# Food Pantry Foodstuffs



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

This lady we know is going to a food pantry for food, and she's got a bunch of health problems apparently and says she can't eat this or that. Anyway, in return for a favor, she brought us by this big old sack of food that she can't eat that the food pantry had given her.

There's a small sack of rice and some beans, which we can use, but really ... the rest of it is junk. Absolute junk. I guess it might hold off starvation for another week or two, but it can't be good for your health.

So it got me to wondering ...

Where do food pantries get their food from? Are they given money to go buy food from the grocery store, and they just buy the worst quality junk they can find to stretch out the dollar a little better? Or does the administrator just not know what good food is?

I'm not saying that we eat super healthy around here, or that a person going to the food pantry ought to be given only fresh organic veggies ... but even the generic Walmart brands have a better list of ingredients than some of this stuff did.


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

It depends on what program that the food pantry is serviced under as to where they get their food. I have volunteered at the food pantry in my town. We have a nice food pantry, but I've never seen any others. The one here is funded by a state program to some degree, then I have been told that there are a bunch of older wealthy people in this town that donate money on a regular basis and there are ladies that take that money and do the shopping for the pantry for additional food stuffs. They always have potatoes, onions, and garlic, all kinds of canned veggies, soups, canned meats, canned fruits, powdered and canned milk, peanut butter and jelly, pasta and sauces, ravioli and spaghettios, coffee and tea, condiments, sugar, salt, flour, cereals, boxed pasta meals, mac n cheese, rice, beans, grains, and other extras. Then there are the freezer goods like wild game and beef or chicken, sometimes frozen meals, also fresh veggies, butter, eggs, cheese, and breads...that's what I remember...I think they have a little more of a variety than what I hear other food banks do. They do the best with what they are given I think. You have to remember also that most people do not cook like some of us do.

I've been told that the food bank in Bozeman is on the same program but that they raise their own garden for fresh produce. I think that's cool.


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

I ran the food pantry for my church for about a year. Our members donated as well as some of our patrons. We ordered and purchased food from the food bank from an online listing of what they had available. They mostly received donations from manufacturers and retail stores. What wasn't donated to them they bought at a cheaper price from the manufacturers. Sometimes I found good sales at the grocery store that I then purchased with a check from the church. Other times we received donations directly from residents of the community or organizations like the local Boy Scout or Girl Scout troops. There is a community garden program that started to donated produce last year to our pantry. Our pantry is funded 100% by donations from the church members and patrons, they receive no governmental support. Sometimes they receive donations from local businesses or organizations around the holidays, like if the company does a food drive or matching contributions program.


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## Brighton (Apr 14, 2013)

I take all my extra eggs to our church food pantry every week, but most of it is high carb empty calories stuff from what I have seen. All of the food there comes from donations from our membership, I have thought about a class for the "givers", and might talk to our Pastor about that.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Ok, let's take this can of tomato sauce for example. 

The first three ingredients are water, high fructose corn syrup, and corn starch. Actual tomatoes is the fourth ingredient, right in front of MSG and a bunch of other chemicals I can't pronounce. There's more corn products in this can of tomato sauce than actual tomato.

Beans and rice isn't very expensive and it's sort of a staple in my house. Wouldn't that stretch the food dollars out quite a bit more than some of these processed foods?

Or do people freak out if you hand them beans and rice?

Thanks for the info. I don't know much about how food pantries work. I tried back in the spring to volunteer at our local one, but the lady who ran it didn't like the looks of me or something and turned down my help.


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

In all honesty Ernie most people going to a pantry don't want to cook from scratch and some don't have the means to cook. Most want microwavable foods. We've had homeless people with no way to cook anything come through for food. We had people living in their cars or in tents. Some people, but very few are willing to cook from scratch. 

Most people want instant foods, even minute rice instead of regular long grain rice and forget trying to get them to cook dry beans, they want canned.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

PATRICE IN IL said:


> In all honesty Ernie most people going to a pantry don't want to cook from scratch and some don't have the means to cook. Most want microwavable foods. We've had homeless people with no way to cook anything come through for food. We had people living in their cars or in tents. Some people, but very few are willing to cook from scratch.
> 
> Most people want instant foods, even minute rice instead of regular long grain rice and forget trying to get them to cook dry beans, they want canned.


Hrm. That's just too weird. I have trouble grokking that. Not that I think you're wrong, but it's just alien to my worldview.

So what do you do to fix that? Or do you just try to find more food that is palatable to them?


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

i cant even get people to come pick free food from garden....i stopped trying .

ernie around here you wouldnt believe the people that cant cook....wont cook...or wont try... whatever the case may be.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

Around here- it is mostly donated food- I know our church does a "hunger walk" during the Sunday School hour and the kids are asked to walk around the gym around the pile of donated food the parents give them to donate- 
the food is never stuff other than canned veggies/pasta/tomato sauce/peanut butter and jelly...

I have said it before I have offered to teach a cook from basic class at our food bank- they don't want it- 

All the grocery stores here starting in Oct have a incentive thing- spend so much earn a free turkey- well one of the options is to have your turkey donated to the food bank- 

Our church has a free thanksgiving dinner for the community- and we bag up and freeze all the left overs to donate to the food bank


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## HTWannabee (Jan 19, 2007)

This is an interesting topic. I run the food pantry at our church and helped at a large multi-church event where we gave away about 200 bags of food. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhVpww0OnZE[/ame] (this is the 2011 event)
Pretty much everything is private donation or donations through groups, like scouts or 4H and sometimes businesses will donate breads and other baked goods that are at their expiration dates but are still good. 
I find that some people buy junk because it is cheap and they can give more of that and there is a bit of a snob factor, at least here. "They are poor so they should be happy with anything right?" Out dated cans and things they would never eat themselves. I go through and throw all that away. 
In this area there are a lot that don't know how to cook because they are 2nd or 3rd generation welfare. It is the culture. I do think most people know how to do beans and rice and basic things like that.

At the large event there were a lot of staples like rice, veggies, beans and even breads were donated. There was some junk but not too much. 

For our food pantry, sometimes people just give money and I shop. I buy pantry staples like flour, pasta, veggies, rice etc. I will say protein is the hardest to do with a pantry. You are limited to tuna, chicken etc.


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## hurryiml8 (Apr 15, 2009)

Someone gives us their unwanted food bank food. Since I am grain and sugar free, I don't eat it. The kids love it, because I don't buy junk. These people are professional food bank people. They go to all the giveaways at different churches and second harvest, sometimes getting up super early to get in line. They really work hard at getting free stuff. They get a lot of junk. I wonder if these are from donations, does the average American eat this way, therefore, they donate this way? or are they taking the cheap way out, but still feeling good? I'm not knocking donors, by the way. Any food is better than no food.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

I collect the donations from our church to give to the food pantry. They want ready to eat items - peanut butter, canned soup, crackers, cold cereal, tuna, individual applesauce and pudding, canned fruit. When they have babies, they will ask for baby food and formula. They don't want flour, rice or beans. If they had a cooler at the pantry, I'm sure they would want microwaveable dinners. The folks that use this pantry either don't have the ability to cook or don't want to.


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## no really (Aug 7, 2013)

At the local food bank here is in large part donations from grocery stores in the area, some purchased items and individual donations. Dried beans of all kinds, rice, always peanut butter, bakery items among other things. 

We have had some folks complain because there wasn't any crunchy peanut butter, the bread wasn't the brand they like and no microwave stuff.. Problem is our food bank doesn't have any type of refrigeration, they are trying to get enough money to buy a unit.. 

I do enjoy volunteering when possible but can't understand some of the complaints.. The ones that are happy with the items though sure make it a good day..


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

This thread has been enlightening. I guess I'm just so disconnected from the way modern people eat. I know monied people who just never cook. They live in big urban areas and they can have something delivered with a phone call or walk 2 blocks and have their choice of cuisines. But poor people who don't cook? 

I guess I've always just assumed that cooking from basic ingredients was the thing to do when you're poor. 

I'm not knocking the poor. We've got less money than even poor people do, we just don't see ourselves in the same way. We don't have money, but we're not poor ... if you understand what I mean. We live off of the land base and our labor. If $30 comes in, we buy $30 worth of food. 

To have no money, no income, no land base, and no way to do labor to earn that money ... I would think that would be terrifying.


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

I tried coming up with some recipes for casseroles, chili from the dried beans, basic side dishes , and soups from the canned/frozen ingredients that I passed along to the patrons. Many had families that they were trying to feed complete meals to from our limited pantry supply. Most people never try to create a meal without using a recipe, me I just wing it. 

Take the dry pinto beans, soak them and cook them, when tender smash them up a bit and add a packet of taco or enchilada seasoning, and some canned green chilies. Cook long grain white rice with some chicken bullion then add a can of diced tomatoes with chilies. If we had corn masa mix, I'd tell them how to make tortillas. If meat was available cook some with another packet of seasonng to add to the tortilla that was stuffed with beans and rice. Had I just offered the beans, rice, tomatoes, seasonings, chilies and masa mix most would have just walked away. Many still did walk away because they just wanted the frozen, nukable burrito without having to go too all that trouble to make dinner. It's pretty sad when you think how lazy society has become. ;(


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Yeah. Rice + whatever vegetable or meat you can get your hands on, cooked up in a big ol' stewpot is a very viable dinner. Put in whatever seasonings you want.

Heh. On the other side of the coin, my neighbor is unduly worried about my money situation. He keeps coming over with the want ads where he's circled jobs he thinks I'd be able to do. It's completely alien to him that a healthy male won't go out and get a job (he's an older fellow). Now when he shows up, he can see that I'm always busy ... either working in the garden or in the knife shop, but he's gone so far as to say that it is sinful to not work for a paycheck when you have the ability to do so.

The other day he pulled up to thank me for bringing by his mail (our rural mail carrier apparently cannot read) and I was bringing in two baskets full of food from the garden. Being very neighborly, he offered to pay me to do some odd jobs around his house (which I in no way have time to do). I told him no thanks, we're doing fine and I've got too much stacked up in the workshop to leave.

