Give the needy food and other items they would actually like.

Every year for the past several years I have given to the United Way. Currently, I have $1.50 taken out of my paycheck each week. Although it seems a small sum, that is $78 per year. Again, that isn’t a large sum to many except to those without. I’m not sure how much has been collected this year, but dollar for dollar, my employer is matching it.

Recently, at the United Way fund raiser, the guy from the local food pantry which shares in the donations, told me that for every dollar they receive, they can buy 10 pounds of food for the needy in our community. The money also goes to Meals on Wheels which delivers healthy meals to the elderly and other shut-ins who are unable to cook for themselves. Although these are not the only recepients of the proceeds collected by United Way, I feel really good about how this money is spent.

It was called America’s Killer Diet It was very disturbing and an eye opener. I’m not going into the details of the program but if anyone hears anything about it being repeated, I encourage you to watch it.

I’m sure my company will have a food drive soon and so will my grandson’s school. What I am asking from everyone who is thinking of donating nonparishable food items to their local food drives is this:
Do not give ramon noodles. Every needy person in America already has them.
Do give canned fruits and veggies, canned juices, peanut butter, cereals, canned or powdered milk, canned meats, and any other nutritious foods that you would purchase and eat yourself.

I just finished reading a few entries on some similar goals and it started me thinking. It is not too early to begin planning for those who are less fortunate than us for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

A Lot of reasons. Right now, I have a box of food (if you could call it that) sitting on my kitchen floor that my stepdaughter has brought over. She has been off and on public assitance in some form the last 2 years. Currently, she is living in a rent-free house with a leaky roof. She hasn’t had a job in over 4 months. The last job she worked at was for a wrecking and salvage company doing mostly physical labor. Until she took this job, she had only done some sort of office work. She moved to Missouri to be closer to her family (us) and to pursue child-support for her 8 year old son in the state he was born. Finding a job in office work turned out to quite a challenge. She has applied to several area businesses where they told her that she has the right requirements they are looking for, but they have decided to promote within. Why then, did they advertise? She finally got child-support but currently it is arrears. (means she isn’t receiving it like she is suppose to). She spends each month worrying about whether food stamps (the old term) is going to cut off or reinstated. Whenever we could, we have helped her finaicially. Over the last 2 years we have paid some utility bills, filled her gas tank a few times, had her and our grandson over for several meals during the week when she had no money for food, and loaned (given) her money in other emergencies.

Okay, back to the box. She went to the local food pantry where they give out food to the needy. They talked her into taking this stuff off their hands: 4-5 bottles of marinades, 3 bottles of salad dressing, 5 packets of chipotle bullioun mix???, a bag of egg noodles). Now tell me, what would a single parent with an eight year do with these food items?

I know one thing. Next time I donate to the local food pantry, it will be edible, usable food items and people can and will actually eat.