Christmas can be tough for parents, but one Corner Brook outreach centre wants to help

The rising cost-of-living has already made supporting a family difficult this year. But, the holidays can make staying on budget that much harder.

One outreach centre in Corner Brook is seeing first hand just how difficult this time of year can be. 

“Families are really struggling,” executive director of the Family Outreach Resource Centre, Bonnie Randell told CBC’s On The Go. 

On December 19 and 20, the centre held their Walking in a Winter Wonderland event to raise money for the centre’s programs, aimed at supporting families with children aged 6 and under. 

Randell says families are increasingly needing support due to the rising costs.

She says the cost of food has gone up so much that parents are not able to buy the healthy food they need for their family. 

In the fall, Statistics Canada reported that the average grocery bill increased by four per cent in September compared to the same time in 2024. 

Randell said this increase has also meant families are having to make budget cuts to afford their rents, mortgages and other bills. 

And families are especially feeling the pinch leading up to Christmas, she said. 

“Everybody wants, you know, special things for their children. And it's not always easy to do right when you're struggling, on limited income,” said Randell. 

That is why the Family Outreach centre functions as a “one stop shop,” says Randell, with programming aimed at supporting not just children, but also their parents. 

For example, she says the centre offers prenatal and postnatal programs, and a “Nobody’s Perfect” program for parents of children 5 and under to learn about child development, parenting and even budgeting.

The centre also has food insecurity programs where they teach parents how to cook and prepare food on a budget, says Randell. 

“There's so many challenges facing parents these days. So, you know, we all have something to learn,” she said.