Demand for Christmas meals to those in need continues to climb
Greg Lemay is in the midst of planning a 1,000 meal distribution to low income families later this month.
Lemay fundraises for the yearly event and joins other community groups in noticing a consistent rise in demand for help.
“The need is obviously larger,” says Lemay who started organizing Christmas dinners for those less fortunate four years ago.
“It could be the pandemic, it could be inflation, it could be loss of good jobs, I don’t know,” Lemay explains. “We obviously see more people struggling, we see it on our streets, not just at downtown but across the city or the region.”
Last year’s event saw 623 meals delivered across the city thanks to volunteer and local business support, according to Lemay.
This year, he anticipates anywhere between 800 to 1,000 meals to be ordered, telling CTV News deliveries go out Dec. 23 at 1 p.m. “The whole idea here is not to leave anybody behind, right?”
Meantime, registration for another festive meal giveaway in Windsor opens Friday, Dec. 10.
Organizers for Angie’s 7th annual Christmas Turkey Dinner Giveaway say they too have seen a yearly increase in demand across the region.
“We start getting phone calls from the public in October wondering if we’re going to be doing the giveaway,” Office Manager, Monique Ritz with Angie Goulet & Associates says.
Goulet says that again this year due to COVID-19, rather than having the public attend in person to pick up a turkey dinner, volunteers will deliver the free meals to everyone’s door in a safe, contactless delivery format.
“We find that every year the need is just as great as the previous year,” Goulet says.
Distribution of 1,000 meals is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
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.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'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.