Posted on 12/08/2007 6:55:14 AM PST by xtinct
Area food banks are experiencing a critical shortage of supplies as donations drop dramatically and as demand for free and discounted food continues to soar.
The Capital Area Food Bank, the region's primary distribution center, reported that it had about 230,000 pounds of goods on its shelves this week, down from 570,000 pounds at this time last year, officials said.
Volunteer Robert H. Coats restocks shelves at the Capital Area Food Bank, where the current inventory is dramatically below last year's level. (By Nikki Kahn -- The Washington Post)
The short supplies, which are hitting food banks and soup kitchens across the nation, stem from a combination of factors: Federal supplies of excess farm goods have dropped, in part because of the summer drought and because farmers are selling more of their products internationally. Donations from grocery stores, a major source for food banks, have fallen as supermarket chains consolidate, increase efficiency and tighten inventory controls.
Overall this year, the Capital Area Food Bank is projecting totals to fall roughly 6 percent below last year's total of 19.5 million pounds. The situation has been particularly bad in recent weeks, officials said. At the Northeast Washington warehouse earlier this week, some refrigerated shelves, usually stacked with produce and meats, stood empty.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
In Massachusetts which ranks at the bottom of the food chain for charitable giving, the whine about the cupboards being bare hasn't begun yet. But Globe Santa is out there collecting toys for career welfare pro's kids and illegal aliens.
My suggestion if you suspect that your donations are being given to inappropriate receivers is to find a family and adopt that family for Christmas. Everyone pretty much knows someone who needs a hand, e.g. military family with dad or mom overseas, single mom or dad who works, elderly, disabled...
“Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”
The food bank in my area is giving free food to those that do not need it. They ask no questions. I personally know several families that use the food bank. One is upper upper middle class. I have tried using guilt to get them to stop. They believe they are due the free food. I just don’t get it.
Now I ain’t no fat man, 5’7”, and about 135 pounds. But I’ve made frequent donations at the food bank. And I can honestly say that 99% of the folks going there to load up on the donuts or whatever had 100 pounds on me - easy. And them were the skinny ones!
We have already started getting the commercials that our food band is in “critical need”. Well let me tell you, my daughters are Junior GS. They are working on their Bronze Award which entails them working this food bank six times. We were there last week. The shelves are stocked beyond measure. My girls put crackers in a variety box. (last year we sorted make-up. I found the same foundation that I bought at CVS the week before for 12.00). I really have a problem believing the “critical” crap.
I wouldn’t give the sweat off my “brow” to any foodbank that I know of in America today. The reason: they reward sloth and have become the diners of choice for druggies, drunks, and derelicts. Show me one food bank that requires work for food, and then maybe I’ll lend a hand and send a buck.
Indiana - circa 1975 - 3 couples without children who owned their own thriving businesses collected food stamps and went to each surrounding town’s food bank.
I am afraid that all who complain about giving and writing those comments about people getting who shouldn’t are the very ones who never give to anything in the first place.
Complainers who find any excuse not to part with their hard earned money because they are afraid it might just go to someone who dosen’t deserve.
I live in an area where 87 percent of the general population is considered below poverty level.
I attended a community food commodity program last month and gave out commodities to the poor.
For the month of November the people collected 5 pounds of rice, 2 cans of cooked carrots, 2 cans of processed chicken, 2 cans of corn and 3 pounds of onions.
Each person had to sign an affidavit that they were below the poverty level.
So I ask those who are yelling humbug about commodities programs for the poor just how the hell do think a family of four can survive for a month on 2 cans of cooked carrots?
Some of you write that it is the responsibility of the church but then again the writer needs first to attend church so he can give of his or her heart.
Of all my faults in life I am still a Christian first and Jesus teaches compassion for those less fortunate.
This year, the list includes Harvesters, the community food bank, Salvation Army, City Union Mission, the Synagogue to which I belong, Truman Medical Center Charitable Trust (a fund that helps pay for the indigent that the hospital treats), Ronald McDonald House, Hope House (a home for battered women and their children), and Wayside Waifs (a no-kill animal shelter). For all those who condemn the charities and those who use them, I'm sure that you can find some group that's able to live up to your standards and is worthy of your support.
Mark
Dang, does this mean those lazy, sit on their butts, looking for free hand out freeloaders, will have to get dinner at McHillary’s tonight?
And according the impaired logic of a liberal, a DEMAND for something means that there's a NEED for it.
And the corollary:
"Build a man a fire and he stays warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for a lifetime."
I get a list of who is in the family and their ages.
I then sit down with my children now 9 and 10 and we work up gift ideas for that family.
Last year we adopted a family of six for Christmas that the husband lost his job and the wife had to go into the hospital for a heart attack along with diabetes.
These people were truly in dire straits.
After brainstorming for gift ideas we bought each one of the four children new coats, jeans, shirts, socks and underwear.
We then got the two little girls big huggable bears and the boys remote controlled trucks.
The Mother and Father got a gift certificate from Penny's.
I had gone by the couples house several days before Christmas and had told them that I had drawn their name from the local Baptists church and would be bringing a gift for the children on Christmas day.
When I went to the door Christmas day we brought in several arm loads of presents and bags of groceries.
The mother asked us to sit down and watch as the children opened their presents.
As the kids opened their presents one by one the mother began to sob and soon all of us had tears.
I truly felt blessed by God that we had taken part of our Christmas budget and shared it with a deserving family.
The lesson learned by my children from that Christmas will live long with them.
God bless to all and a Merry Christmas.
The taxes they steal from us go to the “needy.”
Truly a warm and kind thing to do.
I did much the same for Thanksgiving. Watching a tiny six year old girl trying to drag the frozen turkey into the house was hilarious... thunk... thunk... thunk... up the steps!
Before my wife passed, there was hardly a year when we wouldn’t adopt a family. But my faith has suffered very much since then, and the bitterness is almost overwhelming.
Bless you and your spirit. And a fine lesson for your children.
Pelosi’s fault.
I would say this needs to be in News so that the most people can see it and get food to the food banks.
BTW, my brother manages one of these food banks.
Please, Religion Moderator and other moderators, be kind to the poor.
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