TR: Cherry Street Food Bank

[rob]

As part of a recent management training class, I had the good fortune of volunteering at a local food bank for a day.

 

I do a lot of regular volunteering, but I've never volunteered at a food bank before. It was very cool.

 

One of the surprising things for me was how many of the people I saw coming in that were obviously not homeless, but working poor. They had the option of getting a sack lunch (chips, soda, sandwhich, etc.) or a limited selection of grocery items (canned food, breakfast cereal, pasta, etc.). They were all allowed several tubes of toothpaste and a bag of ground coffee.

 

It was really interesting to see the different personal dynamics of the people receiving food. Some were very grateful and open, and others were obviously embarrased to be there.

 

Quite a few individuals looked like their pride was suffering. They walked through the line, avoiding eye contact and trying to hurry through. There were several families and single mothers with multiple children. Some of the young children seemed ashamed to be there, as well.

 

One lady asked me if she could take extra toothpaste (they were allowed 5 tubes each) because she had "too many children." When nobody was watching, I let her take several handfulls.

 

I also spent a few hours in the back, sorting food donations. One thing is clear -- plenty of people donate canned beans and corn. There was a bin dedicated solely to storing cans of beans.

 

So, if you do make a donation, you might think of something a little different. Mac & Cheese was popular, as were canned raviolli and spaghetti-o's. Also, there seemed to be a shortage of chips -- I think pringles would survive the best. That stuff gets tossed around a lot.

 

Anyway, it was a great experience -- very different than volunteering in a shelter. If you're interested, you should contact NW Harvest (northwestharvest.org). They always seem to need help distributing and sorting food. I believe Mondays and Fridays are busy days for them.

 

Some of my employees and I are now going to be making regular visits during work-hours to help out.

 

Some pics (a coworker took all of these, cause I'm a crappy photographer (and have no camera)):

 

[Sherri]

That's awesome, Rob! Thanks for sharing that perspective and experience. Looks like that brainwashing you had at the Hilton really paid off.

 

You make excellent suggestions about what items make the best donations, especially pointing out that even the needy can only use so many cans of beans. When I was little, we used to get SO many dented cans of beets or Popeye spinach in our food bank box. Funny(but sad) thing is, I think we actually ended up giving those BACK to the food bank when we made donations.

 

I try to remember that now...and make donations from what I keep in the front of the cupboard, not fishing around in the back for what nobody wanted to eat.

 

 

[rob]

It sure made me realize how privileged I am. Remove a couple fortunate turns of circumstance from my past, and it could have been me on the other side -- receiving instead of giving.

[sirwoofalot]

I used to donate food quite offen. Then I started working in the food industry and saw an interesting report.

 

How much rice can $100.00 buy?

 

It was a comparison if the average consumer purchased $100 worth of rice at a super market, as compared to a hypermarket like costco or walmart, and finally how much rice the food bank could buy on the whole sale market.

 

the results were quite stunning. the quantity puchased on the whole sale market by the FB was more that 3 x what you could by at the hypermarkets.

 

so now I give money. it really makes sence, and the FB knows their needs much more than I do.

 

so What do I do with my bean you might ask? I EAT THEM!

[sirwoofalot]

It sure made me realize how privileged I am. Remove a couple fortunate turns of circumstance from my past, and it could have been me on the other side -- receiving instead of giving.

 

Amen brother! you, me, and about 150,000,000 other Americans.

 

[minx]

It sure made me realize how privileged I am. Remove a couple fortunate turns of circumstance from my past, and it could have been me on the other side -- receiving instead of giving.

 

yup-- would do us all good to remember that more often than we do.

[DPS]

When I was a young, single parent and in school I was an occaisonal client of the local food bank. Now I make sure that I include NW Harvest as one of the charities I support every year through my workplace giving program. I can't think of a more effective charitable organization.

[Toast]

[chucK]

I've taken my kids to a couple birthday parties (and one of my kids had a party) where they ask that instead of bringing a present for the birthday kid, to bring a donation for the food bank. That is such a great win-win solution if your kid is not totally toy-crazy (one of mine is the other isn't) and you're sick of filling up your house with worthless plastic crap.

[Gary_Yngve]

yeah, i think money might be more bang for the buck for a foodbank, but giving food directly is:

 

- less abstract

- a chance to clean out your cupboards

- a chance to make well-off people aware of people in need

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I've taken my kids to a couple birthday parties (and one of my kids had a party) where they ask that instead of bringing a present for the birthday kid, to bring a donation for the food bank. That is such a great win-win solution if your kid is not totally toy-crazy (one of mine is the other isn't) and you're sick of filling up your house with worthless plastic crap.

 

On a tangential note. What is up with organizations that collect toys for disadvantaged kids during the holidays and say they must be new and unwrapped? WTF? What about passing along used toys so they can be reused and delay tossing them into the landfills? I don't mean thrashed broken toys, but used stuff that is still decent?