OT: The hungry in your neighborhood

[AngryScientist]

I have a heavy heart this morning, and feel compelled to write something on this forum. Last night i went out with the wife and bought a bunch of food staples and donated them to a local woman.

my wife works at a school, and, one of the young girls who attends, who is always dressed in tattery old clothes has been acting up. the mother eventually confides in the staff that she hasnt been able to afford the necessities of life consistently. they have been hungry at home because she just cant afford to put enough food on the table every night. of course she breaks down and cries, etc etc.

here in NJ, in the NYC metro area, the cost of living is so high, it can be overwhelming. this young lady is a single mom, trying to put herself through community college program to become a dental assistant, and working as many hours as she can at a crappy paying job. without outside support from family or friends, the ends just dont meet up. living expenses, utilities, rent. sometime the pennies just dont add up every month, and the trip to the grocery store can be daunting.

my wife is a social worker and is trying to get this woman some help. unfortunately she seems to be just on the edge of where she qualifies for certain programs.

it's heartbreaking, and when we added a box of cookies to the heap of staples we are coordinating to give to this young lady, i nearly lost it. how does a young mother tell her 6YO daughter: "there is no more food" when they are hungry? for a young mother, just trying to get a grip on life, that's more than most could handle.

i have been so fortunate in life to have things like "campagnolo" that it's easy to forget that people who live so close to home might be going to bed without a good meal in their bellies.

i've resolved to find something i can do on a consistent basis to help. i love the idea of programs like city-harvest which take leftovers from supermarkets, farmers markets, restaurants, etc and move them to people who can use them immediately to offset hunger. seems that in high dollar neighborhoods like NJ and NYC that a lot of GOOD food might be going to waste.

I'm rambling, i know. it saddens me. no one should go to bed hungry, and no one should have to tell their kids "there is no food". i know it's a big, comlex problem, and i know it's bigger than my head can even wrap around. sigh.

[buldogge]

Thanks for posting this AS.

It's overwhelming at times, the human condition…especially when "we" aren't directly affected by it.

People often lambast others for trying against insurmountable tasks/goals/whatever…against a tide, but all you can do in life if try to be a positive force.

Do what you can on a micro level, with whatever issue, and hopefully we can all do the same resulting in a macro effect.

-Mark in St. Louis

[pbarry]

Great post. Thanks for the perspective.

[laupsi]

Thanks for the post. We all need to consider those less fortunate, especially during the holidays, of course me saying so doesn't do anything to help out and we all say and feel this way when confronted.

Action. What you're doing is to be commended. Hopefully this woman can catch "a break" and keep herself going w/the help and support of others like you and your wife until things become more stable for her and her daughter.

[Fishbike]

Angry -- NIck --

Your post strikes a chord. There is tremendous hunger in this country. A very high percentage kids do not have enough to eat. Yes, many folks who have food insecurity have made bad choices; many more work.

I am the president of a non-profit that runs a food pantry as part of its mission. Every year I send out an annual appeal letter. A few years ago I wrote about a little girl who came to the pantry with her parents. She started to cry. When asked why she was upset, she said she was so happy because the family had food.

[Vientomas]

Good on ya Angry. We all can make a difference.

[Ahneida Ride]

The processes of creating $ outa nothing and charging interest on nothing
is the core of the problem. Even more nothing has to be created to pay
back the interest on nothing... the cycle continues, and it's called
price inflation ... when in reality it is exactly the opposite ... money
dilution. The poor can never escape it's insidious grip

End Debt slavery and more people can afford to eat.

[christian]

Oh, for f@ck's sake, can you get off your gold standard Fed horse for once. We're all,frankly, tired of it, and in the context of a thread like this it's tasteless and off topic.

Angry - good on you, mate!

[malcolm]

Moving post. I grew up poor, single parent family, mom working two jobs with two kids. Thankfully never hungry or unclothed. Actually only realized how little we had once I was grown.

For many the response is why did she have kids when she clearly couldn't care for them. I think that is not an unreasonable question to ask and probably needs asked and discussed. It does not however even begin to address the problem and humans have and always will do things not in their best interest.

I often feel guilt over the life I lead. We are comfortable and our kids want for little. My wife and I both try and make them aware that many people are not as fortunate and I think they get it to some degree but occasionally they respond in a manner that makes you realize they have no real idea what it is to do without.

We normally take a trip over the Christmas holiday but this year we have decided to stay home and plan to take our kids to a local shelter to help serve meals for the holiday.

We should all attempt to give back, but with day to day living of life it's easy to overlook the suffering of others. I know I'm guilty of it and hope to do a better job in the coming year. Thanks for the post.

