Really heartbreaking

[Icarus]

My dad accidentally bought a literal truckload of bread, sliced bread, toasting, buns by the hundreds, at an auction. A good 95% or more of it went to family's with little to no money. It'd be, "Hey! Want some bread?" then they'd walk out with 20+ loaves, a couple hundred hamburger buns, and a bewildered expression.

I guessed they only expected one or two loaves...not bread for a year. I'm so sick of hamburger buns it's unbelievable xD

When the grocery guy still came to the auction, every Friday I'd be packing a good moving box or two full of stuff. Baking goods, juice, snacks, bread, jerky, canned stuff, etc. We just gave it to who ever needed some stuff for their cupboards. Me and my dad don't eat much, so it's better to just buy bulk for cheap, take what we need for the week, then give the rest away.

He's stopped coming, but he has a shop thats open Tuesdays in the next town. Good stuff for really cheap. 10 pounds of BIG chicken breasts, for example, $5-$10. Butter, bacon, cheesecake, sodas, jerky, cleaning stuff, bread, 10 poud sacks of cake mix...there isn't much he doesn't have.
I direct a lot of people there. Good food, for an awesome price. Well worth the gas to get there.

 

[degrassi]

Our local food bank accepts generic food and produce. They have a "grow a row" program for people to grow food in their own gardens to donate. They also accept tree fruit as there are lots of people with TONS of apples each fall. I think its awesome they accept locally grow produce as people who can't afford to buy food can still be able to donate. And everyone with a garden knows there is always extras.

I dont' understand the logic behind not accepting generic brands of food. Whats the thought behind it? In most products there is no difference between the generic name and the brand name. I guess its their loss.

 

[BethM]

degrassi wrote:

Our local food bank accepts generic food and produce. They have a "grow a row" program for people to grow food in their own gardens to donate. They also accept tree fruit as there are lots of people with TONS of apples each fall. I think its awesome they accept locally grow produce as people who can't afford to buy food can still be able to donate. And everyone with a garden knows there is always extras.

I dont' understand the logic behind not accepting generic brands of food. Whats the thought behind it? In most products there is no difference between the generic name and the brand name. I guess its their loss.

That's really awesome that they accept things like that. I bet people are happy to get some fresh produce, which can sometimes be expensive.

The food bank here said they don't want generics because generics "make people feel bad" about their situation. I guess if these people can't afford to buy food, getting the Kroger brand canned corn makes you feel worse than if you got the Green Giant canned corn? They didn't mention anything about the actual quality of the food inside the can, just the label outside.

I don't really understand it, myself, which is why I stopped donating. When I was a kid, living with my grandparents, we would get things from the food pantry once or twice a year, there would be things in there with the Always Save yellow label, but we didn't care. (Maybe because we bought that brand anyway, LOL.) It's really too bad, but when I am eating generic brands, and cook bulk foods, I cannot afford to buy premium brands or convenience items to give away. (I do buy a lot of fresh produce, so I try to save on other things, which means generics, and we eat a lot of rice, beans, etc. No meat in the house.)

 

[degrassi]

"Make them feel bad"? I would think starving would make them feel worse. I think people already feel bad they have to go to the food bank and wont' care whether they get generic or brand food. I just dont' understand things like this.

Our cities food bank is a great charity but I do have a horrible story about it. A friend of mine's sister in law is the executive director of the food bank. This friend lost her job and her husband did as well. They were very poor and needed help with food. Her sister in law told them they weren't allowed to come to use the food bank as she didn't want people to know her family was poor. So its sad that people in positions of power in charities don't always have a good heart. In the end my family helped out my friend's family but they should have had the same right to use the food bank as every one else.

 

[BethM]

degrassi wrote:

"Make them feel bad"? I would think starving would make them feel worse. I think people already feel bad they have to go to the food bank and wont' care whether they get generic or brand food. I just dont' understand things like this.

Yeah, that's why I stopped donating to them. I suspect the actual people receiving the food aid care less about the label, it was one of the pr people or directors or someone I heard say that. It's great they don't want people to feel bad about having to use the food bank, but food is food.