I've been so neglectful with these posts! I used to do them quarterly, then
I just sort of forgot about them.

With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching (and Christmas right on its
heels!) in the US, it's time to remind everyone to give (if you are able) to
the less fortunate. While most of us are able to have a good meal, there
are so many people who can't.

For many years the Memphis Food Bank didn't have the facilities for storing
fresh or frozen foods. They do now! They'll even take items in glass
bottles and jars, which used to be a no-no. (The concern about glass jars
used to be lids coming loose - thus breaking the seal - or chips and
cracks.) The man I spoke with said they won't turn glass away; they inspect
everything before it's given out so they'll take *anything* they can get. I
gather from previous discussions here about food pantry's most of yours do
have the facilities to supply fresh and frozen foods.

I plan to pick up a couple of small turkeys to donate when it's closer to
T-day. If it's close enough to 11/22 (so they won't spoil) I'll throw in
some sweet potatoes. Sweet potato pie seems to be a southern tradition.
And some people serve them glazed, like yams (which don't actually grow in
the US).

Of course, staples are always a good choice. Canned vegetables (and now
they'll take frozen - yay!) and canned and dried soups. Dried beans and
legumes, rice, instant potato flakes, dried stuffing mix. Flour, cornmeal,
other baking items such as baking powder and soda, sugar, salt & pepper.
Things the recipients can easily store that won't go bad. Evaporated milk
and powdered milk. Butter (now that I know they can store it!).

There are many other things, of course. I didn't realize until recently the
Memphis Food Bank, which is associated with Second Harvest, also accepts
standard household items - paper towels, toilet paper, light bulbs.
Diapers, baby wipes. Soap & shampoo. And don't forget, even if you're poor
you can have a beloved pet that you love and care for. Most food pantry's
will accept donations of dog and/or cat food.

Doesn't have to be pricy stuff. Shop the sales, look for the bargains.
Just like you would for yourself. Because you never know when you might
need help. Life turns on a dime and it doesn't always fall "heads up".

Thanks for listening and for doing what you can.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote

> For many years the Memphis Food Bank didn't have the facilities for
> storing
> fresh or frozen foods. They do now! They'll even take items in glass
> bottles and jars, which used to be a no-no. (The concern about glass jars
> used to be lids coming loose - thus breaking the seal - or chips and
> cracks.) The man I spoke with said they won't turn glass away; they
> inspect
> everything before it's given out so they'll take *anything* they can get.
> I
> gather from previous discussions here about food pantry's most of yours do
> have the facilities to supply fresh and frozen foods.

Thanks, Jill! Last time I stopped by the soup kitchen, I asked what kind
of foods they would like. Of course anything in cans, I can pick up stuff
easily enough on any trip to Costco. What they did specifically mention is
that they would like juice. Just a thought.

nancy

jmcquown wrote:
>
> I've been so neglectful with these posts! I used to do them quarterly, then
> I just sort of forgot about them.
>
> With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching (and Christmas right on its
> heels!) in the US, it's time to remind everyone to give (if you are able) to
> the less fortunate. While most of us are able to have a good meal, there
> are so many people who can't.


They have a food drive in our town and come right to your door for
donations.


I am always in a bind about what to give them. I am reluctant to give them
pasta, tuna or peanut butter because the needy have probably already had
enough of that to sort of stuff. Last year my wife was about to hand them
two cans of sweetened condenses milk which I quickly rescued because I had
bought it for my Christmas baking, and I figured, rightly or wrongly, that
if they had the ingredients to do something worthwhile with that they
didn't need my help.


I know that charity is a good thing, and we have a pretty good welfare
system here, compared to some places, but I have heard some stories about
such charity work that make me think twice. My son's girlfriend was
delivering a food basket to a needy family. She had worked to gather food,
donated some herself, packed it up and wrapped it with a nice bow. When she
showed up at the house the parents were sitting around drinking beer and
smoking pot. Funny how they can afford to buy beer and pot but need help
with the groceries.

A few years ago my brother went to help out at a free Christmas dinner for
the needy. He went outside for a cigarette and two of the clients are out
there phoning for a taxi to take them to a nearby city to play bingo.
Being a bit like me he could not resist asking them how it is that they
just got a free Christmas dinner but can afford more than $50 for a taxi to
go and gamble. One asked "Are you going to give us a hard time about that?"
and he answered "No, but you won't see me back here next year."

Don't get me wrong. I will still donate. I give cash to a local charity to
help them buy turkeys for their Christmas dinner for the needy. However, I
do remain sceptical about some situations.