[Saint Vitus]

First of all kudos to taking action, inertia is our greatest enemy. Living in San Diego, we have a large homeless population in addition to many who live at the fringes of society which taxes the city and every one of the NGOs in town.

Another thing to consider (and I am not making this a political point or a discussion), is the rollback of the foodstamp program will be making it tougher on those who use them, further taxing the system in place as they will now be looking to NGOs to help them subsist.

Bottom line is that it's all the more reason to give to food banks and other such entities as they are in the trenches and can best serve those in need. My father tells of the depression era days when his mother would gladly feed whom ever asked at the backdoor without question. I remember my mother taking me to outreach centers in Minneapolis to bring food to the needy. As was once pointed out a couple thousand years ago, the poor will always be with you, please help them.

[54ny77]

Poignant thread.

If you're in CT, I would recommend these two organizations, where any donations are welcome:

http://www.foodbanklfc.org/

http://www.kidsincrisis.org/index.php

[William]

Good on ya Nick.

It's a good reminder that there are those who are less fortunate for whatever reason. Especially tough for many people going into the Winter months, not only trying to put food on the table, but trying to keep their families warm with clothes and fuel.

There are many charities and volunteer opportunities out there that one can donate $$ or time to help out. We have been donating to the Portland Rescue Mission for years. We started when we lived in Oregon and saw the number of homeless people living in Portland and Corvallis. We continued even after we moved to the East Coast. The Wounded Warrior Project is another program that is close to our heart so we help out there as well when we can. It may not be a lot, but we believe in giving back and helping others when we are able.




William

[norcalbiker]

What puzzle me is many of our local churches and non-profit organization spend a lot of time and money helping, feeding and clothing people in another country. I do understand about the third world country because I came from such a country. But we also have a lot those homeless and hungry people here in our own backyard. Some of them just need a little help to back on their feet. Believe me I know when I said that. It is a big problem and no one seems to know how to solve it, including our government.

Anyway, for you AS, bless you and your wife's heart.

[carpediemracing]

I'm fortunate to have grown up in relative comfort - suburban home, food on table, stuff like that. My parents grew up in Japan during WW2 so they understood the idea of "not having much". Both my parents came from what I'd call upper middle class families but they were reduced to eating sawdust bread and such. Both emigrated to the US shortly after the war, mainly because my mom's dad was sort of asked to relocate to the US (and my dad followed my mom). Both struggled mightily at the beginning - we found old budget note pads - my mom remembered one week because they bought milk and normally they couldn't afford to buy milk (water was free).

I've experienced the hunger thing a little. I owned (or was in debt over, technically) an LBS. I had no money. I literally didn't buy anything in a retail establishment for 3 years because I couldn't afford to. I wore bike schwag because I got it for free - t-shirts, mountain bike shorts, and, in the winter, pants that I'd had for eons. My gf bought me a coat (I wore a leftover cycling jacket). I even wore old mtb shoes during the day. Etc. The bagel place 50 yards away gave me a left over bag about once a week, stuff they were going to donate. Bagels and sweets (croissants, muffins), that would last me most of the week. A deli traded me bike service for food but I prepared my own food there so I didn't take away from their labor time.

When I was single I had to scrounge for food on the weekends. I remember one day pretty distinctly - I finally found a can of corn or green beans or something in a kitchen cabinet, it'd ended up in the back of an unused cabinet. That was all I had that day.

[Vientomas]

Oh, for f@ck's sake, can you get off your gold standard Fed horse for once. We're all,frankly, tired of it, and in the context of a thread like this it's tasteless and off topic.

With all due respect to the Gentleman who needs a ride - I have to agree with the sentiments express above.

[tiretrax]

AS, great post. This time of year, especially when the weather changes, the need seems to become more apparent even though it exists all year. Not only do people need food, but Christmas presents are important to donate next month.

[carpediemracing]

As far as "why do people have kids when they can't afford it" it's something that I've been super conscious of - I didn't want to feel like we'd be a burden to society (and ourselves) by having a kid too soon in our life.

The result? I'll be 63 years old when my son, our first, is finishing his senior year in high school. I said to the Missus (who is younger than me) that I hope his friends don't confuse me for his grandfather.

We've been thinking of a second child (which prompts the thoughts of "Your dad is almost 70?!" type of conversations our second kid might have). I said to someone I respect, someone who raised a few kids of his own, that I felt uncomfortable with the idea of having a second kid if we were already stretching our budget for the first.

His reply?

"You can never afford to have a kid. You make it happen. You do what you need to do."

People do things that from the outside may seem illogical, but the person doing the thing will think it's normal or fine or whatever. I don't understand $3k steel frames, to give an example pertinent to this forum, but there are plenty of folks that swear by them.

