Food bank client says grocery prices squeezing them out

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Like tens of hundreds of individuals throughout the GTA, Elena involves a meals financial institution to high up her grocery purchasing each week.

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She says she isn’t positive what she would do with out entry to the Day by day Bread Meals Financial institution.

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“It has been troublesome,” stated Elena, who didn’t want to share her final title.

On Thursday, she had a 12:30 p.m. appointment on the Etobicoke meals financial institution to pick out no matter she wanted.

Day by day Bread is an enormous hub supplying 189 meals banks throughout the GTA.

“It’s actually arduous to get meals as a result of every little thing is getting dearer,” stated Elena, minutes earlier than amassing a variety of products together with contemporary produce.

She is on incapacity and lives together with her daughter on restricted earnings.

She nonetheless ventures to the grocery retailer, however every go to, she says, brings added strain to her month-to-month price range.

“It’s been robust as a result of I’m going within the retailer and virtually each time I’m going, the costs are increased for issues I’ve bought previously. So it’s not enjoyable,” Elena stated. “If I’m going and let’s say the bread was like $3 final time, after which it’s $4 or $5, it actually upsets me,” Elena stated.

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Throughout city, the Thorncliffe Meals Financial institution can be replenished by Day by day Bread.

Organizers there say they’ve seen a significant improve in demand this 12 months.

“We’re seeing 4 occasions as many households as we often see,” stated coordinator Shumaila Saeed.

She stated many of the residents within the space are latest arrivals to the nation and she or he has registered a marked improve of shoppers from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

“It’s troublesome for them — and lots of of them are coming for the primary time. They’re shy about having to want the meals financial institution,” Saeed stated.

One in every of its most urgent wants is flour.

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Lots of Thorncliffe’s shoppers want making their very own bread, quite than taking donated sliced bread.

In Ottawa, the federal NDP desires a deep look into whether or not grocery shops are profiting off inflation by charging extra.

Whereas inflation was working sizzling at seven per cent in August, meals inflation was pushing 11%.

The Financial institution of Canada has stated the inflationary drag on the financial system and households is unsustainable and will probably be tackled.

Elena hopes the costs which have pushed her to make use of Day by day Bread extra typically, come down quickly.

“I’d not have the ability to maintain myself simply by going and shopping for every little thing,” she stated. “I can’t.”

slaurie@postmedia.com