[sphinx]

"There's something respectful about giving out good, quality food," said Ed Jacob, executive director of Franciscan Outreach, which runs Franciscan House. "It's a dignity thing. It's not like putting bologna between two slices of bread."

Ah, charity mission creep.

Ed needs to rethink that statement. It is a good thing for commercial eateries to donate food that they would otherwise throw away. But there is also nothing wrong with bologna between two slices of bread if that's what you have.

We'll probably get to the point before long at which the next Obama will go to homeless shelters to complain about the price of arugula.

[freeandfreezing]

You have highlighted two important ideas. The first is that finding ways to recycle prepared food that isn't sold or used is a good, common sense idea. In many areas local regulations prevent the sending perfectly fine unused food to homeless shelters. Using the prepared but unsold sandwiches from Starbucks is a good idea.

The second is that continual efforts to make the life of people who are struggling at the bottom of the economic ladder better actually can make things worse for them. The removal of very low cost housing, like SRO hotels, or apartments without kitchens that have dishwashers and garbage disposals, reduced the supply of low cost housing and made it harder to have someplace to live. Higher minimum wages make it more difficult for people with limited skills to find work. The vast supply of college graduates today means that many businesses want applicants to have a college degree, even when the job doesn't require that level of education.

And if we re-define a meal to mean it has to have a Starbucks quality fancy sandwich, then there will be a lot fewer choices for people who can't afford that level of luxury.