock to homemade macaroni and cheese sauce to stretch it a little further.

$1.50 short per resident daily

The higher costof individual itemssuch as lettuce and breadmean it's more expensive to prepare certain dishes like sandwiches and salads, according to the shelter's food services manager.

"Bread has almost doubled in cost since January," said Paul Skinner. "That really impacts on our food budget when we don't have a huge budget to begin with."

Skinner said Cornerstone iscurrently $1.50 over budget per resident perday. He said there are no signs costs will drop soon, especially given the added expense of importingproduce during thewinterand fuel surcharges on deliveries.

A recent study by Ottawa Public Health said the cost of feeding a family of four in the capital rose more than 20 per centduring the pandemic, exceeding $1,000 a month.

The report found that for people living on Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program, buying fresh fruit and vegetables could mean going into debt.

Cornerstone has set a fundraising goal of $40,000 for Giving Tuesday, with the aim of covering the highercosts of the food program and increasing the number of hot meals served.