He made a snide remark about how I should just go on food stamps, _while I'm holding two big baskets of food I'd just harvested. _I tried to just brush it off and told him that I didn't need food stamps, but I'd gladly take some gasoline stamps, but I don't think he gets it.

So there's this weird place between poverty where you're hitting up the food pantries, and working 40 hours a week for a paycheck, and I don't think people at either extreme can understand those in the middle.

We have a weird society where most people think food comes from the grocery store (or the food pantry) and money comes from the company you work fr.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Like Ernie, I'm enlightened by this thread. I'm sorry to say I have never volunteered at a food bank although have made many donations. I'll usually donate canned vegetables, tunna, beans and the like--never boxed goods unless it's a cake or dessert mix (hey, something indulgent really does brighten a dark moment). 

Patrice's postings got me to thinking of a dual purpose item. A fundraiser of a cookbook (like those fire house ladies' auxillary ones) that contains recipes using the items generally available at the pantry. It can be sold through churches, philanthropic and other social organizations and then also given out to the folks who use the pantry. Just my ramblings.....


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

I had an aunt ask me Why would I ever keep more food in the house than I need- when she heard I canned enough spaghetti sauce for a year- I politely explained that I don't like store sauce- 
this is the same woman who told me I was selfish for having my first son- I should have an abortion?!?!?
she is a avid anti- smoker- but weed is okay and so are the 45 prescription bottles she gets from the Dr. and she is so healthy cause she is a vegetarian- what she is- is anorexic..and bitter and an elitist... she can not fathom that I would prepare for my family to eat ....


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Ernie said:


> This thread has been enlightening. I guess I'm just so disconnected from the way modern people eat.


Spend some time in a grocery store and you will get even more enlightened. The majority of what people have in their carts is deplorable. Walk the rows and see what's on the shelves. A large portion of any grocery store is over processed things that used to resemble food. Even a lot of the canned veggies now have added sugar in them.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

What disturbs me most about this thread is the people who are saying that someone gave them the food they didn't want from the food pantry. Why would you walk away from a food pantry that is there to serve those in need with stuff you won't use? Why not leave it there for the folks who need it? I guess it is nice they pass it off to friends or neighbors rather than a garbage can, but if those folks are not "in need" then you are only hurting the pantry that is probably struggling to get what food they can. 

Also it seems like the pantry should change it's procedures to fix this. Instead of just handing people a bag of stuff without regard as to whether it is useful to the recipient or not is just wasteful. Maybe it should be a thing where people can choose what they want, though I suppose you would have to place limits on "the good stuff" that goes quickly. If there are people who can and like to cook they can choose those types of items. If someone is living in their car or on the street and has no access to facilities to cook then they can use the precooked processed stuff. I don't have an answer really to this but I just hate to see charity being abused or operating in a wasteful manner.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

There are several different "foodstreams" at our pantry....not all are the same. 

TEFAP....is the gov't qualifying paper work---income based/snap/free lunch/medicaid? It asks about food allergies and substitutes are provided (USDA)

Then we have pickup for day old bread/cakes and fruit veg at local grocery chain, bagels from a bagel shop, day old bread from bakery outlet. Some are in fact your typical wonder bread....some is garlic roasted crusty and some are nut and seed breads. (free to pantry, tax write off for grocer) Markdown meats are also purchased at a huge discount.

2-3 local farmers also supply us from their from their surplus and extra-- farmstands----corn to potatoes, tomatoes not yet fully ripe! (tax write off again, free to pantry)

Good Shepherd Food Bank distributes donated food --- pantry pays by the pound like .25 a pound for dents/donations/liquidations/restaraunt supply

Most of the fruits are super ripe and need to be dealt with ASAP, lots of blemishes on other stuff. Organic stuffs are there if you look....

Having explained all that....yes there are folks who go right to the cake table, others who want Organic, and others who refuse the beans and rice. But who knows!! if maybe eating beans makes them spend more on Depends...

Recipes are passed out frequently, not many can but some of us do, lots of the over ripe and nasty stuff goes to my chickens and goats....they love molded wonder bread! I provide free eggs, goat cheese and goat soap to the folks that run the pantry, plus I help pack up the leftovers that are picked up for the next towns food pantry.

I think around $10k is donated from the town coffers and the rest is money and food donations. Clothing/shoes are also accepted and on racks and boxes by size and $1 a grocery bag is asked in exchange. Dishes and blankets are kept for people who have need such as a house fire.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Ernie said:


> We have a weird society where most people think food comes from the grocery store (or the food pantry) and money comes from the company you work fr.


Or from the government.

Sounds like a good neighbor that concerned about you (even if he doesn't really understand).

Sounds like my grandfather a few years before he passed: a neighbor was jogging down the road (exercising) and grandpa pulled over and asked him he he needed a ride (since he was obviously running to get somewhere)


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I worked with a lady that was poor - kids got free everything at school (libraries pay very poorly up here, even with a degree). You knew when it was pay day for us or her hubby, she's run to McDonalds for lunch and dinner for the next 2-3 days. Then she'd bring microwave meals for the next few days for lunch. Eventually she would be down to a PB & J sandwich for lunch and Ramon noddles for dinner till the next pay day (often from the food bank). Never did I see her bring "non-instant" food. We were friends and talked....she didn't cook, she was raised in the welfare system and her mom didn't cook. She saw no reason to lean to cook, there were many things she could find that were virtually "ready to eat". 

It's an odd world out there!


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Our local food bank gets most of their food from an organization called Harvesters. Part of the reason there is so much processed food given out, is that it is shelf stable. 

Someone gives you ripe tomatoes and the clock starts ticking, you have only hours before they start spoiling. But canned tomato products have a loooong shelf life. 

Some of my family volunteers at our local food pantry. It is run by a church. We don't belong to that church, just try to help out because most of the volunteers are older ladies and one is a good friend. One day they unload a truck from Harvesters and sort/organize. Such as, break down 50 pound bags of potatoes into family size portions. The next day they do the give-away. This happens twice a month. They do have a big freezer so some frozen meats/veggies are included in their offering. They do get some potatoes, apples, fresh foods that can still store for awhile. But mostly, the food comes in cans and boxes.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Food pantries getting USDA were originally set up to be the 4th week of foodstamp money. Well for the life of me ---most folks that get foodstamps have 4x my budget for food. An individual receiving disability 700-750 a month gets $230 foodstamp per month. Even when DH was working I did not have 230$ for 5 people! So my family of 5 would get near 650$ for foodstamps!!!! 
Well we talked to FS office when DH lost his job...we were honest....we have life ins.(very small), we have an old tractor and trailer, we have an atv and 2 vehicles worth less than $12k total....all of that counted against us...but we could have had a house worth 150k more and a brand new vehicle and still qualified. Or, we could have lied like most people seem to be doing....


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## no really (Aug 7, 2013)

Our food bank tried to allow shopping type experience, it did not work very well. The younger ones simply pushed the older ones out of the way, the intimidation factor was high. Sad as it is we ended up having to have deputies help out, even in the parking lot, where elderly were being abused. Now I spend as much time in the parking lot providing security as inside handing out food.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

no really said:


> Our food bank tried to allow shopping type experience, it did not work very well. The younger ones simply pushed the older ones out of the way, the intimidation factor was high. Sad as it is we ended up having to have deputies help out, even in the parking lot, where elderly were being abused. Now I spend as much time in the parking lot providing security as inside handing out food.



Yeah I can see that happening really easy as nobody has any respect for others anymore. It might create more work for the volunteers but perhaps you could have the food in a back room and simply have a list of what is available on a white board. People could place an order and then go wait off to the side until their number was called and their order was packed. 

Again, I really don't know what the answer here is. 

I am torn between the feeling that someone who is asking for charity really should just be happy with what they get (beggars can't be choosers) but also the reality of so much of it just getting wasted when they can't or won't use the products they are handed. Surely someone out there has a genius idea that will solve the whole mess


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## no really (Aug 7, 2013)

paradox said:


> Yeah I can see that happening really easy as nobody has any respect for others anymore. It might create more work for the volunteers but perhaps you could have the food in a back room and simply have a list of what is available on a white board. People could place an order and then go wait off to the side until their number was called and their order was packed.
> 
> Again, I really don't know what the answer here is.
> 
> I am torn between the feeling that someone who is asking for charity really should just be happy with what they get (beggars can't be choosers) but also the reality of so much of it just getting wasted when they can't or won't use the products they are handed. Surely someone out there has a genius idea that will solve the whole mess



You have some good ideas, I will pass them along. One of the ideas that was discussed was allowing only the older ones in first. Get them in and out, to their rides first, with escort.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

mnn2501 said:


> Or from the government.
> 
> Sounds like a good neighbor that concerned about you (even if he doesn't really understand).
> 
> Sounds like my grandfather a few years before he passed: a neighbor was jogging down the road (exercising) and grandpa pulled over and asked him he he needed a ride (since he was obviously running to get somewhere)


He's a decent old fellow and he just doesn't understand. My worldview is completely alien to him. He doesn't get it. He means well, which is why I would bother to speak with him at all, but he's also in his late eighties and there ain't no way I'm going to convince him other than he already believes.

Heh. One of the other neighbors (who lives way down about 2 miles away) was out jogging and I asked if he needed a ride. He said, "I'm jogging!" I replied, "I know, but it don't look like you've ever done it before and I'm worried about how it's going to turn out."


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

paradox said:


> What disturbs me most about this thread is the people who are saying that someone gave them the food they didn't want from the food pantry. Why would you walk away from a food pantry that is there to serve those in need with stuff you won't use? Why not leave it there for the folks who need it? I guess it is nice they pass it off to friends or neighbors rather than a garbage can, but if those folks are not "in need" then you are only hurting the pantry that is probably struggling to get what food they can.


Beats me. I sort of got the impression that they just give them a sack with some mixed goods in it, and that's what's in there.

If it were me, I'd go through the sack and take out what I don't need and leave it right there at the pantry to fill another sack. 

People though don't recognize need well. This lady, for instance, knows I'm short of money and to her worldview, that means I must also be hungry. It's difficult to explain to someone that God meets all our needs and that what they perceive as extreme poverty is simply our spartan way of doing this.

