View Full Version : Values puzzle at foodbank
Chicken lady
4-6-17, 10:30pm
So, I ran across a quote once that said "when I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. This is my religion." That works for me as a basic foundation.
i'm sure people work at the food bank for many reasons. Most of them have been connected through ther churches. Some come as part of company service projects, and I have the impression that a few are there to meet "workfare" program requirements.
i am there because in the current political/social climate I have a greater need to meet, get to know, and understand my neighbors, and because anything I can think of to do about issues that matter to me makes me feel less powerless, less hypocritical, and less panicked.
there are things at the foodbank that bother me. I am trying not to judge. I am trying not to project my values onto other people. Many of these people have helped to keep this place running for decades. I choose to go on the assumption that they know what they are doing and the motivations behind their actions are reasonable and positive. It still bugs me when they do things like skim off the gluten free brownie mix or almond butter to take home. I think those things need to be available to the population they were donated to, then again, some of the volunteers might qualify as part of that population and just not be registered. Pride is strong.
otoh, some of the volunteers who do this also criticise some of the clients as greedy for taking too much cake or bread (there are no limits) or comment on their weight.
Several volunteers fill a bag with food items every week. They also take food to cook for church events. They are very open about it - one woman came back today and asked me if we had any canned pumpkin. I said "one" and she said "oh good, can you get it for me, so-and-so is making a pie for such-and-such dinner and she never takes any pumpkin." I handed her the pumpkin. I didn't ask about the taking. I want to ask, because I want to understand, but I'm afraid it's a violation of their social conventions. (Is it an unspoken rule that we don't talk about the unspoken rules?)
they have accepted me warmly, even when they give me strange looks for not knowing things like which Monday is the Monday after Easter. I'm sure part of it is my relative youth, strength, and energy level, but I try to be polite, positive and helpful. I may need more direction than they would like, but I take direction well.
they have been very nice about cooperating with my need to recycle their plastic wrap. Even though I am probably a little OCD about it.
leftover/expired food goes to a woman who picks it up for her chickens and sometimes brings eggs, or sometimes to mike's pigs - who provide nothing, but mike works hard. And lately Ruth - the self proclaimed "Jesus nazi" (who bugs people to go to church, but not me for some reason) has taken to insisting I take a box or two for my chickens on days the regular chicken lady doesn't come.
i feel bad about this, but I can't decide if it's "doing bad". Part of it is that my chickens are not donating eggs - my family is eating all the eggs. Part of it is that Ruth - whose job includes purging the bread table every day, often throws in bread that is new and fresh because "nobody ever takes this stuff" (whole grains, rye, pumpernickel, raisin, sour dough - bread I love, which I then eat instead of giving to the chickens) so, I feel a little like I am undeservedly taking bread from people who need it, or eggs from people who need them (surely the bread could sit around getting even more stale for a few days until the other lady comes) or from mike's pigs (although he doesn't seem to mind).
otoh, I like having the bread.
today they gave me a 25lb bag of rice. They have been trying to give it to me for three weeks. I keep asking if we can't offer it to someone. They think no one will ever eat that much rice, and we are not allowed to repackage it (health dept). Today they insisted I take it "for the chickens" to free the shelf space. The expiration date is over a year away. I will eat that much rice. But I just feel a little sad about it.
i also feel sad because Ruth spent her shift loudly tearing someone down today. Someone who won't be coming back to the food bank because Ruth told her her shift had been filled (by me) because they don't want her there anymore. She stopped coming to church. And she has a boyfriend half her age. And she's a hoarder. I tried to say I was a hoarder and to offer some insight, but I literally couldn't get a word into the conversation without talking over someone.
i think I need some feedback on this stuff from outside. Anyone?
flowerseverywhere
4-6-17, 10:47pm
I donate a lot of food to our local food banks. I would cease to donate it if I found out that the workers were skimming off the good stuff and find another thing to do with my charity time and money.
Sending expired food or nearly stale bread home with the workers for chicken or to cook immediately with is another story. I would rather see that than have it thrown away. I disagree about not putting out the rye bread. Surely put it out and if no one takes it, we'll that is another story.