To that woman's credit she's trying to do something. Dental assistants (hygienist?) make decent money. Her kid is in school. She's working. At the surface it seems that she has a sense of social conscientiousness. It beats sitting around doing nothing.

[plattyjo]

Thanks for sharing this post. When I lived in NYC, I did some volunteering with the mobile vans run by the Coalition for the Homeless that would distribute food to those in need. When I moved to the Bay Area, I wanted to do something else that incorporated cycling and organized the Supermarket Street Sweep (http://supermarketstreetsweep.blogspot.com/). It's a charity bike race that benefits the SF and Marin Food Banks, and we raise both food and money for the organization. It was inspired by Cranksgiving (http://www.cranksgiving.org/) in NYC, and the concept has spread all over the country!

So if your city has an event, it's a fun way to help your local food banks -- or start your own, or get your company to sponsor a day where they can work there to help sort food, etc. There's always numerous ways to help!

[Matt-H]

Thanks for sharing this post. When I lived in NYC, I did some volunteering with the mobile vans run by the Coalition for the Homeless that would distribute food to those in need. When I moved to the Bay Area, I wanted to do something else that incorporated cycling and organized the Supermarket Street Sweep (http://supermarketstreetsweep.blogspot.com/). It's a charity bike race that benefits the SF and Marin Food Banks, and we raise both food and money for the organization. It was inspired by Cranksgiving (http://www.cranksgiving.org/) in NYC, and the concept has spread all over the country!

So if your city has an event, it's a fun way to help your local food banks -- or start your own, or get your company to sponsor a day where they can work there to help sort food, etc. There's always numerous ways to help!

Awesome!



AS-

It can get you down, but keep your chin up. We can't help everyone, but bit by bit we can make a difference.

[572cv]

We have a relatively new local restaurant here, and it has partnered with the local food shelf to have a benefit supper once a month. Its on a Tuesday, the first Tuesday, so thats what it's called. Any restaurant's hottest night, right? Well they serve a prix fixe menu of as much locally produced food as possible, and split the proceeds with the foodshelf.

The place is packed. Good for community, good for the restaurant, great for the foodshelf. Awareness about what to do, where to help, can facilitate aid from lots of people in a community. I'm sure there are other ideas out there, but this is one.

Thanks for the post, AS

[malcolm]

What puzzle me is many of our local churches and non-profit organization spend a lot of time and money helping, feeding and clothing people in another country. I do understand about the third world country because I came from such a country. But we also have a lot those homeless and hungry people here in our own backyard. Some of them just need a little help to back on their feet. Believe me I know when I said that. It is a big problem and no one seems to know how to solve it, including our government.

Anyway, for you AS, bless you and your wife's heart.

I think it seems more exotic and on some level more useful also you don't have to think about hungry kids in your own country. At least where I live we are fairly insulated from hunger, it's in our community but not in the places we live or visit. Mid size cities especially in the southeast are built in a manner where you don't really see the poor, few people ever venture into the actual downtown.

[PQJ]

Oh, for f@ck's sake, can you get off your gold standard Fed horse for once. We're all,frankly, tired of it, and in the context of a thread like this it's tasteless and off topic.

Angry - good on you, mate!

This

[FlashUNC]

It's one of the reasons I volunteer fairly regularly loading palettes and sorting bins at the local food bank.

It ain't much, but I figure every bit helps. Inexcusable, imo, that folks go hungry in the most prosperous country on the planet.

[gasman]

Oh, for f@ck's sake, can you get off your gold standard Fed horse for once. We're all,frankly, tired of it, and in the context of a thread like this it's tasteless and off topic.

Angry - good on you, mate!

This in spades.

The poor have been around for hundreds of years.

Good for you AS. One of the main charities we contribute to is Food for Lane County. Lots of hunger that is not always obvious and we help regularly.

[54ny77]

So inappropriate in this thread.

I guess you don't mind collecting those FRNs when you sell your handlebar tape, right? Or will you accept bitcoins or fresh Goat milk in trade?

The processes of creating $ outa nothing and charging interest on nothing
is the core of the problem. Even more nothing has to be created to pay
back the interest on nothing... the cycle continues, and it's called
price inflation ... when in reality it is exactly the opposite ... money
dilution. The poor can never escape it's insidious grip

End Debt slavery and more people can afford to eat.

[Idris Icabod]

AS, great post. This time of year, especially when the weather changes, the need seems to become more apparent even though it exists all year. Not only do people need food, but Christmas presents are important to donate next month.

Our local foodbank is asking for children's shoes this year rather than toys as parents struggle, I know our kids go through shoes at an alarming rate. I plan on from here on in, everytime my kids need shoes to buy two pairs and give the extra to the charity. It's a heart breaking realisation to find out that so many kids go hungry, I'm guessing most of us are insulated within our communities from seeing this first hand. Good for you helping out, hopefully this lady has better times ahead post-graduation.

