The food bank problem: Your solutions

[code_grey]

@jsgoddess

I was trying to figure out how you thought your comment was responsive to the discussion–if you thought someone was complaining about the inability to get expensive food from a food bank. I’m still unsure if you felt you were addressing anyone in particular.

I meant that if food bank lacks money, it should buy and hand out cheaper food. Incidentally, if food bank has no money at all, getting all donations in food, perhaps it can try selling the food they get and buying cheaper one.

[wonky]

@code_grey

I meant that if food bank lacks money, it should buy and hand out cheaper food. Incidentally, if food bank has no money at all, getting all donations in food, perhaps it can try selling the food they get and buying cheaper one.

A can of donated tuna doesn’t bring that much on the open market.

The pantries are handing out very cheap food, though not always as cheap as a 50 lb bag of rice. The foods have to be shelf-stable for the most part, easily divided into smaller amounts, and they have to be things people are willing to use.

[Broomstick]

@The_Controvert

While not letting poor people feel left out of Thanksgiving is a grand sentiment, if the food bank is having trouble supplying everyone with food as suggested by the OP, you should ask yourself how those people still waiting in line after the food is gone feel about the sentiment. Somehow, I think a full belly makes up for being called poor or being looked down upon.

No, it doesn’t. A full belly does feel better, but it doesn’t make up for being looked down upon because you are suffering from misfortune.

And perhaps it would motivate them to work harder to lift themselves out of their financial situation so they can have a regular Thanksgiving next year, if that is so important to them.

Right, because it’s inconceivable that one can work hard AND be poor at the same time!

My husband and I were fiscally responsible, had NO debt whatsoever (our vehicles paid off, no credit card balances, etc.) AND cash equivalent to six months worth of living expenses. Well, my husband’s disabled, I lost my nice office job over a year ago, since then most of the work I’ve gotten is manual labor (and that not steady), we’ve stretched those six months of cash to over a year… and I STILL can’t get a steady, permanent job despite over 25 years of work experience and a college degree.

Then some sanctimonious jerk tells me a full belly makes up for the people who look down on me for being poor, tells me I should have planned better, made better financial decisions, and if I don’t want to continue to be poor I should just work harder because OBVIOUSLY I’m not trying hard enough…

Mister, I hope you get laid off and get a taste of your own medicine.

[The_Controvert]

@Broomstick

Mister, I hope you get laid off and get a taste of your own medicine.

Well, thanks to hard work and good planning, I was already financially independent from an early age, so I have no fear of being laid off. (This is all money I earned and saved myself so I can retire anytime I like) As far as post-Thanksgiving turkeys go, I made one for myself and can confirm that it was just as tasty and filling as any regular Thanksgiving turkey I’ve had.

ETA: It was also MUCH less expensive!

[Broomstick]

I see. You’re in the “I got mine, screw them” camp. Nice. Pat the poor people on the head and blame them all for their woes.

[The_Controvert]

Broomstick, I think you’re moving way beyond the OP, which asked for solutions. I gave one. It seems you dislike my solution, but cannot argue on logical grounds, so you are resorting to namecalling and reading a bunch of extra stuff into my posts.

[Dangerosa]

@The_Controvert

Broomstick, I think you’re moving way beyond the OP, which asked for solutions. I gave one. It seems you dislike my solution, but cannot argue on logical grounds, so you are resorting to namecalling and reading a bunch of extra stuff into my posts.

She did address you on logical grounds - which is “work harder” is not always an option. Sometimes, medical expenses eat through those well planned savings. Sometimes jobs aren’t available. And your response to her was “well, gee, you might have planned, but you didn’t manage to do as well as me.” If she’s reading in extra things, I am as well…

[The_Controvert]

I was talking about the idea for food banks to purchase post-Thanksgiving turkeys.

[wonky]

Markets around here did not put post-Thanksgiving turkeys on sale, Turkeys are not shelf-stable, and Thanksgiving is rather beside the point since we’re halfway through December and can’t time travel.

[The_Controvert]

Actually, both fresh and frozen turkeys are heavily discounted around here, and keep a long time if a freezer is available. If the requirement is stable at room temperature, then I agree it wouldn’t work unless the turkeys were going to be eaten soon.

[cowgirl]

@code_grey

I am using this as analogy to illustrate my suggestion about food. If you cannot afford expensive food, buy cheapest food possible, as long as it is nutritive and will keep people from starving. Fortunately, there are no zoning regulations about what people may and may not eat.

This is a false economy. There are not zoning regulations about food, but there certainly are health requirements. Eating nothing but cheap starches is not healthy for people. Over the short term, there is not enough protein for your brain and body to function. (Ever try to work when your stomach is growling? Ever crave protein after doing something strenuous, and you can’t concentrate until you get it?) Over the long term, that kind of diet can really mess up your metabolism and lead to serious health problems, like diabetes. Raising kids on a diet like that is setting them up for lifetime health problems.

Food that is healthy and inexpensive (e.g. brown rice and beans from scratch) is often not accessible in terms of time (it’s hard to cook rice and beans if you’re working 2 jobs) and other resources (such as kitchen appliances, as outlined above).

[purple_haze]

@Raza

I direct a small charity (not a food bank), and here’s a technique that seemed to work well in my neighborhood: a selection of older kids/young adult volunteers was informally recruited; announcements of a collection day were made (this could be via community Web site; newsletter; flyer; entrance sign); and the kids went around on that day, knocking on every door, collecting a few items. It was pretty successful.

Here’s why I think it works: when I’m checking out or leaving a grocery store having just spent $$$ I’m not particularly in the “donor mood.” But we darn sure have some soup or pasta or whatnot that’s been in our pantry for months, and the organizer in me would just as soon free up the space (if I haven’t eaten it in two months, I probably won’t eat it ever, realistically). I think many middle class families have the same situation.

This process could be repeated every month or two. There are over 600 homes just in my subdivision; at one can/package each on average, that’s a lot of food.

I completely agree with this. Who wouldn’t give something to the cute kid at the front door? Some of the local high school kids did this last weekend, and so did the Boy Scouts a few weeks ago. We happily donated each time. What’s not to love? It’s very convenient to walk to my kitchen and grab a few items.