One thing about bout the big bag of rice. It takes time to cook. You need a good working stovetop and a sturdy pot to cook. Are you sure everyone has that? My experience of working in mental health taught me that a lot of people lack the skills to plan or the equipment to cook something that seems very simple to me.
it sounds like there is quite a bit of dysfunction and possible misuse of their non profit status. They should not be taking food intended for the registered clients. That is stealing and wrong. can you go there week after week and not say anything? Will the gossipy and judgemental nature you have described drive you craz or will you be able to work past all that?
iris lilies
4-6-17, 11:45pm
It sounds like a typical volunteer organization to me with the typical amount of dysfunction.
After working there for a while CL, you will know if it is true that no one takes the rye bread, or a 25 lb of rice will just sit there if you don't take it, or gluten free brownie mix isn't popular with the clients they serve. Sit tight, learn the details.
we have 25 lbs of Jasmine rice sitting in our cupboard along with 10 lbs of basmati rice. Yeah, no one ever eats that much rice. [eyeroll.] But certainly, people need to have cooking equipment and skills to use it up, and flowers is right, that may not be a lot of people.
My husband has gotten some first hand experience at a local small food bank and our best friends often worked at several. He picks up from our huge distribution center and delivers to the church food bank. It takes an enormous amount of work on a constant basis year round to run these operations whether small or large. People are people whatever they are doing. Please remember there would be NO food banks without the constant work of the volunteers. And they have seen the good and the bad.
1. There is food that will never be taken by anyone that comes. It is available but sticks around for weeks. They have limited storage space including refrigerator and freezer space. For example, a high quality ($20 a pound) white cheddar cheese will not be taken but yellow Kraft is never left. Healthy breads (brown), skim milk, almond butter, gluten free stuff,etc. are generally not taken. Snacks both salty and sweet are however very popular.
2. Things that require much preparation is not taken. Certain vegetables just hang around. They may not be perfect but it takes cooking ideas and skill to turn them into something. Flour does not get chosen at our site.
3. We dont get to choose brands only categories. So the brands vary from week to week and depends on what is donated by individuals and huge grocery chains.
4. Some states allow for repackaging. We sometimes get huge packages of bacon and dried apricots or other commercial sizes and repackage. But this takes care and knowledge to do it safely. They try never to bring in large commercial packages or gallon sizes due to these issues but sometimes they are found in big boxes from the central site.
5. Already prepared food, if not taken during the next give away, is either thrown away or given to anyone that can use it, for example as chicken feed. We do not choose this but are given the prepared food for free during a regular pickup.
My husband want to say that all this depends on the size of the food site and the mix of customers they serve. We have huge ones that are like grocery stores and small ones like this local church. At the huge ones, the food is delivered to them on pallets. We fill one pickup per week. He also wanted to say that if there were no food banks, the huge warehouses of food would go to landfills or to animal feed if allowed by the state and there would be a lot more hungry people.
I also have to say that the space, electricity, repair, gasoline, use of trucks, people time, equipment, and supplies are all donated and often just by the people of the church or other volunteers like my husband.
Do not let the "perfect" be the enemy of the "good".
All good thoughts on above posts and it is easy to forget sometimes that not everyone "in need" has the same skills as others. I feel into that line of thought a few times. A elderly neighbor one time worked the food bank for many years in the very small town mostly rural area. I remember her main gripe was the lack of knowledge of how to prepare the non ready to serve foods. The seasons that farmers would bring in Beans and such, some days they would just sit because as she told me many had no idea what to do with them. Can spaghetti was a hit, yet the assorted single items to make it which made a so much more for dinner, would not move off the shelf. Her gripe was education on how to prepare was needed or maybe even required.
My sil told me she could just go get laundry soap and food at the food bank and no one ever asks how much money she had or any questions. ANGER I felt actually as I knew the main diet for them was subway and pizza. But they were and do have a hard time managing money. SO I suppose not for me to judge.
Keep up your good work!
Chicken lady
4-7-17, 7:07am
When I am there, and she tries to give me the good bread during set up, I suggest that we leave it out and if no one takes it, I'll grab it when we close. I think a couple loaves have been claimed. I know all the naan went one day - she made a surprised face at me when she saw the woman choose it. But when I'm not there, I don't think she puts it out.