Also not to pile on but I'm glad someone has pointed out the repetitive annoyance of the guy who manages to parrot the Federal reserve notes carp on pretty much every thread.

[1centaur]

Let's leave the FRN discussion out of the thread.

Thinking about why anybody would send food to foreign countries rather than solve the problem at home, I will guess it is as simple as uncertainty (due to lack of information). Put a person in the OP's story's position in front of an American and have them choose to feed that person or a nameless person in Africa and most would choose the American because they 100% know the situation and are inclined to take care of their own. Ask them to feed unknown, faceless Americans or unknown Africans and the proportions would change due to uncertainty whether they are feeding people who are working the system or perhaps hopeless cases (addicted and mentally ill street people) who don't need to get through the next day as much as have a massive change in their life. Charity givers naturally gravitate to areas where they think they can have the most impact for good, and feeding a wino so he can save his panhandling money for booze does not feel as good as feeding a poor starving African child (to speak in broad cliches for the sake of argument).

So if we wanted to "end hunger in America" as a national priority (because it certainly seems like we have the means), we actually require a vetting process to define hunger and assure those giving that they are having the desired impact. The food stamp debate is tied up in this same issue, with one side implying that all food stamps go to people like in the OP and another citing anecdotes of food stamps used for all sorts of non-essential stuff by fat people who don't work and cobble together a lifestyle from a variety of government programs. The vetting process, the thing that removes uncertainty, is the key roadblock, and a fraught one to solve. That said, if I were President, I'd create a commission on day one to figure out what ending hunger in America would mean and how we could get it done. We talk about education being a roadblock to success in life, but hunger for those involved, is a greater obstacle, and clearly often involved in the education issue as well.

Until then, the effort will remain local where the vetting is done by compassionate and energetic people who deserve a ton of kudos. Huge props to the people who thought to use restaurant extras for this need and the companies that were willing to work with them.

BTW, earnings commentary from major BRANDED food companies like Kraft have mentioned in recent weeks that the reversion of food stamps to their former levels will cut sales meaningfully in future quarters. People who are at subsistence level should not be buying branded (i.e., premium priced) items.

[nm87710]

There are many ways to help - be creative but most of all help. You will benefit as much or more than those who use food banks. It's a win-win scenario.

[dyerwolf]

One way we can familiarize ourselves with our less fortunate citizens is to take the SNAP (formerly food stamps) challenge.

The SNAP Challenge gives participants a view of what life can be like for millions of low-income Americans. Most participants take the Challenge for one week, living on the average daily food stamp benefit (about $4 per person per day). Challenge participants find they have to make difficult food shopping choices, and often realize how difficult it is to avoid hunger, afford nutritious foods, and stay healthy.

http://frac.org/initiatives/snapfood-stamp-challenges/

I urge all of us walking in the shoes of our most unfortunate.

[krhea]

The processes of creating $ outa nothing and charging interest on nothing
is the core of the problem. Even more nothing has to be created to pay
back the interest on nothing... the cycle continues, and it's called
price inflation ... when in reality it is exactly the opposite ... money
dilution. The poor can never escape it's insidious grip

End Debt slavery and more people can afford to eat.

Your response to such a poignant and honest post is sad.

Hunger is real, guttural, most likely something you or your family has never felt. I have, as has my family. It's not about gov't, it's about "life", it's about a bad break, it's about living on the wrong side of the tracks, the color of your skin, lack of services on the reservation, it's about lack of education, it's about history, it's about the alcoholism, drug abuse, it's about mental illness on occasion and yes, even making bad decisions, however, NO ONE ever decides to be poor and certainly not hungry.The power lies with those of us, who like "AS", decide to be a part of the solution instead of staying in the background and complaining about those people or even worse, tossing out tired opinions with governmental overtones.

It doesn't take much.

I do a Thanksgiving ride every year where I charge a "ride fee" of two can goods plus a winter coat or heavy sweater. Post ride, my wife, kids and I distribute the goods to a local shelter we've decided on as a family. I do the same thing for my New Year's Day club ride.
It's not much, but if it helps just one person and especially a kid, not feel hungry for even a little bit, it's worth it. We're not looking to save the world, however we appreciate what we have and genuinely feel for those less fortunate then us.

Good on ya AS. There's nothing like getting an up close and personal "taste" of how those less fortunate live to give you that "feeling" in your gut that makes you immediately complain less and appreciate more.

[CNY rider]

here in NJ, in the NYC metro area, the cost of living is so high, it can be overwhelming. this young lady is a single mom, trying to put herself through community college program to become a dental assistant, and working as many hours as she can at a crappy paying job. without outside support from family or friends, the ends just dont meet up.