Money is nice and all, but I much prefer spending my time with my family and getting to do what I love doing, even if it only trickles in the income. Those of you who remember me from a couple of years ago can probably detect the difference in my attitude as well ... I'm a lot happier with my life now than I was before.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

Ernie said:


> Beats me. I sort of got the impression that they just give them a sack with some mixed goods in it, and that's what's in there.
> 
> If it were me, I'd go through the sack and take out what I don't need and leave it right there at the pantry to fill another sack.
> 
> ...


I respected the Ernie from 2 yrs or 3 yrs ago- but man alive- I really really like the Ernie now- why? because you are an incredible inspiration to be doing what you love with the ones you love- not living to work- but being alive and doing what you love- with your family!!! and sooo much more happy it seems to me!


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Becka03 said:


> I respected the Ernie from 2 yrs or 3 yrs ago- but man alive- I really really like the Ernie now- why? because you are an incredible inspiration to be doing what you love with the ones you love- not living to work- but being alive and doing what you love- with your family!!! and sooo much more happy it seems to me!


Thank you!

I'm really blessed right now. And things have picked up elsewhere and money is starting to filter in at a better rate, so we're doing fine. 

God is teaching me things through this ... and here I thought I already knew it all.


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## campfiregirl (Mar 1, 2011)

My mom helps run the community food bank, which is located in her church because they are willing to house it and run it. Most of the "visitors" are hand-out pros and totally match the stereotype. They know how often each food bank in each community or church will give you a "box," and what each place usually stocks. Most turn their noses up at anything but brand-name products, and prefer ready-to-eat products. Their policy is that they can't hand out "expired" food over a certain amount of time after the date listed, but they can set it in the "freebie" section that doesn't count towards the visitor's quota for the month. She said you can tell what type of person they are by what they choose and if they look over the "freebie" section at all. 
I have a good friend who was on food stamps for a time when she had to leave an abusive husband who would not support the kids. If you can cook AT ALL, you can easily live within the Idaho food stamp allowance. Being a working mom, she cooked from scratch when she could and supplemented with a few convenience foods, and she never ran out before the end of the month. Mom gets people at the food bank at about week 3 1/2 who need a box just to get by until the first of the month... she often compares notes with a friend in the next town who volunteers at their food bank, and they know who is making the rounds. It is sad. 
BTW, Mom ends up bringing home "expired" canned goods because they build up & they can't get rid of them fast enough, and eventually they'd have to throw them away. Before you donate them, please ask your food bank if they accept them or if their policy is like mentioned above. You may be better off just asking around your neighborhood or family if anyone could use them.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I would like to make sure that I haven't offended anyone who is having to visit a food bank to get by. Nobody frowns on you for being in a (what I hope is temporary) position where you have to take charity. In fact, many of us either have been, are currently, or will be in the future. 

Essentially my whole life runs on charity. I make stuff and people buy it. They could go buy from someone else, or some corporation, but they buy from me because they like what we're doing and want to support it. That's a working form of charity.

My concern was just with the low quality of food at these pantries and I just wanted to know if that was widespread or just local here. Whenever we get too short on money here, we just go buy a big sack of rice and get by that way, but we've got plenty of stuff to add to it between the livestock and the gardens. I'm always a little horrified by how poor urban people have to get by. It makes me want to rush out and do something to help them, but I haven't a clue what.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I am sensing an underlying theme here that makes me a bit upset. I'll start this off by saying that it doesn't matter what the human endeavor is, be it a food bank or a giant corporation seeking help from the government, there are ALWAYS people who will attempt to game a system. Many times that comes from not having any moral compass, or from ignoring it, or from just plain desperation as in Victor Hugo's Jean Valjean, incarcerated for choosing the option of stealing a loaf of bread instead of starving. Each situation has unique aspects.

What started to irritate me in this thread is the repeated referrals to beans, and the impugning of the morality of those who do not accept them. Here is a clue. We have a relation forced into a food program due to some learning disability issues that she has NO control over. She has a spastic colon, and eating beans will send her to the emergency room. She also has difficulty in following recipes and attempting to cook from scratch. She has difficulty in mentally processing the steps required to keep clutter from invading her kitchen, and even though she attempts to eat fresh food and simple foods without additives, it is a struggle. She has a daughter who also suffers from bowel issues to the point that at age seven doctors want to perform upper and lower endoscopies, an MRI, and an almost abusive cleansing protocol, this after years of attempting less invasive measures.

When you stereotype, you do so out of ignorance and anger. When you stereotype, you lump the innocents into your wrath. I find such behavior unseemly.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Harry Chickpea said:


> What started to irritate me in this thread is the repeated referrals to beans, and the impugning of the morality of those who do not accept them.


Sorry, Harry. It's not about morality for me. It's knowledge. If I went to a food pantry and they handed me a sack of wheat flour then I'd have to turn it back over to them too. It would make us all sick.

But going through what's left of this bag I'm seeing a different issue. Tomato sauce that barely contains any tomato and is mostly processed corn syrup ... that would make ANYONE sick. And it is an ingredient that would have to be cooked as part of a meal, so I'm guessing that someone just bought the lowest quality crap they could find, or they didn't know what a better quality was.

We've got some relatives who just can't eat what I consider real food. They don't have it at home, and it tastes bad to them. They're neither dumb nor lazy, but our family diet is as alien to them as a 300 BC Chinese peasant's diet would be to me. 

From a sociological standpoint, it almost looks like we've divided up into multiple food cultures even within the western cuisines. For instance, you don't just have Paula Deen-style southern food, but you also have the Rachel Ray "open the box" style southern food.


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## CountryCabin (Mar 8, 2007)

no really said:


> Our food bank tried to allow shopping type experience, it did not work very well. The younger ones simply pushed the older ones out of the way, the intimidation factor was high. Sad as it is we ended up having to have deputies help out, even in the parking lot, where elderly were being abused. Now I spend as much time in the parking lot providing security as inside handing out food.


 
I went to the food bank in the big city, with fresh eggs from my chickens to donate. 
While I was waiting for them to open, I noticed the sign on the door.
One day was for families, another day was for singles, and one day for seniors.

To my surprise, they told me the could not accept the eggs as they weren't gov. graded/inspected. :shocked:

Another time I went to a single mom with young daughter that was having money troubles. I asked if she could use some more eggs, as I had way to many. I had given her some before.
They were turned down as she didn't like how yellow they were compared to store bought eggs. :shrug: 


They now get fed back to the chickens when I have an over supply.


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## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

No one was stereotyping, a few people did post of beans messing with their digestive system and I know people who have those issues. There has been no "tone" in this thread until you came by. There was also an acknowledgement of people having inadequate cooking facilities and so forth. As usual, someone has to be offended by something it seems.

Your discovery of the sugar in the tomato sauce sent me to my pantry, mine doesn't have any sugar or HFCS. Maybe it's the cheaper brands or something.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

I donate our extra eggs to a church food pantry. A lot of what they give out is from Walmart and other grocery stores that the expiration date is THAT day. They give out pre packed boxes & tell the people to pick up a bag of apples or carrots, whatever they have that day, along with the box. Most people don't. They don't want the raw carrots or apples. I was told most are too lazy or just don't think its worth the effort to peel or cook them. They were about to throw away 20 lbs of carrots one day, and I said, "Are you kidding? NO WAY! I'll take them!" so yes, you've heard my confession now. I got food from a food pantry that I donate to, because they were going to throw it away, and it was perfectly good, and I took my "bootie" home and peeled, blanched and froze them. I donated some potatoes once, and the younger women didn't want them. They said they don't eat those kind of potatoes??? They have to be pre-peeled, pre-formed into patties, or tater tots, I guess? That's why people in real 3rd world countries say most Americans (even the poor) have NO idea what REAL hunger is. I think those who are able-bodied, NEED to be required to work in some way, for the hand outs they get. Funny thing is, they seem to have had the money to afford the tattoo's and metal (piercings) in their faces. It is the old, the young, & the handicapped that I really feel for. I've also seen the "pro" food bank user's gripe about what they are "given."
Certainly am not including people with food/health issues here, and much of the food is not the healthiest. Lots of bags of high carb breads, cookies, donuts, etc. You can tell the people who really appreciate the food, and they're why I keep donating.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

CountryCabin said:


> To my surprise, they told me the could not accept the eggs as they weren't gov. graded/inspected. :shocked: .


Yes that is another thing that just makes my blood boil. The government, in its infinite wisdom has piled too many regulations on top of these types of organizations, making it difficult and much much more costly to help people. 

Grocery stores have to rid their shelves of stuff that just expired. But by law they cannot give it to a local soup kitchen who could cook it up that day and feed tons of people. So instead it goes in the trash.

And as with the egg story above and also garden veggies - you can't legally give those away to folks in need - at least not in any official capacity. You can hand them to your neighbor but heaven forbid local gardeners set up a free farmer's market in their town.

I did see a show on tv talking about a group in CA that goes around digging food out of dumpsters and cooking it up in a soup kitchen type set up. I don't have a clue how they get away with it but I just kept thinking, wouldn't it be great if they could just pick up boxes of food from those restaurants and stores instead of having to dig it out of a pile of gosh knows what in that dumpster? But I am sure some bureaucrat somewhere decided it was much safer for them to eat stuff out of the trash than to risk someone getting sick off something that was placed in a box and handed to the group.

For the record I am all for groups that feed and help the poor or down on their luck. But I also have seen tremendous fraud and abuse by some (not ALL by any means, but too many) of the folks receiving. So my thought process is how can we help the folks that need it like Harry's relative - without just handing out freebies to folks who are plenty capable of caring for themselves, but just too lazy to do so. If we can figure that out, we can do oh so much more for the people who really need it. 

For this reason I like the soup kitchen model better because there is less room for fraud. They can't go around and hit several kitchens each day, your stomach can only hold so much. But if we just give them food to take home they could be hitting every pantry within 60 miles and who knows where it goes from there. A recent news report of items being bought with food stamps and shipped out of the country comes to mind. 