The general consensus is that all anybody wants is sliced white bread - and that does fly off the shelf. And people ask about it if we are out. Ruth's reply in that situation is "all we have are hamburger buns" or "nope. We're out." If I were doing bread, I would add "have you tried the country sourdough or semolina? I really like them."
I jokingly say say my religious affiliation is "starfish thrower" from the story about the boy on the beach. So I have this weird conviction that if one mom makes her kid a sandwich on rye bread out of desperation and the kid likes it, I will have shifted my community in a healthier direction.
My biggest goal with the negativity is not to get sucked in. I'm jaded enough to expect it in any group of humans, and I know Ruth has a lot of physical and emotional pain in her life. I keep trying to tell a positive story every time i go. So far they haven't nick-named me Pollyanna. Also I have to remind myself not to throw their religion at them. It's a long term habit of mine and learning to break it would probably be good for me. (I.e. "Ruth, how would Jesus handle that situation?" - it helps that Ruth is old enough and jaded enough and snarky enough that her reply would likely be "I'm not Jesus.")
with the the taking of food - all of these people are "seniors" so they qualify to sign up for a monthly food pick up. The monthly food pick up for one person is about 4 bags of food. Which is more than most of them take in a month - they just take it a little each week and cherry pick. Otoh, I've never seen anybody take eggs or milk - which we sometimes run out of. By not signing up, they do create an undercount on the number of people we serve, which does affect our funding a little. Some of them donate food as well, or bring cleaning supplies and bags from home and I do not at this time (I will take garden surplus). I feel like it's too complicated for me to judge.
Chicken Lady, you are a good person. I love the Starfish Thrower response. I may take that from you!
iris lilies
4-7-17, 10:59am
I think volunteers may also get into a mindset of "I donate my labor, I get to help myself to spoils." And in some cases that is ok, in others it is not.
Right now our plant society is shifting from a mindset of "save all monies of the organization" to "spend the money, dammit, because we are disbanding." It is kind of a Die Broke philosophy coming to life.
My least favorite society member still has all kinds of helpful ideas on how to save money. She is our Idea Person! Funny how all of her ideas mean that someone else ends up driving all over town, or sitting on the computer or in offices, to do the things she thinks need to be done in the name of saving money. To CL I say:don't be that person. But I know you are not!
The governing board of the food bank should have made a statement about volunteers taking food. Maybe there is such a thing, and maybe it is ok according to the rule. Maybe the rules aren't clear. Or maybe as you say the volunteers themselves DO qualify as clients. If any senior citizen qualifies, those qualifications seem pretty open.
Also, to me, a major point of food bank administration is something that sweetenana touched on and it is Huge in my mind.The overhead and administrative costs of distribution are enormous when weighed against the street value of this food. Do not worship the food. Instead, respect the system that allows the food to be distributed. The physical plant and labor and gasoline and etc costs real money, although that all maybe a sunk cost by now. These food products have already been produced and the earth's resources used up in their production.
personally I think it is great that pigs eat the stale stuff.
iris lilies
4-7-17, 11:07am
Also, our food bank here has paid nutritionists (probably gumbment paid) to conduct healthy cooking classes. Also loads of simple how-to cook pages are produced. I know because I pick them up when I am picking up trash at my ghetto property.
It makes me tear out my hair when people assume that instruction is not forthcoming. It is there for those who are open to learning. Otherwise, let them eat Wonder
Bread, salami, and cheese slices. That is what the churches pass out for,lunch because that's likely what people eat.
Food choices are very much a cultural value.
At our Soup Kitchen, we work hard to have a healthy diet started from scratch. Salad is often discarded, any kind of meat is rated highly and the day-old baked donations of buns and cakes from the local grocery stores are extremely popular.
I get annoyed when I hear discussions about the cost of the average food basket when determining the budget of the low income. Dieticians want to include the cost of year-round fresh vegetables and fruit. So many don't eat them but prefer canned or none.
