'We are their lifeline': Edmonton's Meals on Wheels sees 98 per cent increase in demand
To help kick off the giving season, Edmonton’s Meals on Wheels held their annual turkey drive in an effort to provide thousands of Edmontonians with a festive feast over the holidays.
According to the organization's fund development communications coordinator, Kyra Palylyk, 70 per cent of their clients are on subsidy and Giving Tuesday helps offset the costs for them to ensure everyone gets a warm and nutritious meal.
Giving Tuesday traditionally provides 60 per cent of their fundraising goal for the year, Palylyk said. But, due to an increase in demand, efforts have been impaired.
“We’ve been kind of put into a pandemic deadlock for hosting traditional fundraising efforts,” she said.
“We haven’t been able to really meet our fundraising goals as strongly as we have in the past without COVID-19.”
After experiencing a 98 per cent increase in demand, it now serves over 2,000 clients. Because of that, Palylyk said they’ve set a goal of raising $100,000 to help carry them through the year.
“The need continues to grow.. we’re not slowing down, we’re only getting busier and it’s so essential for us to continue fundraising to keep up with this demand.”
According to Plylyk, their oldest client is 103 years old and the youngest is nine.
The Meals on Wheels kitchen currently produces over 450 daily meals as well as over 400 to 800 frozen meals. Plylyk said three different groups of volunteers come in every day to do the cooking.
“As the weather drops and it gets icier outside and colder outside it becomes increasingly more difficult for homebound individuals or people with mobility issues to leave their home so they not only rely on us, but we are their lifeline,” she said.
To donate or to learn more, click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A turbulent campaign nears its finale as Americans choose between Harris and Trump
A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancour headed for its Election Day finale on Tuesday, as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.
Government calls $9M condo purchase an 'operational decision'
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly defends the purchase of a $9 million condo for the Consulate General of New York City at a parliamentary committee, as a necessary investment.
New homeowners find skeleton in attic 15 years after previous occupant disappeared
Homeowners in France have discovered a skeleton in the attic of an outbuilding while undertaking renovation work.
Netanyahu fires Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, after months of clashes over war and politics
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired Defence Minister Yoav Gallant after months of clashes over domestic politics and Israel’s war efforts.
Trudeau and Harris? Poilievre and Trump? Here's who Canadians think would work best with: survey
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
B.C.'s chief electoral officer defends election integrity after 'human errors'
British Columbia's chief electoral officer says "extremely challenging weather conditions" and a new voting system factored into human errors that saw ballots go uncounted in the provincial election — though none were large enough to change results.
'Extreme disregard for the safety of others': Lamborghini driver gets prison sentence for 2021 Toronto crash
A mortgage broker who totalled his Lamborghini and left a passenger with life-altering injuries after trying to pass a Toronto streetcar at nearly three times the speed limit has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
North Vancouver man wins ticket lottery for concert that BCLC can't legally say is the Eras Tour
In another news release littered with Taylor Swift references, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation announced the winner of its "Concert of a Lifetime" giveaway Tuesday.
'I’m not proud of it': Jason Kelce apologizes after video shows him spiking a cellphone after fan used a homophobic slur
Jason Kelce issued an apology during ESPN's 'Monday Night Countdown' after a viral video captured a 'heated moment' between the retired Super Bowl champion and a fan over the weekend.