Another reason this is important to me is that I feel the government itself really has no business being in charge of something like this. Local communities can serve their people better than the giant red tape monster that is DC. They do a crappy job and need ever increasing money from us to do that really crappy job. So if we can work out some bugs and get private charities humming like a well oiled machine, maybe we can eventually kick the government out of this business. "You may say I'm a dreamer..."


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## TripleD (Feb 12, 2011)

My office is about 75 yards from a food pantry. The stuff thats gets thrown in my dumpster is outrageous canned goods and fresh produce. I see them with a cigarette in their mouth just before going and lighting up on their way out.


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## BlueRose (Mar 7, 2013)

Unfortunately I have had to use my local food bank. I got told I took to much time picking my stuff out and I was wasting time, I did not just go in and grap stuff off the shelves. I do not have a microwave so did not want any of that stuff. I took rice, beans, sugar, coffee (just as a treat), pasta, bread, fake butter and fresh produce. I was below my 15 items so the 'volunteer' wanted me to take some canned green beans, corn etc. They could not understand why I was not taking my full 15 items.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

TripleD said:


> My office is about 75 yards from a food pantry. The stuff thats gets thrown in my dumpster is outrageous canned goods and fresh produce. I see them with a cigarette in their mouth just before going and lighting up on their way out.


gre:
Maybe put a game camera near the dumpster and post pictures in the food pantry (post office most wanted style) with large red letters saying "these people are throwing good food in the trash on their way out of this facility, which cuts down on the amount and quality we are able to provide for those of you here today who genuinely need these items."


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

BlueRose said:


> Unfortunately I have had to use my local food bank. I got told I took to much time picking my stuff out and I was wasting time, I did not just go in and grap stuff off the shelves. I do not have a microwave so did not want any of that stuff. I took rice, beans, sugar, coffee (just as a treat), pasta, bread, fake butter and fresh produce. I was below my 15 items so the 'volunteer' wanted me to take some canned green beans, corn etc. They could not understand why I was not taking my full 15 items.


They don't seem to have a model for people that might need just a little help. What if you could just use some salt and butter?


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

belladulcinea said:


> No one was stereotyping, a few people did post of beans messing with their digestive system and I know people who have those issues. There has been no "tone" in this thread until you came by. There was also an acknowledgement of people having inadequate cooking facilities and so forth. As usual, someone has to be offended by something it seems.
> 
> Your discovery of the sugar in the tomato sauce sent me to my pantry, mine doesn't have any sugar or HFCS. Maybe it's the cheaper brands or something.


Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't get offended when people have "one-size-fits-all" solutions. I should just hand them a free pack of "one-size-fits-all" underwear.  

Having food sensitivity issues of my own, I may realize more than others just how much of an issue they can be. That is why I used "unseemly" at the end of my post rather than a stronger word.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

paradox said:


> gre:
> Maybe put a game camera near the dumpster and post pictures in the food pantry (post office most wanted style) with large red letters saying "these people are throwing good food in the trash on their way out of this facility, which cuts down on the amount and quality we are able to provide for those of you here today who genuinely need these items."


I think the shame is on us that we can't bury those food pantries with such a wealth of food to choose from that everyone can go home with exactly what they need.

I remember reading a scene from Black Elk Speaks, where he describes a bison hunt by the Lakota.

The elders of the tribe gathered the young hunters and said that they would not participate in the hunt because they did not have families to feed. The young hunters, single men, were saddened and ashamed that they would not be able to go.

Then a different elder came over and said, "There are many among the people who are old and who cannot hunt. Who among you will hunt for them? And there are women here with children whose husbands have died. Who among you will hunt for them?"

And in this way, the young men all got to participate in the hunt and it was accounted a great honor for them to be able to feed the whole tribe.

As Jesus said, the poor will always be with us, but now we have no young hunters, no tribe, no elders, and no bison.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

I will say when my mom and dad divorced and I am sure I mentioned this before we moved to PA- from NJ- best thing ever happened to my brother and I- anyway Mom had to use the food bank- well- we used it- BUT- she made all 3 of us volunteer every sat even when they were not handing out food- we hauled boxes and stocked shelves- the women were very grateful-back in those days 25+ yrs ago though- it was the PB, flour, sugar, butter, eggs and gov cheese blocks- mmmmm Man alive I didn't mind stockin shelves to have that cheese- I loved it- and I learned that as long as you work and help - you get food- I was under the assumption most times that is why we got the food- until that first sat I was in line with Mom and realized noone else in line had helped at all? 
Didn't bother me though.... those ladies were so grateful for the help


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

Ernie said:


> I think the shame is on us that we can't bury those food pantries with such a wealth of food to choose from that everyone can go home with exactly what they need.


That is what I was kind of poking around at in earlier posts. I think if the government would get out of the way with their stupid regulations, and we could figure out how to weed out the fraudsters, you could heap wonderful abundance on all those in need and they would have lots more choices - like fresh eggs and veggies for those who like them, or canned and ready made goods for people who need those. And the added variety solves the issue of those with dietary concerns or food allergies.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

I've never lived near or had any experiences with food pantries until this summer. I did some traveling and stayed at an RV park in a small town up north. I got to know the employees there pretty well since I stayed for over a month. They all used the local food pantry. They took the prepacked box that is given out. Took out what they wanted and tossed the rest....mostly breads and such. All of them were on food stamps and ate steak and fancy food for the first couple of weeks of the month and even bought their dogs meat from the store. They would only use the stuff they didn't like from the food pantry when the food stamps ran out. Using the food pantry and food stamps allowed them to drink....every day and in generous amounts. They urged me to use the food pantry. I explained that I had enough money for food. They said....but it's free! I was told about where I could get free cooked meals, very cheap meals or free stuff just about every day of the week. I would then say....but I have enough money for food. They would then say...but it's free! There is definitely a system. While these folks were poor, the money they saved simply went to support things they might not have been doing had they needed to buy food with the cash they made daily.

It will not surprise me if food banks don't start going over to being soup kitchens soon. So few people cook from basic ingredients any more that it will be much more effective, less wasteful and efficient to go ahead and cook the food and serve it. 

I don't know why the gov doesn't just go ahead and make housing complexes with security, schools, public transportation, nurses, and cafeterias located on the grounds. It would be much more cost effective if we are going to provide all of this anyway to do it in a centralized location


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## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

My son decided to move back in with his dad when he was 16, get his GED and start college. His dad didn't work (one of the reasons I divorced him) and DS would call me and say "Dad got corn meal, cheese and eggs free. What can I make with that?"
Here, foodbanks provide a pre-filled box. If you have lots of people in your family, you get two boxes. And you can't give any of it back, because the bulk items have been repackaged and wouldn't be sanitary if they were given back. Of course we can't give away our home-canned food, both because we'd lose our expensive jars and because home-canned would not be considered safe to eat.
I agree with someone above that soup kitchen giving would be a better use of resources, except that would mean having a soup kitchen open 3 times a day, 7 days a week, and that would be a huge endeavor. Shouldn't we be able to rely on people being able to prepare food and feed themselves if they are given the ingredients? I raise what we eat so have pretty much given up trying to donate. And yes, there are people on CL who offer free gleaning and u-pick, and I can't even think of anyone to tell about it! No one will work for themselves! Very frustrating.
Kit


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

A lot of the people that came through our pantry weren't even discreet about going to other pantries. Standing in line they would be talking to one another about what days/times the other pantries were open. How much they could get and what the other pantries had to offer. Some people truly were in need and thankful for what they could get others were there because "it's free food and they should be allowed to have as much as they want". No it's NOT FREE, we paid for everything we provided was our answer to those patrons.

At one point they passed out prepacked boxes but would find discarded items on the church's grounds so they went to pick what you want but with limits on quantity and weight as well as frequency of visits.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

i just keep trying to eliminate my need of as many outside resources as i can...as ernie puts it whats your business model...my model is the life of a modern peasant without money. the more i learn to cook the more i can do.last year or two when i see something i like or have tried and liked but want that product without chemicals i read ingredients in the store and then make it myself or try and duplicate it at home...sometimes it works sometimes not.

one thing was mtn dew it was killing me..i quit it last year and i wrote a thread about it in singletree forum about being dew free for a year now.my system is so clean or able to be aware of ingredients i at times can tell as soon as i start chewing something if it got chemicals in it.my nose has always been aware of smells but it has increased..i am literally a hound dog now.the other day in town there was a woman walking down street .she was on passenger side of my truck...i only had my drivers window down...as i passed i could smell her perfume...at 30mph...when perfume comes in my nostrils i can immediately taste it on my tongue.do yall realize how awkard it can be to be single and tell a date dont wear perfume cause my eyes swell shut and my tongue will swell too...sorry thread drift...lol 

i find it very fun to play chemist in the kitchen trying to make different stuff.one thing i about to do is ferment peppers.it looks like i will have enough cayenne's for that and i might do a batch of jalapenos too.

i find the life of a modern homestead peasant woodbum so rewarding.it gives me great satisfaction on a daily basis .i know one day i wont be able to do this....but for now i couldnt be much happier unless i had a lady doing all this with me.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

What we consider junk, is what those frequenting food banks call good food. What we call good food, is doubtful the fb would even accept. Farmer neighbor carried a truckload of fresh vegetables down to the food bank, last time a hurricane come through, and they said take it home, their clients couldn't use that 'stuff'...