Chicken lady
4-7-17, 12:41pm
We try to respect cultural choices. Also, I get the cooking thing - a guy yesterday just took white bread and asked for canned fruit but no canned vegetables and only bologna for his meat. I guessed that he might be living without food heating abilities and asked if he would also like canned tuna and he said yes.
if people ask for no pork, we give them one extra beef (which doesn't balance the quantity)
i have no no problem with the pigs eating the stale stuff. I am a big fan of the chickens who are gifting the food bank their eggs eating the stale stuff, I am just not sure MY chickens should be eating the stale stuff, but I am getting pressure to take it and I don't want to seem judgmental or condescending. I try to go with grateful. I definitely don't want it thrown out because I didn't take it! And I do want to respect the flow of food. I do understand about running out of macaroni because we didn't have room to stock more because there was a 25lb bag of rice in the way....
also, not all food banks have cooking or nutrition help. We don't. I had a conversation one day with a woman who picked up a yellow squash and asked what it was. I told her "summer squash." And when she asked "what do you do with it?" I gave her some simple prep ideas. I also once told someone you don't have to make coleslaw out of chopped cabbage - you can put it in salads, sauces, soups, and stir fries. I think I lost them after "salad". I lost all the other volunteers by "stir fry".
There is always a governing member of the food bank present when we are open. So, I suppose I should consider the fully open taking of food items to be their concern rather than mine. The rules are somewhat unclear. I am receiving them verbally a bit at a time as things come up. I didn't sign in the first four weeks because no one had mentioned it.
CL, just treating each recipient with dignity, respect and a smile is doing a lot for both volunteers and the needy. I am learning not to be Mrs. Fixit but it is such a struggle when one sees how things could flow more easily or benefit more. I think the quote below from your post says it all.
"There is always a governing member of the food bank present when we are open. So, I suppose I should consider the fully open taking of food items to be their concern rather than mine. The rules are somewhat unclear. I am receiving them verbally a bit at a time as things come up. I didn't sign in the first four weeks because no one had mentioned it."
DH and I also volunteered at our church's food bank. (Like sweetana, we got the food from a county distribution center, picking is up on a weekly basis). We hired a local to help us, because she knew the culture of the neighborhood we were servicing. She was TOUGH! She meted out justice with an iron rod. There's no way she would have let anyone, volunteer or client, get more than their share, cut in line, break the rules.
She left and we organized the distribution ourselves. There was one church member/volunteer who did take advantage by scarfing up stuff he liked, but he had been fired from his job, so we turned a blind eye. When people are poor and hungry, I don't think they really value "rules" or "etiquette" as much as they value security--which will manifest itself in getting what they can.
I personally feel that if you aren't poor or hungry, you may as well value the rules and etiquette.
I think some folks may be working there because they need the food, and it is a socially acceptable way to get it, without being viewed as being needy. I think that is how I would probably view it if I could not buy food.
I am glad that the service is there for the community, and I know the community values the work that you do there, CL!
Also, to me, a major point of food bank administration is something that sweetenana touched on and it is Huge in my mind.The overhead and administrative costs of distribution are enormous when weighed against the street value of this food. Do not worship the food. Instead, respect the system that allows the food to be distributed. The physical plant and labor and gasoline and etc costs real money, although that all maybe a sunk cost by now. These food products have already been produced and the earth's resources used up in their production.
Having done a little food bank/meal delivery work, I have found this to be absolutely true. People get hung up over every morsel not being wasted without giving much thought to the other resources involved that might be much better utilized. I have also had similar experiences with the folks who have all kinds of ideas about what other folks should be doing. Except where perhaps safety is involved, there is little to be gained from trying to micromanage volunteers. Ultimately, the organization needs them more than they need the organization.
For the same reason, I wouldn't in most cases get too judgmental about my fellow volunteers. I'm part of an organization that works to get people into decent housing, and have observed many different motivations. We have some who share CL's feel-good ethic, we have some operating on the traditional religious "corporal works of mercy" ethic, we have a few social justice warriors putting their time where their mouths are, some folks simply trying to preserve neighborhoods, and some status-seekers who have reasons to be seen doing good. It takes all kinds.
Chicken lady
4-9-17, 11:43am
I am also a "time where my mouth is" person. The feel good/feel bad thing is more of an explanation of the underpinnings of my moral compass, as in generally, if I feel bad about doing something, it is probably "wrong".
so, that is mostly why I am having inner conflict over me taking food home.