Great post Nick.
I just spent some time in Manhattan and had a feeling I couldn't afford to live there either despite being able to live very comfortably in upstate NY.
Do you think maybe your area is just too expensive for most people and she should be living somewhere more affordable?

[ariw]

What really jars me about these stories is not just the personal, up-close view we get of those less fortunate, but how hard they are working. Too often the perception of those using food banks and SNAP is that they are not working, homeless, or both. A high percentage of the families going hungry are working, often multiple jobs, and yet still can't make ends meet.

When I worked for the school board, one teacher that I trained bought graham crackers by the case because of the number of kids coming to school without breakfast. Eventually, the whole school had free breakfast and lunch because of the high percentage of students who qualified.

-Ari

[krhea]

What really jars me about these stories is not just the personal, up-close view we get of those less fortunate, but how hard they are working. Too often the perception of those using food banks and SNAP is that they are not working, homeless, or both. A high percentage of the families going hungry are working, often multiple jobs, and yet still can't make ends meet.

When I worked for the school board, one teacher that I trained bought graham crackers by the case because of the number of kids coming to school without breakfast. Eventually, the whole school had free breakfast and lunch because of the high percentage of students who qualified.

-Ari

This.

[Nooch]

What really jars me about these stories is not just the personal, up-close view we get of those less fortunate, but how hard they are working. Too often the perception of those using food banks and SNAP is that they are not working, homeless, or both. A high percentage of the families going hungry are working, often multiple jobs, and yet still can't make ends meet.

When I worked for the school board, one teacher that I trained bought graham crackers by the case because of the number of kids coming to school without breakfast. Eventually, the whole school had free breakfast and lunch because of the high percentage of students who qualified.

-Ari

i agree.

as for people saying to move places that are less expensive, i offer that sometimes you need NYC money to pay the other bills -- I couldn't move somewhere and make less than I do because of my student loan bills -- I pay what could be a mortgage in student loans every month. it's ridiculous.

nick, good on you for making a difference. my wife is a serial coupon-er, and we make an effort to pick up all the free/low cost staple items we can and load up the church's pantry.

[redir]

What really jars me about these stories is not just the personal, up-close view we get of those less fortunate, but how hard they are working. Too often the perception of those using food banks and SNAP is that they are not working, homeless, or both. A high percentage of the families going hungry are working, often multiple jobs, and yet still can't make ends meet.

-Ari
Pretty much what I was going to say spot on. There is an ugly political movement on the rise in this country that dehumanize the poor as lazy no good moochers on entitlement programs that steal money out of good working peoples pockets. It's nothing but hate and not based on reality.

My sister is having a real hard time now since her husband broke his neck (he's doing a LOT better now), lost his job and his insurance. A lot of us, you, me and everyone are one step away from loosing everything to medical bills and heading to the poor house.

I went to the grocery store today and the guy who bagged my stuff must have been well into his 70's. That's another story all together but in a nut shell, through the use of lies, propaganda and hate the few who continue to funnel the money up and away from the middle class have some how gotten a large portion of voters to disdain the poor even as they themselves become poor. The percentage of people who have enough money to retire today is scary low as is the percentage of people that even have one month of living expenses in a savings account!

I could go on for hours but I wont. Good on you Mr Scientist. You have inspired me to action.

[54ny77]

This thread is poignant reminder that many of us have an embarrassment of riches for which we should be nothing other than grateful.

I can recount stories of my grandmother from her life during the depression. When her mom sold a wedding ring or a fur coat in order to buy food for the family that day, or a new piece of cardboard meant new soles on the shoes. That s%#! is humbling. Truly.

[goonster]

A lot of us, you, me and everyone are one step away from loosing everything to medical bills and heading to the poor house.
This.

[tuxbailey]

AS, great post and I applaud you for pitching in to help. This is specially tough because of kids who are hungry.

[MilanoTom]

When you read the original post and looked deep into your heart, is this REALLY the best you could muster?

The processes of creating $ outa nothing and charging interest on nothing
is the core of the problem. Even more nothing has to be created to pay
back the interest on nothing... the cycle continues, and it's called
price inflation ... when in reality it is exactly the opposite ... money
dilution. The poor can never escape it's insidious grip

End Debt slavery and more people can afford to eat.

[merlinmurph]

Thanks for the reminder, AS.
Unfortunately, I can forget about other's hardships and need a kick in the ass to remind myself to do something. Thanks for that kick, I really needed it.
We have a fantastic local organization that helps people out in all sorts of ways - food, clothing, Christmas presents, etc. I need to make another donation.