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

for any interested this was given to me by a member here...Groene Pionier she is across the big pond and does all kinds of canning and sauces and such.she struggles to even find jars in her country...but anyhow heres a link.


http://kgi.org/recipes/make-your-own-hot-sauce



http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/members/groene-pionier/


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

TxMex said:


> I've never lived near or had any experiences with food pantries until this summer. I did some traveling and stayed at an RV park in a small town up north. I got to know the employees there pretty well since I stayed for over a month. They all used the local food pantry. They took the prepacked box that is given out. Took out what they wanted and tossed the rest....mostly breads and such. All of them were on food stamps and ate steak and fancy food for the first couple of weeks of the month and even bought their dogs meat from the store. They would only use the stuff they didn't like from the food pantry when the food stamps ran out. Using the food pantry and food stamps allowed them to drink....every day and in generous amounts. They urged me to use the food pantry. I explained that I had enough money for food. They said....but it's free! I was told about where I could get free cooked meals, very cheap meals or free stuff just about every day of the week. I would then say....but I have enough money for food. They would then say...but it's free! There is definitely a system. While these folks were poor, the money they saved simply went to support things they might not have been doing had they needed to buy food with the cash they made daily.
> 
> It will not surprise me if food banks don't start going over to being soup kitchens soon. So few people cook from basic ingredients any more that it will be much more effective, less wasteful and efficient to go ahead and cook the food and serve it.
> 
> *I don't know why the gov doesn't just go ahead and make housing complexes with security, schools, public transportation, nurses, and cafeterias located on the grounds. It would be much more cost effective if we are going to provide all of this anyway to do it in a centralized location*




I'd prefer the gov quit trying to take care of everybody from the cradle to the grave! A lot of people, especially young adults, don't have any self esteem. Why? Because everything is always done FOR them, and by doing so, they get the message that its because they are incapable of doing it for themselves. Makes no difference if its Mom & Dad or the gov who sends them this message, but its doubly bad when they get it from both. 
Young people need to struggle, to do without some things, especially the luxuries that they see mom & dad have, who only worked 20 yrs or more to get them. They need to get over the fantasy that they can spend "their money" on wants, then have everybody else take care of their "needs." I see parents buy their kid a car, then lament over them not taking care of it, maintaining it, and eventually wreck it. Want your kid to take care of a car? Make him invest in it himself! Earn the money, at least 1/2 of the money, and watch how they react when a friend throws a backpack on the hood of it then! Why? Because its HIS, he has worked/sacrificed something for it. Why do the housing projects look like they do? Why do the hud houses look like they do? They all are run down and rarely do you see flowers planted, or anything nice that's been added by the "owner unless they're elderly." Why? Because they have nothing of themselves invested in it. So, why do people think the food at the foodbank is free? Why do they hold so little value on it and feel they can afford to be picky? Because we've taught them to. Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

backwoods said:


> [/B]
> 
> I'd prefer the gov quit trying to take care of everybody from the cradle to the grave! A lot of people, especially young adults, don't have any self esteem. Why? Because everything is always done FOR them, and by doing so, they get the message that its because they are incapable of doing it for themselves. Makes no difference if its Mom & Dad or the gov who sends them this message, but its doubly bad when they get it from both.
> Young people need to struggle, to do without some things, especially the luxuries that they see mom & dad have, who only worked 20 yrs or more to get them. They need to get over the fantasy that they can spend "their money" on wants, then have everybody else take care of their "needs." I see parents buy their kid a car, then lament over them not taking care of it, maintaining it, and eventually wreck it. Want your kid to take care of a car? Make him invest in it himself! Earn the money, at least 1/2 of the money, and watch how they react when a friend throws a backpack on the hood of it then! Why? Because its HIS, he has worked/sacrificed something for it. Why do the housing projects look like they do? Why do the hud houses look like they do? They all are run down and rarely do you see flowers planted, or anything nice that's been added by the "owner unless they're elderly." Why? Because they have nothing of themselves invested in it. So, why do people think the food at the foodbank is free? Why do they hold so little value on it and feel they can afford to be picky? Because we've taught them to. Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now.


I would prefer the government quit trying to take care of everyone too. But IF they are going to, I certainly wish they would do it in a way that makes sense and doesn't invite fraud and laziness. And I would LOVE to see some kind of work requirement, I am just not sure what that would look like exactly. 

If it was all in one little village like someone mentioned above they could keep the grounds, clean the common areas, serve in the cafeteria and cook, etc etc. But that does sound a bit like isolating the nations poor into some kind of concentration camp - even if it had a pool and a ballfield for the kids, folks would scream holy heck that they were being mistreated and put in a prison. They could even have and tend their own garden to grow their food, but now we have turned it into a hippie commune - LOL.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

TripleD said:


> My office is about 75 yards from a food pantry. The stuff thats gets thrown in my dumpster is outrageous canned goods and fresh produce. I see them with a cigarette in their mouth just before going and lighting up on their way out.


Why not put a box/bin/barrel, something out by the dumpster with a sign asking them to please put food stuff here, thank you?


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

backwoods said:


> [/B]
> 
> I'd prefer the gov quit trying to take care of everybody from the cradle to the grave! A lot of people, especially young adults, don't have any self esteem. Why? Because everything is always done FOR them, and by doing so, they get the message that its because they are incapable of doing it for themselves. Makes no difference if its Mom & Dad or the gov who sends them this message, but its doubly bad when they get it from both.
> Young people need to struggle, to do without some things, especially the luxuries that they see mom & dad have, who only worked 20 yrs or more to get them. They need to get over the fantasy that they can spend "their money" on wants, then have everybody else take care of their "needs." I see parents buy their kid a car, then lament over them not taking care of it, maintaining it, and eventually wreck it. Want your kid to take care of a car? Make him invest in it himself! Earn the money, at least 1/2 of the money, and watch how they react when a friend throws a backpack on the hood of it then! Why? Because its HIS, he has worked/sacrificed something for it. Why do the housing projects look like they do? Why do the hud houses look like they do? They all are run down and rarely do you see flowers planted, or anything nice that's been added by the "owner unless they're elderly." Why? Because they have nothing of themselves invested in it. So, why do people think the food at the foodbank is free? Why do they hold so little value on it and feel they can afford to be picky? Because we've taught them to. Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now.


I completely agree. I have seen this over and over again. Unfortunately I cannot see a time when 'the system' will get any smaller or when some of these folks will choose to take care of themselves. I just reckon that if we are going to be doing all of this stuff for them anyhow, maybe they ought to go ahead and give over and quit pretending and just go ahead and make compounds. Kind of like a jail, but with schools....actually, they have that in jail too don't they? Well, many of these folks don't want freedom anyhow.

Having said that....I'm referring to those who don't want to help themselves. I don't condemn or criticize anyone that needs a helping hand. Many elderly folks need help due to the price of medications. Folks lose jobs, spouses leave and accidents happen. I think most of us have been in a tight spot at least once in our lives.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

TxMex said:


> I completely agree. I have seen this over and over again. Unfortunately I cannot see a time when 'the system' will get any smaller or when some of these folks will choose to take care of themselves. I just reckon that if we are going to be doing all of this stuff for them anyhow, maybe they ought to go ahead and give over and quit pretending and just go ahead and make compounds. Kind of like a jail, but with schools....actually, they have that in jail too don't they? Well, many of these folks don't want freedom anyhow.
> 
> Having said that....I'm referring to those who don't want to help themselves. I don't condemn or criticize anyone that needs a helping hand. Many elderly folks need help due to the price of medications. Folks lose jobs, spouses leave and accidents happen. I think most of us have been in a tight spot at least once in our lives.


I think this is why Christians were intended to live in community. So we can just hand help right over the fence and there never need be shame or obligation. 

Our society is so broken.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

Ernie said:


> I think this is why Christians were intended to live in community. So we can just hand help right over the fence and there never need be shame or obligation.
> 
> Our society is so broken.


Used to you had family as well. Family took care of each other. All the kin folks I have still living would be greatly improved by a high speed projectile.


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## quietperson (May 31, 2004)

Around here, there is a truck (must be from a county organization because you have to sign up and qualify to get on their "list") that comes out into the towns in the county once a month and pass out pre-boxed (think egg crate size) boxes of commodities. Usually three or four cans of vegetables or fruits, a bag of powdered milk, sometimes three or four cans of evaporated milk, once in awhile a box of cereal, maybe a can of chunked chicken, and a bottle or two of fruit juice. The people have to sign a clipboard that they picked up their box. If it is found out that any of those people visited any of the church run food pantries in any of the towns, they are not permitted to participate in ANY food pantry for x amount of time. 

Doesn't anyone check in the communities that have been spoken of in this thread to see if people are "double dipping" and stop them? There have been people denied food if it is discovered they are supplimenting what the truck brings.


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

Our pantry is a private church run organization, not connected to governmental assistance, therefore we cannot do anything if they are frequenting other pantries throughout the month. If they try to come more then once a month they are refused access to regular pantry staples but may have fresh produce, bread and dairy product if they are available.


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## snowcap (Jul 1, 2011)

Nothing like picky mooches.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

Even if folks are not as honest as we'd wish, I've always said....I'll feed anybody. I have not ever begrudged someone food.

When I lived in Mexico I almost always lived in rural non------- areas, so everybody knew who the new gringa was and where she lived. It never failed that within a week of moving to a new area there would be folks on my doorstep asking for money. I learned early on that giving folks money was a huge mistake, because then EVERYONE wanted money. So instead, I let it be known that I would feed anyone. It would be ------ food, but they could come and have a big hot lunch any time they wanted it and as many as wanted to come. Some days I didn't feed anyone. Some days I fed dozens. Folks also knew that if they came by that I'd give them beans and rice. When I went to town there were several very poor children that would try to spot me going into the local bakery because they knew I'd buy them a bag full of bread. At a peso a piece and the exchange rate at that time was about 1 dollar to 14 pesos.....I could afford a lot of bread. Often in the afternoons children or young teens would stop by as ask to practice their English and I would of course feed them a snack...which I'm sure was the main reason for the visit. We'd play games and speak a bit of Spanglish.

No, while I am against wasting food....I'd not ever turn someone away from receiving food. Not even if they were visiting a dozen food pantries.

Edited to add....I have no idea why it is editing my posting. I used a common term for a non-Mexican living in Mexico. It sure is easier to spell and pronounce than estudiadense....or however it is spelled.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I know there are cheats and always will be. However, I've spent the last 25 years preparing bankruptcies so I know a lot of people depend on food pantries to keep themselves fed. A lot of elderly with only minimal social security or disabled individuals on social security or low income families do not have enough money for food and often do not qualify for food stamps or only minimal amounts of food stamps. A lot of these people are physically unable to do much cooking. They are the ones you hear about having to choose between medicine and food.