On one side, taking food home *appears* to be a normal and accepted part of the volunteer role, the others at the food bank seem to want me to have it, I like having the food, I'm in favor of avoiding waste in all it's forms, and I believe in optimizing resources (it is better that a human eat this food than a chicken, we only have so much space, how much time can we invest in getting this food optimally distributed?).
on the other side, I feel uncomfortable being "paid" for my volunteer role in a tangible fashion (but not in an intangible fashion - like people greating me with happy smiles when I arrive. I also feel uncomfortable with public recognition, but that doesn't make public recognition "wrong"), I am concerned about misdirection of resources (are we honoring the intent of donors?), and I believe in optimizing resources (is it better that I, human not-in-need, eat this food than chicken who-produces-eggs-for-foodbank? Have we really tried hard enough to get this food into the "right" hands?)
back again tomoorow.
iris lilies
4-9-17, 11:48am
CL this is an interesting discussion and your explanation of the nuances of food bank distribution is interesting.
Cl I've read this thread with interest. I, too, work in our once a week food pantry at the little church in this little village. We have one client who is so thrilled to have organic things, she says, "in my former life I used to eat only organic." I think about that often as when we are sorting and shelving food we'll say to each other, "client will be so happy to see this." One worker is rather judgmental as to the amount one certain family takes..she knows them. I keep trying to remember not to judge either the clients or the volunteer but it can be hard. We do discuss it. I only go to pass out food...not really organize or plan, although I did at the beginning when there were just two of us running it. Perishables do go to the volunteers if not taken, although they often get taken to the "big" food panty in the bigger town that is open every day. Our leader has gotten nearly every church in the area- and there are many small churches, as well as the elementary school involved in food drives. We only serve about 15 families a month and they are regulars. The goal is to serve more of those too proud to come because we might know them. It's a very friendly group, both clients and volunteers.
Chicken lady
4-9-17, 3:04pm
I do a LOT of organizing. My family says I have "subclinical OCD". If I work the the station with soup or canned fruit, I have to sort it out so that each type is lined up like the grocery store so that I can grab the right number of cans while still being sure that each client gets a variety. Also, I have to use what we have the most of/expires soonest first, so I might give every family an applesauce plus other and never touch the fruit salad. Other volunteers just grab whatever is closest, so if we switch off, some family might get three applesauce and nothing else thanks to my organizing. :|(
we average between 20 and 30 families per day depending on the month, open 3 days a week, so 240-360? Our building is an old one room church with a garage next to it full of freezers and refrigerators. (Mostly freezers) and a shedlike Sunday school building for non-perishables. The original church space has been cut into a front room with two bathrooms at the side and a larger back room/staging area packed with shelving and a few more fridge/freezers. It holds three wagons and six skinny agile people. Usually we only have 4 back there.
We have a van that does a perishables run to different local grocery stores each day, and a big truck that comes once a month with non-perishables and govt. meat./dairy/eggs. Sometimes we also get a pizza or donut donation from the local donut or pizza shop.
Chicken lady
4-20-17, 10:27pm
Today was a hard day to be a starfish thrower at the food bank.
a woman brought her young neighbor and the neighbor's little boy in to sign up. Then she took me aside to tell me the neighbor has a mental illness, so her behavior might be off the next time she comes in. She also felt a need to tell me she didn't know how long the neighbor would be coming because she had "a man" living with her who is "verbally abusive to both of them. I can hear him all the time from my house." (Is she hoping the girl will run? Get money from the man and not need food? Expecting her to be killed?)
the boy was the age of my heart grandson. He was very shy and uncertain at first, but he let me find him a new shirt from the rack and give him a bear. (the mom Said "thank you. He doesn't really have any toys."). I listened to her tell me all the reasons he misses school all the time, and I told him "I bet your teacher misses you. I'm a teacher, and I would miss you." I packed them Cheerios, pretzels, crackers, cookies, fruit salad and applesauce and threw in a bag of fruit gummies from my station, found the first bear a friend, and thanked him for coming to visit. And that was all I could do.
he looked happy when he left, but I was wishing I could have given him a new pair of sneakers (he needed them) and a book at least. And preferably a safe, quiet, predictable place to sleep and eat and play and read and learn and grow.