Enjoy your ride,
Murph

[thwart]

The processes of creating $ outa nothing and charging interest on nothing
is the core of the problem. Even more nothing has to be created to pay
back the interest on nothing... the cycle continues, and it's called
price inflation ... when in reality it is exactly the opposite ... money
dilution. The poor can never escape it's insidious grip

End Debt slavery and more people can afford to eat.

Most of us have probably posted stuff here that we should have thought about twice before doing so. I have.

Unfortunately, I can forget about other's hardships and need a kick in the ass to remind myself to do something.

This.

[veloduffer]

Good post AS. This forum has a lot of good-hearted folks.

Teach your children well. My son gives 1/3 of his gifts and allowance to charity, and helps out at the local food kitchen from time to time. Recently, a schoolmate, whom he doesn't know personally, is ill will leukemia. I'm proud that my son gave all the money had saved on hand (about $120) -- without any hesitation -- to this boy's fund to pay his medical bills. To be honest, my son has displayed a lot of empathy at times, more than I did at 14.

As someone previously posted, one moment can change your life from independence to dependence as quick as falling off your bike.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Thought provoking post, Nick.

"There is an ugly political movement on the rise in this country that dehumanize the poor as lazy no good moochers on entitlement programs that steal money out of good working peoples pockets. It's nothing but hate and not based on reality."

I see this as a "fable" to get funding for so called welfare programs cut, and eventually ended. Appalling.

I work with the people who run and use soup kitchens, outreach programs, etc. at my job every day (SNAP, ElmCor Community Services, Italian Charities etc) These people are in really bad shape, and to think they choose to live the way they do is ridiculous. Mooching $4 a day for food is the most unbelievable thing I've ever heard. These people want to WORK, to PROVIDE for themselves and their families. As said, a large percentage of us are one bad break from total financial ruin. Even with the best laid plans, medical bills can bankrupt anyone, seen it with folks who previously made SEVEN figures.

My issue with donating has always been how much actually gets to the cause/those in need. But when you roll into one of these places, with a 15 pack of toilet paper, a case of pasta etc, the look in the eyes of the people that run/use the place is that of someone who won the lottery. City Harvest, another organization that can use any help/donations to operate. http://www.cityharvest.org/.

IMO, a big part of the root cause of this situation is the lack of family structure in folks, from an early age (divorce) and substance abuse/mental illness and the lack of treatment for it, also at a very early age. The issue of the 1% getting more rich and the rest get shortchanged, the outsourcing of good paying jobs abroad, and the abysmal public education system are all a bigger issue, but not discussing it in this particular thread.

A local food pantry we're involved with.

http://www.brookfieldct.gov/Pages/BrookfieldCT_Social/food

This was linked, but deserves another one, easier to donate.

http://www.kidsincrisis.org/index.php

[fuzzalow]

Appalling that the richest nation in the world allows the existence of hunger in its citizenry. Equally deplorable is to accord, rationalize or fabricate blame on those who suffer the inhumanity of its condition. We are all in this together.

It is never an imposition to be reminded of this, thanks to Angry Scientist for bringing this thought to the the front of the room.

It is a blessing and a gift in life to be generous. It is never too late to begin and any positive deed is never too small or insignificant. Nobody has to know about it but you.

[AngryScientist]

thanks for all of the thoughts folks.

i'm happy to report that i have done some research and there are a few programs in my area that i am going to look into getting involved with.

you are all good people and friends, it's nice to be able to bounce ideas off of such a diverse group of folks.

cheers.

[danielpack22@ma]

What a great idea!

my wife is a serial coupon-er, and we make an effort to pick up all the free/low cost staple items we can and load up the church's pantry.

[MilanoTom]

As for Ahneida Ride's post, in layman's terms what (IMO) he was trying to say is that because this country has crushing debt, money has to come from somewhere to pay said debt. Unfortunately, the programs that seem to get cut first are usually the ones for the most needy.



I hear what you're saying, and it makes sense regarding the programs themselves, except that the whole debt issue has been politicized to the point that credibility is lost. When one's own party creates the debt, there's usually silence, when the other side creates the debt, all hell breaks loose. That leaves anyone in the middle questioning whether the complaints are valid or simply political.

Debt isn't what caused a lot of these people to be needy. A lot of them are experienced, skilled, and more than willing to work. Profit margins, however, dictated that they weren't needed because labor was cheaper overseas and/or operations needed to be "streamlined" to maximize profits. It's pretty tenuous to blame that on the national debt when the folks in the corner offices are making more money than ever.

Regards,
Tom

[DHallerman]

thanks for all of the thoughts folks.

i'm happy to report that i have done some research and there are a few programs in my area that i am going to look into getting involved with.


I think that in all of our areas, there are programs and worthy organization helping people eat.

For me, there's nothing more basic than food. Even here in one of the more well-to-do counties in the United States, there's plenty of hunger.