I had a client who had been a professional person before he had a stroke. He was barely surviving. I fact he told me he only had enough money for 3 weeks of food each month. One way he was surviving was working as a volunteer at senior meals and earning himself a free meal which was his only meal of the day. I urged him to apply for food stamps and he told me that he'd only get $20 or less. I pointed out that he only needed food for a week or two so $20 would certainly be enough for that. His stroke hindered his thought processes so he hadn't considered that. Anyway that gentleman went to DHS and got food stamps. In fact, his food stamps provided enough food that he had to use very little of his income for food. The social worker went out her way to help him and he also was provided with other services and including getting his medication free (he hadn't been able to buy it). He made a special trip to my office to thank me for sending him to DHS. I think that this gentleman is representative of the people social services, food pantries, food stamps, etc. are meant for. Anyone can have a temporary need but the key word should be temporary. Such services should never ever be a way of life for anyone physically able to work. I often see people using their food stamp card to buy expensive food that I would never consider purchasing. I find it irritating to see that because I know their children will go hungry due to their bad choices.

I've seen printed handouts with recipes using economical foods aimed at helping to stretch food stamps to cover the month so I know the information is out there if people want it. I've seen quite a few people receiving more food stamps than I budget for food each month. 

The war on poverty started back in the 1960's and that is where welfare began the dependency cycle. Before food stamps the government used to give free food that included dried beans and non-instant dried milk. There were other foods given but I'm not sure exactly what. I had a friend who cleaned apartments after residents moved out and part of her pay was she got to keep anything left behind. One apartment had a closet full of dried beans and powdered milk and my friend shared them with us. Most of that winter dh and I ate soup beans every night for supper.

Ironically the one time we received food stamps, food was really the last thing we needed since we had our own milk and eggs and a freezer full of garden produce plus several hundred jars of home canned foods plus shelves of squash and boxes of potatoes from our garden. However, I used them wisely and stocked up on what we didn't raise. I still recall the checkout lady complementing me on my wise use of the food stamps. Since we had a toddler we were also given free foods for her from a program that preceded WIC. Nothing was thrown out or wasted but I felt really guilty for taking any food stamps or food, but dh insisted I do so. Dh was working for a large meat processor at the time and the company or the union had welfare and unemployment people come into the plant at the time of the layoff for employees to file for unemployment, food stamps, etc. It was all too easy which is not longer the case!


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## TripleD (Feb 12, 2011)

Terri in WV said:


> Why not put a box/bin/barrel, something out by the dumpster with a sign asking them to please put food stuff here, thank you?


 I get my share out of that dumpster. What I dont eat goes to the piggies...It cost me a $104 each month to empty it I might as well make the best of it.:spinsmiley:


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

TripleD said:


> I get my share out of that dumpster. What I dont eat goes to the piggies...It cost me a $104 each month to empty it I might as well make the best of it.:spinsmiley:


That's using the ol' noodle!


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## gracie88 (May 29, 2007)

So in our area, there are gleaning groups that are all loosely organized. I joined the local one at one point when DH got laid off. Every one is supposed to pitch in with volunteering, though some are a bit lazy and some are disabled so the ways they can help out are limited. However, it's a pretty good system, they generally get invited to farms at the end of the season to pick whatever is left. The policy in our group was, whoever went on gleans got to keep up to half of what they picked, the rest was pooled for the whole group. Also, OSU donates the majority of their experimental crops so again, massive amounts of fruit and veg, generally as much as we could pick in a morning (most of the members were elderly retirees, so we started early and finished by 10-11 am). I haven't been a member for a few years, we didn't qualify once DH went back to work, and I know it's a problematic system if one has a job (most gleans were on week days), but I'm surprised to not see gleaners mentioned in this thread. Surely it's not just a local thing?


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

snowcap said:


> Nothing like picky mooches.


I don't know that we're doing anyone any favors if we give them food that's going to cause a health problem along with their poverty problem.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

gracie88 said:


> So in our area, there are gleaning groups that are all loosely organized. I joined the local one at one point when DH got laid off. Every one is supposed to pitch in with volunteering, though some are a bit lazy and some are disabled so the ways they can help out are limited. However, it's a pretty good system, they generally get invited to farms at the end of the season to pick whatever is left. The policy in our group was, whoever went on gleans got to keep up to half of what they picked, the rest was pooled for the whole group. Also, OSU donates the majority of their experimental crops so again, massive amounts of fruit and veg, generally as much as we could pick in a morning (most of the members were elderly retirees, so we started early and finished by 10-11 am). I haven't been a member for a few years, we didn't qualify once DH went back to work, and I know it's a problematic system if one has a job (most gleans were on week days), but I'm surprised to not see gleaners mentioned in this thread. Surely it's not just a local thing?



Never heard of anything like that.


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## ldc (Oct 11, 2006)

gracie, gleaning - while in existence since the pharohs' time - is a very local and isolated practice in the US today. Many counties have laws against it, perhaps due to liability issues. Have only heard of family members being invited to glean a relative's field here. There's a great movie, "The Gleaners and I" that shows rural and urban gleaning in today's France, with paintings of gleaners of other centuries.I found it at the local library. A section of the film has a judge discussing the legalities of gleaning, and the laws regarding that practice, going back to the time of the Bible (if anyone is interested!).


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

ldc said:


> gracie, gleaning - while in existence since the pharohs' time - is a very local and isolated practice in the US today. Many counties have laws against it, perhaps due to liability issues. Have only heard of family members being invited to glean a relative's field here. There's a great movie, "The Gleaners and I" that shows rural and urban gleaning in today's France, with paintings of gleaners of other centuries.I found it at the local library. A section of the film has a judge discussing the legalities of gleaning, and the laws regarding that practice, going back to the time of the Bible (if anyone is interested!).



That is interesting. I had never heard of it either. Will have to look it up now. I like learning about these types of things. But those "laws against it for liability reasons" is some of the stuff that gets under my skin. If the farmer wants to let them come take what is left, and the people are willing to go get it, why does the government have to poke their nose into it? I guess I have to blame lawyers for encouraging people to sue over the most trivial of things - and then blame the people who are willing to do it just to make a buck. It is those people that have caused the government to prevent people from working out compromises that would benefit each other - that and the fact that the Government wants to tax any kind of transfer of money or product


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

click cc to turn on english titles....full movie...i will watch tonight



[YOUTUBE]WYzl-h1IAmo[/YOUTUBE]


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

ldc said:


> gracie, gleaning - while in existence since the pharohs' time - is a very local and isolated practice in the US today. Many counties have laws against it, perhaps due to liability issues. Have only heard of family members being invited to glean a relative's field here. There's a great movie, "The Gleaners and I" that shows rural and urban gleaning in today's France, with paintings of gleaners of other centuries.I found it at the local library. A section of the film has a judge discussing the legalities of gleaning, and the laws regarding that practice, going back to the time of the Bible (if anyone is interested!).


yep..bible says to those harvesting dont look back or go back to pick what was missed..leave it for the poor.also a person had the right to pick what they could hold in their hads to eat without it being considered steeling.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

there was a time i was dirt poor..i kept a couple 5 gallon buckets and a those small buckets with me at all times.

always was getting free stuff from people that tossed stuff...apples,fish etc. i use to work on a large farm from time to time.during corn cutting at end of day i pulled truck in field and filled bed up with dropped corn to take home.it was a poor persons daily bonus check.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I filled the bed of my truck with moldy bread, fruit veg waste, and soured vanilla coffee creamer all from the pantry today....the chickens are happy and so are the goats!

Lots of waste as this is food stamp week and everyone has money! (but me!)


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Around here the farmers plow the "leftovers" under. It's an unspoken invitation here that once the harvest is over and crops are hauled off, the fields are "open". At night. When no ones around. Cause it goes against local regs. (or state, don't know)


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

humanity has fallen a longway from understanding how to take care of themselves as a whole.

true life skills

true daily survival

true love

true caring for each other

true peace

just to name a few....i am afraid the learning curve that is coming is going to be very painful indeed.


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## sand flea (Sep 1, 2013)

http://www.midatlanticgleaningnetwork.org/

Inmates growing food: http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201305240142

Volunteer farm in Woodstock, Va: http://worldfoundationforchildren.com/


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## gracie88 (May 29, 2007)

> gracie, gleaning - while in existence since the pharohs' time - is a very local and isolated practice in the US today. Many counties have laws against it, perhaps due to liability issues.


That's really too bad. I thought it was a great system - you work, you get high quality food, farmers get a tax write-off, every one is happy. I would have had a hard time going to a real food pantry (pride) and truthfully, may not have quite qualified, income-wise, but with the gleaners it felt like I was earning my keep.


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## snowcap (Jul 1, 2011)

Ernie said:


> I don't know that we're doing anyone any favors if we give them food that's going to cause a health problem along with their poverty problem.


I have to say, this is almost insulting.
After the crash there were a lot of people hungry. 
People dug into their pantries and pocket books to help those in need. Sad to see people questioning these good peoples charity.
If you don't like what your getting from the food bank ,don't go there. Some one else will eat the food.
Worse thing is making some one comfortable in their poverty.


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## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

Hey, gracie88, hi neighbor. Salem still has a gleaning group. There isn't any qualification process - anyone can join. Half of what you pick goes to food boxes/groups, the other half you can keep for yourself. They appreciate assistance, but that isn't necessary either. The farmers let them know what, when and where, and they go as a group so there is oversight.
Also, there is a family farm just north of Salem that keeps a gleaning list and notifies folks when it's time to come. Mostly broccoli, summer squash and prunes this time of year, but they open their strawberries fields for u-pick and free picking when they're finished selling. Really nice folks I've known for 20 years. 
There are usually folks on CL who offer free apples, pears, grapes, whatever they have extra, but I've talked to some of them and they get discouraged because no one will come do even that little bit of work to just pick. Sad.
Kit


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I ran the local food bank and charity for three years, before we moved up here from TX. It was an assoc. of 14churches and our small city. The whole county was divided by zip codes and you needed proof of where you lived to get food on a regular basis.

We got food from the churches, the local grocery stores, civic groups, the central food bank in Houston. TX has laws that protect food banks from being sued so we could take out dated and home canned things.