when my dd and her best friend first went to help at this food bank, the guy who runs it asked "so, are you just here for your graduation hours?" (required community service hours) and dd said "maybe next year, I'm not old enough to fill them in yet." And her friend said "I'm here because when I was a little kid, you fed me." He went out of state a couple years later and got a college degree. So, Cheerios and a bear aren't much, but maybe they're something?
iris lilies
4-20-17, 11:40pm
Today was a hard day to be a starfish thrower at the food bank.
a woman brought her young neighbor and the neighbor's little boy in to sign up. Then she took me aside to tell me the neighbor has a mental illness, so her behavior might be off the next time she comes in. She also felt a need to tell me she didn't know how long the neighbor would be coming because she had "a man" living with her who is "verbally abusive to both of them. I can hear him all the time from my house." (Is she hoping the girl will run? Get money from the man and not need food? Expecting her to be killed?)
the boy was the age of my heart grandson. He was very shy and uncertain at first, but he let me find him a new shirt from the rack and give him a bear. (the mom Said "thank you. He doesn't really have any toys."). I listened to her tell me all the reasons he misses school all the time, and I told him "I bet your teacher misses you. I'm a teacher, and I would miss you." I packed them Cheerios, pretzels, crackers, cookies, fruit salad and applesauce and threw in a bag of fruit gummies from my station, found the first bear a friend, and thanked him for coming to visit. And that was all I could do.
he looked happy when he left, but I was wishing I could have given him a new pair of sneakers (he needed them) and a book at least. And preferably a safe, quiet, predictable place to sleep and eat and play and read and learn and grow.
when my dd and her best friend first went to help at this food bank, the guy who runs it asked "so, are you just here for your graduation hours?" (required community service hours) and dd said "maybe next year, I'm not old enough to fill them in yet." And her friend said "I'm here because when I was a little kid, you fed me." He went out of state a couple years later and got a college degree. So, Cheerios and a bear aren't much, but maybe they're something?
Sure temporary relief items such as Cheerios and stuffed toy are good if you can't provide a mentally stable mother and a predictable home life. Especially if I t is true that he had no,toys at all.
We had some drama at the pet rescue food bank here having to do with the guy who doles out the food being pissy ("acting like a girl" according o my friend ) and making up rules that don't exist. And so she called his boss. Now everything is smooth and he is sweet as pie.
Chicken lady
4-22-17, 9:47am
Yesterday I stopped at goodwill looking for a new blender for school (I burn out a $5 blender every year or two)
they had a grocery cart of children's books 4/$1. I bought 56 in good to excellent condition with good stories and excellent illustrations. And a huge box of wooden blocks for $8 that I'm going to split up into child sized sets in 10# cloth rice bags with handles. When the woman behind me in line heard me telling the cashier why I was excited about the books, she handed the cashier her senior discount card (I'm 2 years too young) and the cashier used it.
Today was a hard day to be a starfish thrower at the food bank.
a woman brought her young neighbor and the neighbor's little boy in to sign up. Then she took me aside to tell me the neighbor has a mental illness, so her behavior might be off the next time she comes in. She also felt a need to tell me she didn't know how long the neighbor would be coming because she had "a man" living with her who is "verbally abusive to both of them. I can hear him all the time from my house." (Is she hoping the girl will run? Get money from the man and not need food? Expecting her to be killed?)
the boy was the age of my heart grandson. He was very shy and uncertain at first, but he let me find him a new shirt from the rack and give him a bear. (the mom Said "thank you. He doesn't really have any toys."). I listened to her tell me all the reasons he misses school all the time, and I told him "I bet your teacher misses you. I'm a teacher, and I would miss you." I packed them Cheerios, pretzels, crackers, cookies, fruit salad and applesauce and threw in a bag of fruit gummies from my station, found the first bear a friend, and thanked him for coming to visit. And that was all I could do.
he looked happy when he left, but I was wishing I could have given him a new pair of sneakers (he needed them) and a book at least. And preferably a safe, quiet, predictable place to sleep and eat and play and read and learn and grow.
when my dd and her best friend first went to help at this food bank, the guy who runs it asked "so, are you just here for your graduation hours?" (required community service hours) and dd said "maybe next year, I'm not old enough to fill them in yet." And her friend said "I'm here because when I was a little kid, you fed me." He went out of state a couple years later and got a college degree. So, Cheerios and a bear aren't much, but maybe they're something?