That's why, for us, nearly all of our annual donations go the Food Bank for Westchester (http://foodbankforwestchester.org/index.shtml). That's an organization that helps distribute food to other organizations and groups that actually help feed people.

I would guess there's something like that Food Bank in your area. And, having looked it up, that Food Bank uses over 90% of its donations for its actual programs (in contrast to salaries, fund-raising, etc.).

If you want to check out places in your area doing a good job helping people eat, I've found Charity Navigator (http://www.charitynavigator.org/) helpful. They both rate charities and, if you'd like to dig deeper, you can look up the actual IRS tax return for many charities to investigate how truly giving they are.

Anyway, lots of details. But lets help people have enough food.

And thank you, AS, for starting this thread. It all counts, even whatever small influence we share here online.

Dave

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

I don't think he meant the needy are needy because of the national debt, but to balance the budget (and pay some of that debt (which is in the tens of trillions)), programs like those in place for the poor get cut.I hear what you're saying, and it makes sense regarding the programs themselves, except that the whole debt issue has been politicized to the point that credibility is lost. When one's own party creates the debt, there's usually silence, when the other side creates the debt, all hell breaks loose. That leaves anyone in the middle questioning whether the complaints are valid or simply political.

Debt isn't what caused a lot of these people to be needy. A lot of them are experienced, skilled, and more than willing to work. Profit margins, however, dictated that they weren't needed because labor was cheaper overseas and/or operations needed to be "streamlined" to maximize profits. It's pretty tenuous to blame that on the national debt when the folks in the corner offices are making more money than ever.

Regards,
Tom

[christian]

He didn't say any such thing. Besides, inflation-nuts are completely irrational on the debt. If you want to ease the debt "crisis," inflate it away.

[MattTuck]

I caught the tail end of a story on NPR yesterday about how suburbs are slowly dying as more young people with families desire a stronger sense of a tight knit community that seems to be lacking in many suburbs. No idea if Nick lives in such a place, but community means caring about your neighbors.

My grandfather still remembers the names of the shop keeper and coal delivery man that gave his family a break on the price during the depression, and helped out his family during WWII rationing.

Sometimes it feels like we've gotten away from that sense of community obligation. Nick reminds us all that if we get to know the people around us, that we can develop that sense of community again, and help out where it is required.

[ORMojo]

Lots of good thoughts & ideas here (other than the tiring/OT/disrespectful FRN rant). Children and food are two of my biggest passions, both inside and outside my family.

I owned a restaurant (and was the chef) for a while, and even though that was a couple of decades ago, we donated everything we couldn't use, while most of my counterparts at the time would just throw the stuff away. Fortunately, at least around here, that has changed dramatically.

When I am living in Thailand at the monastery, as monks we live entirely off of the food that we are given each morning by the villagers . . . and then, because the few villagers that are able to are very generous, we eat only what we need for sustenance, and immediately after our one daily meal we feed the poor children in the village with what is left. (And we even feed every last scrap and crumb to the chickens at the monastery - not a speck is wasted.)

At home in Oregon I am on the Board of our K-8 community charter school, and the non-profit that runs it and does a few other things. While our small (1,000) town is relatively well off, there are poor families, and kids at the school on the free/reduced lunch program. We are fortunate that we run our entire food service in-house, and use fresh and organic whenever possible - we have an amazing chef at the school. Just this past year, we started a free daily snack program for the free/reduced kids, where they can discreetly pick up a free snack every day in the office.

I'm working to connect the school with this excellent program http://eweb.org/demofarm#demo where organic crops are being raised and sold at very low cost. The farm will plant small crops specific to a school's menu requirements.

Bottom line: Feeding children healthy food is so important, and pays off in many ways, many times over.

[bcm119]

Great thread. It is indeed a great reminder that we are all a few strokes of bad luck away from real hardship. It’s important to realize that no one is a self-made man; that everyone gets to be where they are by way of a complicated set of factors and influences, including chance. The role of luck or chance in a one’s destiny is so often underplayed, that the national rhetoric has settled on the idea that everyone gets what they deserve. That is basically Karma, and there is no such thing. It is an imaginary law of social mobility that has been constructed by politicians and media. The idea that “if I can do it, anyone can” is simply false, yet it is gaining ground as a personal motto of the more fortunate. We can all fight that trend by simply being grateful for what we have—for our health, for our intelligence, for the luck we encountered along the way that allowed us to get to where we are.. and live as if you could lose it all tomorrow, because you can. And yes, give what you can to the less fortunate, or at least vote to save what little safety net is left in this country.

[bcm119]

Great post Nick.
I just spent some time in Manhattan and had a feeling I couldn't afford to live there either despite being able to live very comfortably in upstate NY.
Do you think maybe your area is just too expensive for most people and she should be living somewhere more affordable?