The LDS church is one of the biggest contributors to the food bank system, if not the largest. They have farms and canneries, and often pull up to a central food bank with semi loads of great food. They have stocked the food banks here and in TX when supplies are low. It is not common knowledge how much food they supply to the needy in this country. No, I am not Mormon, but they deserve credit for what they do.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

snowcap said:


> I have to say, this is almost insulting.
> After the crash there were a lot of people hungry.
> People dug into their pantries and pocket books to help those in need. Sad to see people questioning these good peoples charity.
> If you don't like what your getting from the food bank ,don't go there. Some one else will eat the food.
> Worse thing is making some one comfortable in their poverty.


Hope you don't fall off that high horse of yours.

You've read a whole lot into what I've said that isn't there.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Molly Mckee said:


> I ran the local food bank and charity for three years, before we moved up here from TX. It was an assoc. of 14churches and our small city. The whole county was divided by zip codes and you needed proof of where you lived to get food on a regular basis.
> 
> We got food from the churches, the local grocery stores, civic groups, the central food bank in Houston. TX has laws that protect food banks from being sued so we could take out dated and home canned things.
> 
> The LDS church is one of the biggest contributors to the food bank system, if not the largest. They have farms and canneries, and often pull up to a central food bank with semi loads of great food. They have stocked the food banks here and in TX when supplies are low. It is not common knowledge how much food they supply to the needy in this country. No, I am not Mormon, but they deserve credit for what they do.


I've heard about these Mormon canneries for years but never actually seen one in operation. Are they run locally or out of some centralized authority?


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Locally we give $$ to the local foodbank through our church. The foodbank has about 3 to 4 times more purchasing power than the average consumer. Though food donations are welcome, $$ gets way more. Everything is name brand, there are a few comfort foods for the kids but tend to be healthy ones. Second Harvest seems to be the most prominent among the food banks up here. There are several that gets close to expired foods from grocery stores from the twin cities and it's distributed through the local churches. Those you pay a small fee to receive about a shopping cart of food. A few years ago I used to help with this program and at the end we were allowed take what was left otherwise it's thrown out if another pantry doesn't pick it up. It was crazy the amount of food we all brought home.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

At one time we hauled over 10,000 lbs. cull potatoes from a neighbors barn and took them to our church food bank...workers told us many didn't want "real" potatoes ...just instant or frozen fries! They were able to re-distribute many to other food banks. When I say culls I mean really nice potatoes that were, perhaps, lumpy or bumpy so couldn't be sold as #1. At the time they were $5/50# and we always bought them. To boot, they were Golden Bakes which were a fore runner of Yukon gold that everyone likes. Lumpy factor was their drawback but the taste was far superior to Yukon golds. Wish I could find a start of them but Pauqeot says they are no more.

I think that many people don't value what is given to them. After awhile of taking they get to feeling entitled to it. And then there are others who wouldn't take "charity" if they were starving...case in point my son's best friend thru school whose only meals were school hot breakfast and lunch many a day. His Pa wouldn't allow them to sign up; the school just provided it to them. Many's the time he ate with us but always asked if there was a chore he could do. Heard on the news lately that there are many poor schools districts that now give every chlld free meals so they don't have to apply.


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## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

snowcap said:


> I think what Ernie was saying is that the very nature of the food available may make some people with certain health problems even more sick. I, for instance, am a diabetic, and could not use any of the high-carbohydrate foods that seem so common in food pantries without dire consequences. Others, with diseases such as IBS cannot eat things such as beans... It isn't that they don't like the food and wouldn't be grateful for it. It is that certain foods exacerbate their condition and CANNOT eat it if they are to remain relatively healthy.
> 
> Mary


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## Staceyy (Jun 16, 2007)

Our grocery stores have large boxes shoppers can place their grocery donations into. A lot of the junk food might come from sources like this.


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## sherry in Maine (Nov 22, 2007)

I haven't read all of these posts, but, yes I know that most folks who are 'generational' welfare dont cook from scratch, not interested or perhaps dont have a stove that works, or proper storage.
I also know that sometimes 'special' adults receive stuff (many dont get very much money per week to buy food) and though they are 'independant' they still dont use their stove unless their worker comes by to cook with them. When they cook, it's very basic stuff, and yes, some of it is junk. Lots of them dont even have a stove, or a very big place to live, or to store stuff. 
Off topic of that; my kid went to camp, this summer. I offered to give them stuff for the cook to use. No thanks! We all know that kids dont eat healthy food if they dont have to! Plus, we want simple food to eat- noodles, pop tarts, pizza, etc. I dont blame them, I guess, but seemed like a shame that they weren't interested in me growing a garden for them, just basic stuff, you know, not anything 'horrid' or 'awful' like eggplant or squash or radishes, etc. (of course, who am I to complain? I still havent figured out how to grow my own food completely, here in Maine, though I was good at it in Md. and Va.)
I know they were there to have fun, and didn't want to worry about rejection of food, especially at camp.
By the way, my kid eats pretty healthy. Most of the time we dont eat out of cans. (broke down the other day and opened some soup, and green beans from a can--I felt guilty) 
She doesn't eat lots of crap; so the camp was a good time for her, especially because she got to eat it daily for 5 days.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

We got about 200 cans of food a couple of years ago that the food bank couldn't give out because the labels had fallen off (manufacturer had donated them because the glue in that batch was bad... they just put 4-5 different kinds of food in unlabelled cans in a big crate and shipped it). Think they were expecting us to feed it to the livestock or something.

Apparently nobody realized they could just sort them by the codes stamped on the bottoms of the cans, open one of each code to see what it was, and relabel them with a magic marker.
Ended up being peaches, corn and 3 kinds of beans. Lots of good chili made off those cans.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

DaleK said:


> We got about 200 cans of food a couple of years ago that the food bank couldn't give out because the labels had fallen off (manufacturer had donated them because the glue in that batch was bad... they just put 4-5 different kinds of food in unlabelled cans in a big crate and shipped it). Think they were expecting us to feed it to the livestock or something.
> 
> Apparently nobody realized they could just sort them by the codes stamped on the bottoms of the cans, open one of each code to see what it was, and relabel them with a magic marker.
> Ended up being peaches, corn and 3 kinds of beans. Lots of good chili made off those cans.


Ha! I wouldn't have thought of that either! I'd have just had mystery dishes for awhile.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

The truth of the matter is, much of what America eats today, doesn't resemble food that was eaten 100 years ago... Everything is pre-cooked, pre-tenderized, pre-seasoned, pre-formed, pre-preserved even! Sugar/corn syrup & preservatives are found in everything, and more sodium in one serving, than would normally have been eaten in a week or more. White flour is consumed much more than it would've been then. 
Young women have turned away from the mind-set that a woman is supposed to learn to cook. I don't know WHAT they plan on feeding their children when they have them? Add to that, they aren't getting married to their child's father, low/no income, little to no "support system" for them and their children. It's all a recipe for disaster, especially for the kids. I've seen the mothers go to school on "free" programs to help them enter the work force, only to drop out a month or so before they would have to "graduate" and get a job. Then they continue on welfare indefinitely. I've been "offered" to buy their food stamps at 1/2 price, & declined of course. The swap & shop boards here were so full of people selling WIC items, the admin put a stop to people listing those things for sell there. If they are selling their WIC formula, what are they feeding their baby? If they are selling their food stamps at half value, how are they feeding their kids? The school where dd goes feels the need to send home foods the kids can eat without cooking, every Friday afternoon, for them to eat over the weekend, because no one is feeding them. There are many people who need help occasionally, and they should be helped. But there are many more who have become professional welfare recipients, and somehow, someway, it has to stop. We aren't doing them a favor. The country can't afford all of them now. It isn't just the uneducated doing it, either. We have members of our own family who live this way, on purpose, & have for years now. They won't get off their hiney and even try to get a job until they have are given no other choice. They tried to bleed us dry until we cut them off. Every time we helped, it only encouraged more blood sucking. They hit every food bank, get their food stamps, get free rent/utilities, eat more extravagantly than we do, and then ask us for money, month after month. They've been on vacation twice, while we haven't gone at all, and then tell us how well they are doing "on their own." When I say you aren't living 'on your own' you are living off of other people's taxes," they get angry and try to argue that they just need help and it's not their fault, and that's why their parents paid all those taxes and they deserve to get some of it back! Huh? Our society is very broken... this has to stop.


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## SugarMag (Jun 30, 2011)

Earnie, I hear ya! I used to volunteer at the food bank in my small New Mexico town, and the "food" was just... I was ashamed. I was brought up to offer the very best as charity.
I felt a lot of "good enough for the likes of them, after all, we would just throw it away, so lets offer it to the poor"
Wen I was a young single working mom, I went to the food bank a couple of times, back in those days, they gave rice, beans, pasta, butter. (Butter!!!)
But I had already stocked up on exactly that, so I gave it to my neighbor friend, who was even poorer, and had more kids.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Yeah. I hear you. I don't like to give away anything I wouldn't be willing to eat. Charity, to me, doesn't mean giving second best. If a man asks for bread, are we to give him stones?

But it's strange ... I wasn't aware that so many people either couldn't or wouldn't cook. That sort of changes things. How do you feed them? Processed food not only isn't healthy, but it's expensive. You could probably feed 3 people basic foodstuffs like a meal of rice and beans for the cost of feeding 1 person a ready-to-eat processed meal.

With the way things are going, we should probably begin to think of better ways of feeding large numbers of hungry people. I don't have any good ideas though. I don't understand enough about the modern reality.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

hunger makes food taste better...but the learning curve of reality is going to be steep and fast...some wont survive and its a sad thing..a very sad thing.


i think spices are a big deal to have around to add to plain types food.i am learning to make things from scratch...like types of dried peppers ground...going to make smoked paprika and try smoked tomato powder.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

ernie around here i am a freak of nature...a grown man that cans.