Blessings to you and your tender heart, Chicken Lady. That post really touched me.
Simplemind
4-28-17, 5:26pm
My husband and I deliver Meals on Wheels. We are on a tight schedule and don't ever get there early when a lot of the drivers congregate and have coffee and donuts before they load up. We also don't stay after for the meal that is offered from the kitchen. It was a couple of years before one of the administrators suggested that we could take two of the packaged meals and milks since we were not able to eat in the dining room. We agreed to that but I'm sure that somebody could look at that and think we were taking meals that should be for somebody else. We do get a gas reimbursement and I think it is very nice that they also offer the volunteers a meal as well.
Tuesday is bread day and people coming to the center are allowed to take two loaves. We have a few people on our route that appreciate the additional bread so we take it to them. It makes us look like we are taking more bread than what is allowed. One of the drivers works for Dave's Killer bread and brings in bread only for the volunteers that is kept in our locked volunteer room. That would also look like we were taking the "good" bread but this is something that one volunteer does for the others.
I volunteer in a couple of different places and there are the black and white rules and then there are some work arounds that are agreed on for what ever reason. Sometimes it has taken me a couple of years to figure things out. I've just learned that things are not always what they seem but when in doubt I ask about it. I wouldn't be cool with people skimming things that are meant for somebody else.
Chicken lady
5-5-17, 6:22am
Last night we were slammed. 29 visitors between 5:00 and 7:50.
Sharon's back was giving out on her again, Betty's hands were shaking by the end of the shift. I was tired and I'm at least 20 years younger.
we had a ton of cakes and bread from the local groceries. Frank insisted on limiting each family to one cake. He also got angry at the older woman who came in with the little girl and boy and tried to take three gallons of kool aid. He told her two was enough and she had more than enough groceries and to go.
i asked one of the long time volunteers if Frank was trying to fix people's nutrition and she said "no, he's trying to fix the greed, but you'll never fix that."
I asked if I could take a bag of rolls last week because I had underestimated my bread needs and was going to have to go shopping early to cover two sandwiches for dh for work. I was told "sure, take whatever you want, you've earned it." We bagged up three garbage bags of moldy bread for chickens last night. Before we opened - it's warm and humid in the building now and the bread stays on shelves.
when I look at people walking out with two sheet cakes or 5 plastic grocery bags of bread, I don't think greed, I think that I hope they have a freezer. I am glad we won't be bagging that food for chickens. The woman with the little kids might be doing ok and just trying to grab as much free stuff as possible, or she might be a grandmother on social security suddenly raising her grandkids alone and staring down the end of the school year and free lunch program, wondering how she's going to get them through the summer.
it's hit and miss if we have fresh vegetables. It's possible you could come three or four months in a row and never get any due to unfortunate timing.
I think we probably see more insecurity than greed.
also last night, some of the guys were giving me a hard time about how I "drive" the wagons. And were tossing around ideas of other jobs they thought could do. Frank said "it can get pretty rough around here." In a sort of cautionary you may not have realized what you're getting into tone (the other woman all work inside only, I'm the only girl wagon puller/truck unloader.
i had had a rough day at school Wednesday and I said "I spent half of first period yesterday explaining to a 16 y.o. How her birth control works. You guys aren't going to throw anything at me I can't handle." He said "I'm sorry I asked. Actually. I didn't ask."
The kids at school are bringing me empty egg cartons so I can take my extra eggs to the food bank. Yesterday the 5 dozen I brought in were all we had.
We have now Blessing Booth set up on the rails to trails I ride. Drop food and goods off, take as one would need, no questions or people maintaining it. I am now waiting to see how fast some will use it as a trash dump. A stolen bike that had been on the trail for a week or two got moved there, still laying in the weeds. I am afraid it will get trashy looking very soon sadly. I am wondering if the booth was placed in the wrong location really. A church also set up a cute little house booth to do the same with. It has been filled to the brim with foods and such. Again wrong area as perhaps there are not many in need out here as in other parts of area.
