I’ve been reading many blogs on this site and so many talk about groceries and personal items they get for free or next to nothing. And then there’s that delightful sentence that says that they will be donating extra to their local food pantry. I’m going to state right now that I think it is wonderful. Although this site is about saving money, there is the element of “I’m going to share my bounty.”
We have 3 full time food pantries in my city and I believe they are all busy on any given day. We have some churches that also give out food over and above this. One church, each Monday, gives a box of food that usually contains some meat of some sort whether it is a whole chicken or a couple of cans of tuna, some vegetables, and whatever else they have on hand.
If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I do have a slight hoarding problem. I tend to overstock my pantry. I believe it comes from growing up with parents who grew up in the Depression and talked about not having enough to eat so they overstocked their pantry. I grew up with that fear ingrained into me.
Normally we donate money to our favorite food pantry because they can buy food for so much a pound. I’m not telling you that to brag. I feel that we have been very blessed and we should share what we can.
However, that being said, I wanted to go a step further, especially after reading the newsletter we received from the above mentioned pantry. It said they are giving out at least 100 food boxes a day. Our community probably has around 75,000 to 80,000 people if you include the small towns around and 100 people need food a day. I don’t think the pantry is giving to the same 100 people – I think they have stipulations of how many times you can get food in a given month because of the need. Imagine, 100 boxes are given at this one pantry. The need is so great.
I work in a high poverty school which is very close to this food pantry. I have seen the faces of the hungry children who often depend on the free breakfast and lunch that the school provides. I would think that some of these families are getting these food boxes. At least if they need them, I hope they are doing so.
In America we should not have so many people in need. I know the economy has really hit so many hard. Here in my city, we usually have a higher unemployment rate because we went from having some major factories that were good paying jobs to just a couple. These were jobs that had decent salaries and decent benefits. We have plenty of fast food restaurants and two Wal-Marts – granted they give employment, but not big wages and benefits.
Anyway, I’ve decided to glean from my overstocked pantry some items to drop off today at the food pantry. I’m sure someone can use the soups and pasta and crackers. And I will rejoice that I have indeed been over blessed with my bounty.
Bountifully Blessed
May 27th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
May 27th, 2010 at 01:38 pm 1274967489
It's great to see people sharing and realizing it's not all about "me,me,me".
It is weird that in one of the most powerful countries in the world, some of it's child citizens go to school hungry... especially when food is so available and comparatively cheap.
May 27th, 2010 at 03:42 pm 1274974936
Good post!
I was just reading that the number of "international relief" non-profits had sky rocketed in our city during the last decade. That is all well and good, but I found it interesting to read about all these people starving, etc., in other countries. Lacking medical care, child prostitution/slavery, etc. Couldn't help but think, "what about our own country???"
May 27th, 2010 at 05:54 pm 1274982849
Personally, I donate items. I'm in the extreme couponer group and I feel I can stretch a dollar a lot further than the food pantry can. This weekend I will be sorting out my personal item donations and sending them off to places that can use them.
May 27th, 2010 at 08:33 pm 1274992383
dmontngrey -- I'm sure the places appreciate your items and your generosity -- I think they just want to have the stuff and any way they get it, it is a blessing!
And yes, Apprentice, it's shocking to think we have so many poor people in our own country.
May 28th, 2010 at 12:05 pm 1275048352