Calgary Meals on Wheels battling rising costs due to inflation
Officials with Calgary Meals on Wheels say the charity is struggling right now thanks to rising fuel and delivery costs combined with an increase in food and utility prices.
The agency operates annually on $5 million and does budget for inflation, but even taking that into account, rising costs have forced it to spent $85,000 over budget to keep up.
Co-CEO Stephanie Ralph says rising costs are adding up for them in the same way they are for families throughout the city.
"The more the price is rising in Calgary, the more people who are probably going to be looking for services like ours," said Ralph. "So essentially, what we need to do is just fundraise more to make it happen."
The agency prepares 4,000 meals daily in its industrial kitchen and delivers them to 500 clients.
Some of the highest price increases staff say they are seeing is on essential ingredients.
"It's really impacting bread, milk, fruits, vegetables," said Ralph. "When we look at our menu, we follow Canada's Food Guide and we're trying our best to make the meals dietarily safe for the clients that need that."
Ralph says right now, Meals on Wheels is managing with the help of generous donors, and there is nowhere to cut costs in the organization to make up for inflation.
"The last thing we ever want to do is pass those costs on to our fee for service clients," she said. "We want to keep those costs as low as we can, because they're already having financial challenges."
The agency relies on volunteer drivers to deliver food to clients.
Christine Hentschel coordinates the drivers from an annual pool of 400 people.
"Oour volunteers do use their own vehicles and we offer a gas rebate program to help with the expense that comes with that," said Hentschel. "Gas prices – the way they've been going lately – definitely impacts some of the abilities of our volunteers to volunteer as much as they may have otherwise."
The organization also operates a fleet of vans to deliver food and insurance costs are also on the rise. Ralph doesn't see a time when inflation will ease on all fronts.
"And the thing about gas is that's the part that seems to be the most unpredictable," she said. "The end doesn't seem to be coming as when we're going to see it stop rising."
Learn more about Meals on Wheels Calgary by visiting the organization's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Canadian couple among tourists on sinking sailing boat tour abroad
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.