Chicken lady
5-5-17, 7:42am
I am thinking that unless homeless people are camping out on the rails to trails easement, there is no need for it in that location. I would be tempted to treat the booth as a drop bin and take the stuff in it to an actual charity.
but I also take things out of the recycling drop bin that don't recycle/could still be used and donate the usable stuff. I once found three garbage bags of stuffed toys - 24 hours later they'd all been through my washing machine with bleach (for germs) and dried hot (for bedbugs) Most of them looked really good and went to goodwill. The ones that didn't went to animal rescue.
also, may I ask what is keeping you from taking the bike to the local police?
iris lilies
5-5-17, 8:29am
I didnt know that Kool Aid comes in gallons.
Kool Aid and sheet cakes--thats a party!
The site along the trail for food seems misdirected do-gooding.
I would never eat/drink anything in such an exposed unsecured place like those Blessing Booths. Dangerous. Food banks at least have security (well as much as possible), sanitation, and basic food safety rules in place.
I would be more distressed over how the people coming for food are being treated (and I am only reading what is posted) than the amount of food they are taking. Volunteers need to be compassionate. There is a nice way to explain something that does not involve "angry". Wonder what those two little kids heard and saw.
BikingLady
5-5-17, 10:28am
SO these Blessing Booths are in other places around the country?
Yes that was my feeling too, but without sounding harsh, I have seen the homeless men on the trail going through the trash cans often. These fellows you could set the clock by daily as they leave the mission in the morning and head back at dinner time. Why would you ask I would notice this? I am a single lady running and biking and when I first moved here this stuck out like a sore thumb to me and I am always alert, not judging. I think this would be a nice booth perhaps closer to town on the trail where the many many Homeless{?} hang out. Out on the trail farther, I have noticed since I moved here many summers ago, these men do not generally venture miles out from the city. I have never seen a mom or kids out there that far.
Chicken lady
5-8-17, 1:21pm
I have started taking my extra eggs to the foodbank. Also today, there was a lot of chicken/pig bread. Ruth is still tossing the breads she doesn't like into the chicken and pig boxes when they have only been there one day, but at least they are surviving the day so people get a shot at them. I took three loaves today when we were cleaning up before they could get bagged for livestock. I also claimed the bag of tomatoes and donuts for my chickens. The other egg lady didn't bring any eggs today, and Jim already had five big garbage bags in his truck of bread and produce to split between her chickens and his pigs. So, I don't feel badly about sharing the livestock food, but I do still have mixed feelings about the whole thing.
jim also took a ten pound bag of sugar (we don't give out sugar, which I also have mixed feelings over. People need sugar to cook from scratch which is cheaper and if you have more time than money, I think it would be good if we gave you sugar if you want it. We give you coffee if you ask for it. And cakes. And kool aid in gallon jugs....) And two jars of peanut butter (we do sometimes run out of peanut butter, so I'm kind of judgey about that) to make fudge. He brings in fudge and brownies for the volunteers. Again, I guess if it motivates people to volunteer, that's good, but all I heard was old women complaining that he is making them fat (but they will eat the fudge)
also, apparently we put beets out on the free extras shelf instead of using them in the canned vegetable allotments because "you don't know who likes beets". You don't know who likes peas either.
and Ruth doesn't know why we even give out bran flakes because "nobody likes them. They just get thrown out." Betty and I each told her that we buy bran flakes. On purpose. At the store. Because we like them. I try to put one sugared cereal and one not sugared in each bag when we have enough for two cereals. I wish we could ask people stuff, but sometimes we don't have time, and even when we do have time, Frank would get upset about "taking orders" and "playing favorites". But I would be happier if the Ruths got the lucky charms and the Bettys got the bran flakes.
when we lived in Virginia a long time ago, I participated in a program called "Share" - you had to do a certain number of documented hours of community service every month and then you could buy a grocery share for $13.50. I can't remember how many paper bags of groceries it was, but I couldn't carry them in one trip. 6?4?, anyway, I discovered that if I got there early and hung out in the parking lot, I could trade most of our meat, dessert and snack food away for vegetables, fresh fruit, pasta, and cooking ingredients like butter, flour, and cornmeal. I always felt a little guilty about that too, but I'm pretty sure the people I traded with thought they were getting the better deal.
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