I thought you might be interested in my trip to the local Salvation Army today. I'll let you draw your own conclusions on what it's like to be poor and how you might be able to help more.
Last night a friend from church called because she needed a ride to the SA this morning. Her gas tank is empty and she has no money to fill it. She was almost out of food and with three growing boys 4, 13 and 19 and one on the way - she needed food. Tyrone was off today so I didn't think it would be a big deal. She had to be at the SA at 8:30 so I picked her up early and off we went. Found a parking space and headed in. This was step one - find a way to get to the SA downtown either by car, a friend's car, foot or bus, walk in, wait for your turn to get written down on the food list for the day after showing valid ID. (I saw one person who didn't have ID and was turned away) She was given an orange ticket and instructed to come back at 1 pm for food. I dropped her off and came home - step one took about 1.5 hours and 20 miles round trip.
At 12:45 I picked her up again and headed downtown, dropped her off at the door and then went to find a parking spot which was a bit of a challenge. (if she'd had to park herself she would have been late to get inside and could have missed her name being called) Inside we learned that the ticket from the morning only got you into the lottery for food. Of all the people who got on the list that morning - 25 would be called in to the pantry to pick up some food. The rest would leave empty handed. We waited anxiously in the big waiting room. I was happy for some people that I had seen waiting that morning and was glad that they got called in. But I was nervous that after all this work my friend wouldn't get anything. But... about half way down the list they called her name! She was so excited. She headed in to show her ID again, hand in her ticket and collect her two bags of food. Two half full paper bags of food. I easily carried them to my car parked a block and a half away. We admired the contents - a loaf of bread with the discount/day old sticker still on it, same for the bag of rolls, 1 box of mac and cheese, a package of bologna and some frozen veggies, two small containers of peanut butter and some canned goods, two snack size bags of potato chips. I drove her home to some excited boys. Step two: 1.25 hours and 20 miles round trip. That will probably feed her kids for two days, three is she really stretches it. If she combines her WIC milk and cheese maybe she'll make it til early next week before her pantry is empty again. She'll have to find gas money from somewhere to make it to church so she can get some groceries from the storehouse too. No gas = no church, no Salvation Army = no food.
Now a little about food consumption in my house. I shop twice a month with a planned menu for two weeks. I go to Sam's club for milk, juice, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, red peppers, chicken, juice packs, french bread, bagels, cereal, laundry detergent, toilet paper etc. etc. I think nothing of spending $200 on this bi-weekly trip and I can be finished in one hour or less, door to door. I will then also visit a regular grocery store twice a month to load up on canned goods, flour and sugar, and specific items that I need for meals - cilantro, sour cream, onions, chicken broth, brown sugar and on and on. I will think nothing of spending $150 on this trip and it will take about one and half hours, door to door, plus at least 30 minutes to carry everything in and put it away neatly. I also make a trip every two weeks to a Whole Foods store about 9 miles from my house to buy 8-10 loaves of thick, hearty, organic whole wheat bread. During the course of the following two weeks we will also drop in occasionally at the grocery store for items forgot, things that ran out or ice cream that we've just got to have. Just in case we should ever see hard times we have some wheat and rice, cans of dried veggies and beans, pancake mixes and a pantry full of canned goods that could see us through about three months or so.
And that is all I have to say about that, although my mind is running a mile a minute with things I could do to help. I hope yours is too.
Last night a friend from church called because she needed a ride to the SA this morning. Her gas tank is empty and she has no money to fill it. She was almost out of food and with three growing boys 4, 13 and 19 and one on the way - she needed food. Tyrone was off today so I didn't think it would be a big deal. She had to be at the SA at 8:30 so I picked her up early and off we went. Found a parking space and headed in. This was step one - find a way to get to the SA downtown either by car, a friend's car, foot or bus, walk in, wait for your turn to get written down on the food list for the day after showing valid ID. (I saw one person who didn't have ID and was turned away) She was given an orange ticket and instructed to come back at 1 pm for food. I dropped her off and came home - step one took about 1.5 hours and 20 miles round trip.At 12:45 I picked her up again and headed downtown, dropped her off at the door and then went to find a parking spot which was a bit of a challenge. (if she'd had to park herself she would have been late to get inside and could have missed her name being called) Inside we learned that the ticket from the morning only got you into the lottery for food. Of all the people who got on the list that morning - 25 would be called in to the pantry to pick up some food. The rest would leave empty handed. We waited anxiously in the big waiting room. I was happy for some people that I had seen waiting that morning and was glad that they got called in. But I was nervous that after all this work my friend wouldn't get anything. But... about half way down the list they called her name! She was so excited. She headed in to show her ID again, hand in her ticket and collect her two bags of food. Two half full paper bags of food. I easily carried them to my car parked a block and a half away. We admired the contents - a loaf of bread with the discount/day old sticker still on it, same for the bag of rolls, 1 box of mac and cheese, a package of bologna and some frozen veggies, two small containers of peanut butter and some canned goods, two snack size bags of potato chips. I drove her home to some excited boys. Step two: 1.25 hours and 20 miles round trip. That will probably feed her kids for two days, three is she really stretches it. If she combines her WIC milk and cheese maybe she'll make it til early next week before her pantry is empty again. She'll have to find gas money from somewhere to make it to church so she can get some groceries from the storehouse too. No gas = no church, no Salvation Army = no food.
Now a little about food consumption in my house. I shop twice a month with a planned menu for two weeks. I go to Sam's club for milk, juice, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, red peppers, chicken, juice packs, french bread, bagels, cereal, laundry detergent, toilet paper etc. etc. I think nothing of spending $200 on this bi-weekly trip and I can be finished in one hour or less, door to door. I will then also visit a regular grocery store twice a month to load up on canned goods, flour and sugar, and specific items that I need for meals - cilantro, sour cream, onions, chicken broth, brown sugar and on and on. I will think nothing of spending $150 on this trip and it will take about one and half hours, door to door, plus at least 30 minutes to carry everything in and put it away neatly. I also make a trip every two weeks to a Whole Foods store about 9 miles from my house to buy 8-10 loaves of thick, hearty, organic whole wheat bread. During the course of the following two weeks we will also drop in occasionally at the grocery store for items forgot, things that ran out or ice cream that we've just got to have. Just in case we should ever see hard times we have some wheat and rice, cans of dried veggies and beans, pancake mixes and a pantry full of canned goods that could see us through about three months or so.
And that is all I have to say about that, although my mind is running a mile a minute with things I could do to help. I hope yours is too.
Thanks for this message, we never know when we may be in this same situation. Count our blessings and think of ways that we can help those in need.
ReplyDeleteWe are raising a niece who spent the first 10 years of her life living like this! I was shocked when I found out that sometimes she'd open a can of green beans to eat for dinner, because that was all they had. Crazy!
ReplyDeleteI am so grateful for the church's welfare program. They provide people with good, quality food, and enough to last them for as long as they need. I also am grateful for the perpetual education fund so that people can get the skills they need to get themselves off of assistance so they don't have these stresses.
You're a great person for spending the time and effort to help her out. Unfortunately not as many do as could.