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

Ernie to feed the masses we would need to set up soup kitchens that provide a hot meal at a certain time of the day. Those who chose to attend would get a nourishing meal and fellowship. It definitely would be a different entity than a food pantry. You would need many more people to prepare, serve and cleanup than you do to run a pantry.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

The sad fact about modern reality is that many don't know how to cook or want to learn. Heck, many don't know what a manual can opener is, let alone have one in their house. I've heard many say that if it doesn't come out of a box, they don't know how to fix it. You get strange looks when you offer to teach them. It's become a society that can't even make their own pb&j's, they get them out of the freezer section.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I think this will change in a pretty big hurry when the industrial system ceases to provide.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

[YOUTUBE]Pb4rpSWW-Ks[/YOUTUBE]


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

We watch the cable "house hunting" shows and I'm continually amazed at women who MUST have certain cabinets, granite counter tops, top of line stainless appliance, a big pantry and then brag that they don't cook. Its like these women think its cool to not know how to cook. I'd love to have a conversation with them to find out what they eat.


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## SugarMag (Jun 30, 2011)

So there are a lot of people who don't even know what real food is?
I guess I didn't realize that.
Used to be pretty common that guys would knock on the door and offer to cut the grass for a small sum. Still more than I could pay, and anyway, I cut my own grass, though not as often as I should have, apparently.
But I would fix them a place at the supper table.
Met some interesting people that way.


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## snowcap (Jul 1, 2011)

I never thought people should be made to feel ashamed because the charity they give is not good enough.
Over the last 5 years we have been gifted various food stuffs, some of it from food banks. There has been a few things we haven't been able to use. i just put it in a box and once a young father needed some food to last till he got his food stamps. He was happy to have the food. if he had any complaints i never heard them.
And in my opinion that's the way it should be.


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## Ziptie (May 16, 2013)

Ernie said:


> I've heard about these Mormon canneries for years but never actually seen one in operation. Are they run locally or out of some centralized authority?


As far as I know....with all things in the church the Profit and Apostles make all the final decisions on all things. So, yes run by an centralized authority.
The canneries themselves are run usually by a senior missionary couple (at least that is who ran one of canneries in Oregon/they also ran it in conjunction with the Bishops Store House). There are two kinds of canneries dry pack and wet pack. Though from what I have heard the wet pack was being regulated out of business and the dry pack is being pushed that way also. For the wet pack canneries the members of the LDS church would go and volunteer their time on certain assigned days and work in the cannery(my husband did this a long time ago I have never been in one). For the dry pack canneries you and your group would tell them how many #10 cans of stuff you wanted, then go to the building,fill the cans with your dry goods, and seal the stuff your group wanted. But, because of increasing government regulation you can no longer go and do this. 
You can still dry pack on your own though. Usually each stake has a dry pack cannier (big heavy thing) that is available to the members (probably even to nonmembers) to use if you go and buy the #10 can,lids,and oxygen packs(which we would get from the cannery) and you can fill #10 cans of stuff to your hearts content.:bowtie:
Hope that is all as clear as mud. Keep in mind I have not been in a cannery for about 4 years now.


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

My husband and I have volunteered at our food bank for at least 12 years .I can honestly say we've seen it all.Ours is a big one,we get some stuff from Gleaners ,some from stores like baked goods, some from Churches and other private people, fresh produce from people who raise things just for the food bank.We get large amounts of money from big companies.We have several volunteers who are shoppers . Around ten thousend dollars is used monthly to purchase food.Our clients get to shop like in any regular store, depending on their family size.Do you think most of them pick healthy choices or items to cook a nice meal. NO!! They go for the easy stuff and junk food which we do not buy but is donated by people/families.They get to pick meat and many rather pick several pkgs of Hot dogs and Bologna instead of ground beef or pork or roasts.And heavens when we get venison donated from hunters ,most times you hear, we don't eat this!I could go on and on.My opinion is the majority is way to picky and lazy to cook a decent meal for their families.There are some good and honest people and lots of elderly who really need it. and then when you see many drive up in fancy cars,covered in tatoos and with the newest electronic gadget in their hand,you wonder are they really needy or just come because it's free?! And by the way beans and rice is mostly frowned upon.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Beans and rice is frowned upon? Heck, we ate that when we had plenty of money. It's one of our favorite foods! Why is it frowned upon?

Beans and rice is the ultimate homesteader's meal. It's cheaper than all get out to make, forms some healthy proteins, and even if you've only got a handful of something else you can throw it in the mix and it'll taste good. We've had it with everything from tomtatoes and okra to frogs and grasshoppers.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Beans and rice are a favorite here too. The thing is, many don't want them because they take time to prepare. It's a pizza, burger, hot dog and french fry kind of world now. Sad, but true.....

My boy was the only one in his 6th grade class last year that knew what yeast was used for. It's hard for me to understand how all of those kids hadn't been around someone, anyone, who had ever baked bread.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Ernie said:


> Beans and rice is frowned upon? Heck, we ate that when we had plenty of money. It's one of our favorite foods! Why is it frowned upon?
> 
> Beans and rice is the ultimate homesteader's meal. It's cheaper than all get out to make, forms some healthy proteins, and even if you've only got a handful of something else you can throw it in the mix and it'll taste good. We've had it with everything from tomtatoes and okra to frogs and grasshoppers.


did you at least take the legs off the grasshoppers?


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

AngieM2 said:


> did you at least take the legs off the grasshoppers?


The legs and the head. What's left just pretty much looks like a cooked shrimp.


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## sand flea (Sep 1, 2013)

So I guess there are no home ec classes In schools anymore?


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

sand flea said:


> So I guess there are no home ec classes In schools anymore?


Why should there be? Do my property taxes need to go to teaching other people's children how to cook?


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

In my opinion, it is the job of a parent to teach their child to cook, clean, sew, balance a budget, etc. So many depend on schools to teach their child everything & that is where the problem lies.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Our boys help in all stages, from canning to cooking. They love it, say it tastes better when you make it yourself.
And rice...big favorite here. Not that minit stuff, real rice. Our boys love it plain even as a snack.
Unfortunately, beans disagree with everyone but the wife.
Elk, no worries, I'm a canning grown man too.

Matt


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

elkhound said:


> ernie around here i am a freak of nature...a grown man that cans.


I wish my hubbs would can. I've been trying but it takes a while and I think hes a bit ADD. Has to be moving, can't sit still and wait.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

terri9630 said:


> I wish my hubbs would can. I've been trying but it takes a while and I think hes a bit ADD. Has to be moving, can't sit still and wait.


He's afflicted by Corporate-Industrial Syndrome. If you stop moving you feel like your boss is going to see you and you'll get fired.

I run a rehab clinic for men with that disorder. The first three days they spend tied up beneath a willow tree by a slow-moving stream with no radio, no books, and no television. If they survive that, then we can move on to fishing.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Ernie said:


> He's afflicted by Corporate-Industrial Syndrome. If you stop moving you feel like your boss is going to see you and you'll get fired.
> 
> I run a rehab clinic for men with that disorder. The first three days they spend tied up beneath a willow tree by a slow-moving stream with no radio, no books, and no television. If they survive that, then we can move on to fishing.


I'd let you take HIM and 2 goats in milk and a breeding trio of rabbits....a sack of rice beans and oats for good measure! I want a warrantee on your work though!


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

mpillow said:


> I'd let you take HIM and 2 goats in milk and a breeding trio of rabbits....a sack of rice beans and oats for good measure! I want a warrantee on your work though!


Me too. Hope Ernie likes La Manchas with their tiny ears and New Zealand Whites with their red eyes. Some people freak on anything unusual.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

Ernie said:


> Why should there be? Do my property taxes need to go to teaching other people's children how to cook?


It would certainly be better spent on that than on a good percentage of what they're taught now.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

mpillow said:


> I'd let you take HIM and 2 goats in milk and a breeding trio of rabbits....a sack of rice beans and oats for good measure! I want a warrantee on your work though!


Deal! I promise not to untie him until he's learned to appreciate sitting and doing nothing while enjoying nature.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

terri9630 said:


> Me too. Hope Ernie likes La Manchas with their tiny ears and New Zealand Whites with their red eyes. Some people freak on anything unusual.


Do I look like I freak on anything unusual?


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I've been listening to the radio a lot lately as I've been in the kitchen canning and there is a public service message that runs over and over about hunger in America. Now don't blast me because I know that hunger is really out there and people are suffering thru no fault of their own. However, I think a lot of people are hungry because they make bad choices. They choose to spend their money on things instead of food. It might be a vehicle, cigarettes, the latest electronic gadget, clothing, gambling, booze, cable TV or any number of other things that are not necessary. Or they use their food stamps for steak or canned spaghetti o's instead of beans & rice. Essentially they are choosing to go hungry.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Ernie said:


> Do I look like I freak on anything unusual?


You remind me of the crazy, kilt wearing amish guy in our town. Are you a member of the national zombie killing club too?


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I think he should sport a knife and be even more pirate-like.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

terri9630 said:


> You remind me of the crazy, kilt wearing amish guy in our town. Are you a member of the national zombie killing club too?


If you (Ernie) are short, and have hairy feet, then Id say you look a bit like a hobbit  (its the pipe of course  )


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

Ernie said:


> He's afflicted by Corporate-Industrial Syndrome. If you stop moving you feel like your boss is going to see you and you'll get fired.
> 
> I run a rehab clinic for men with that disorder. The first three days they spend tied up beneath a willow tree by a slow-moving stream with no radio, no books, and no television. If they survive that, then we can move on to fishing.



i will be an instructor if you ever need one for your clients.....woodsbum i am....i say let the jubilee start again.


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## TRellis (Sep 16, 2013)

Ernie,

No disrespect intended in any way shape or form, but there is more than just a passing resemblance..... with Jack Elam.

View attachment 15271




> Originally posted by Ernie: I run a rehab clinic for men with that disorder. The first three days they spend tied up beneath a willow tree by a slow-moving stream with no radio, no books, and no television. If they survive that, then we can move on to fishing.


I hope that is fly-fishing that your are referring to...

TRellis


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## EarthSheltered (May 9, 2008)

TRellis said:


> Ernie,
> 
> No disrespect intended in any way shape or form, but there is more than just a passing resemblance..... with Jack Elam.
> 
> ...


Now this made me laugh so hard I spooked the dogs!


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