I hear this sentiment often. I also live in an expensive area, and there are many low income folks living here. The problem is they really can't afford to move. Moving costs money, and many of the services they rely on such as childcare are supplied by friends and family. They rely on each other for things us fortunate folks pay thousands of dollars per month for. They can't afford to uproot themselves from their community and be completely self sufficient in a new place, even if the official cost of living is less. The cheapest way to live is communally in a big city where jobs pay more and population density is high.

[AngryScientist]

I hear this sentiment often. I also live in an expensive area, and there are many low income folks living here. The problem is they really can't afford to move. Moving costs money, and many of the services they rely on such as childcare are supplied by friends and family. They rely on each other for things us fortunate folks pay thousands of dollars per month for. They can't afford to uproot themselves from their community and be completely self sufficient in a new place, even if the official cost of living is less. The cheapest way to live is communally in a big city where jobs pay more and population density is high.

i was thinking of how to answer the question, but you hit the nail on the head i think.

[oldpotatoe]

The processes of creating $ outa nothing and charging interest on nothing
is the core of the problem. Even more nothing has to be created to pay
back the interest on nothing... the cycle continues, and it's called
price inflation ... when in reality it is exactly the opposite ... money
dilution. The poor can never escape it's insidious grip

End Debt slavery and more people can afford to eat.

Big sigh.

[VA-Scooter]

The processes of creating $ outa nothing and charging interest on nothing
is the core of the problem. Even more nothing has to be created to pay
back the interest on nothing... the cycle continues, and it's called
price inflation ... when in reality it is exactly the opposite ... money
dilution. The poor can never escape it's insidious grip

End Debt slavery and more people can afford to eat.

He doesn't need a ride as much as he needs to take this stuff somewhere else. Not what this forum is about & not worth going off topic about. This thread is off topic but worthwhile & comes from his heart -- Plus he mentioned Campagnolo.

[veloduffer]

I hear this sentiment often. I also live in an expensive area, and there are many low income folks living here. The problem is they really can't afford to move. Moving costs money, and many of the services they rely on such as childcare are supplied by friends and family. They rely on each other for things us fortunate folks pay thousands of dollars per month for. They can't afford to uproot themselves from their community and be completely self sufficient in a new place, even if the official cost of living is less. The cheapest way to live is communally in a big city where jobs pay more and population density is high.

Moving out of an high cost area like NYC does not always mean your cost of living goes down. Most working poor work close to where they live. In a city, there is public transportation for the family to use (kids for school and activities, parents for work). Moving out of the city may necessitate buying a car, car insurance, gas and maintenance. You are also more likely to find places that provide cheaper medical and other services in the city than you would in suburbia/rural areas where the choices are limited.

[merlinmurph]

Well, perfect timing.
I got an email today from our local Y for their Feed a Family for Fifty campaign.
Done.
This is a good place to start, and is by no means the end.
Enjoy your ride,
Murph


Again, thanks for the kick in the butt

[krhea]

well, perfect timing.
I got an email today from our local y for their feed a family for fifty campaign.
Done.
This is a good place to start, and is by no means the end.
Enjoy your ride,
murph


again, thanks for the kick in the butt

+1

[bcm119]

Moving out of an high cost area like NYC does not always mean your cost of living goes down. Most working poor work close to where they live. In a city, there is public transportation for the family to use (kids for school and activities, parents for work). Moving out of the city may necessitate buying a car, car insurance, gas and maintenance. You are also more likely to find places that provide cheaper medical and other services in the city than you would in suburbia/rural areas where the choices are limited.

Yeah, good points. I think when the term "cost of living" is used it usually refers to a certain middle class level of comfort/quality of life, which is pretty irrelevant to the lifestyles of the low income folks.

[Llewellyn]

When we last visited Melbourne we were told about a place called Lentil as Anything. The guy who started it calls it a "pay as you feel" restaurant. There are no prices, you pay what you feel the meal is worth or what you can afford. You can eat as much as you like and put your money in one of the boxes near the entrance.

While we were there, we met Shanaka who set it up back in 2000 and he told us that they have a lot of homeless people who come there for their three meals a day. They're under no obligation to pay if they don't have any money and they are not judged. They serve a selection of vegetarian meals, and they like the chefs to cook meals that reflect the place they are from. You get the whole spectrum of society there, from the very wealthy to those with very little.

While it wasn't the best food we had during our trip (although it was very good), it was the most enjoyable eating experience we had. They have volunteers and if we lived there, I would be there helping out in a heartbeat.

I also agree that in countries as rich as the US and Australia, it is unacceptable that the situation that the OP described should exist