Dave Smith wrote:
> I know that charity is a good thing, and we have a pretty good welfare
> system here, compared to some places, but I have heard some stories about
> such charity work that make me think twice. My son's girlfriend was
> delivering a food basket to a needy family. She had worked to gather food,
> donated some herself, packed it up and wrapped it with a nice bow. When she
> showed up at the house the parents were sitting around drinking beer and
> smoking pot. Funny how they can afford to buy beer and pot but need help
> with the groceries.
>
> A few years ago my brother went to help out at a free Christmas dinner for
> the needy. He went outside for a cigarette and two of the clients are out
> there phoning for a taxi to take them to a nearby city to play bingo.
> Being a bit like me he could not resist asking them how it is that they
> just got a free Christmas dinner but can afford more than $50 for a taxi to
> go and gamble. One asked "Are you going to give us a hard time about that?"
> and he answered "No, but you won't see me back here next year."
>
> Don't get me wrong. I will still donate. I give cash to a local charity to
> help them buy turkeys for their Christmas dinner for the needy. However, I
> do remain sceptical about some situations.

I understand what you're saying. With the above situations in mind (and
those situations are not at all rare) I only give nonperishables during
recognized food drives. I also buy those prepared bags of groceries at
local supermarkets, which are given directly to the food bank.

I know there are abuses of charity, and I know there are people out
there who see it as the obligation of others to take care of them. I
don't care. The adults who choose to abuse can go hang as long as their
children eat.

Nancy Young wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote
>
>> For many years the Memphis Food Bank didn't have the facilities for
>> storing
>> fresh or frozen foods. They do now! They'll even take items in
>> glass bottles and jars, which used to be a no-no. (The concern
>> about glass jars used to be lids coming loose - thus breaking the
>> seal - or chips and cracks.) The man I spoke with said they won't
>> turn glass away; they inspect
>> everything before it's given out so they'll take *anything* they can
>> get. I
>> gather from previous discussions here about food pantry's most of
>> yours do have the facilities to supply fresh and frozen foods.
>
> Thanks, Jill! Last time I stopped by the soup kitchen, I asked what
> kind of foods they would like. Of course anything in cans, I can
> pick up stuff easily enough on any trip to Costco. What they did
> specifically mention is that they would like juice. Just a thought.
>
> nancy

Juice! Good idea! I always get good ideas here. Things I don't think of
because I don't buy them for myself.

Jill

Pennyaline wrote:
>
> I understand what you're saying. With the above situations in mind (and
> those situations are not at all rare) I only give nonperishables during
> recognized food drives. I also buy those prepared bags of groceries at
> local supermarkets, which are given directly to the food bank.


I have trouble with those. They have those at one local grocery store. I
did a rough calculation and it looked like they were selling them are
market value. I figured that if they are packing them in their special bags
and getting the advertising benefits, they could be selling them for cost,
or a slight mark-up. After all, it is supposed to be charity.


> I know there are abuses of charity, and I know there are people out
> there who see it as the obligation of others to take care of them. I
> don't care. The adults who choose to abuse can go hang as long as their
> children eat.

It is a shame that some abuse charity, and even worse that they do not see
it as abuse.

Sqwertz wrote:
>
>
> The local grocery store chain here in Texas (H.E.B.) holds a free
> (pre) Thanksgiving dinner in Austin at the events center every
> year. About 6-7K people show up. The invitation is extended to
> everyone and it's not promoted as just being for the needy, since
> it'll obviously be taken advantage of. Some people are just
> cheapskates.
>
> I helped out at a food pantry once and it's amazing the people
> that show up in $20-$30K Ford Explorers, Cadillacs, and F-350's.


I can't help but notice some of those expensive cars in the resident
parking lots of the local subsidized housing developments. I figure that if
they can afford to drive those expensive gas guzzling cars they don't need
our help. Let them sort out their priorities like the rest of us have to
do.

Dave Smith wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> I've been so neglectful with these posts! I used to do them
>> quarterly, then I just sort of forgot about them.
>>
>> With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching (and Christmas right on its
>> heels!) in the US, it's time to remind everyone to give (if you are
>> able) to the less fortunate. While most of us are able to have a
>> good meal, there are so many people who can't.
>
> They have a food drive in our town and come right to your door for
> donations.
>
There was a drive a few years ago where US Postal workers were supposed to
pick up bags & boxes of goods when they delivered the mail. Apparently
someone forgot to tell the postal workers who were doing the mail delivery.
I think they did it again a few months ago but I don't know how many people
responded.

The apartment complex where I live conducts food drives and will arrange for
pick-up (or delivery, not sure which) and I've done that, too. But you have
to drop the food off at the office and they *don't* have the ability to take
anything but canned or dry goods.
>
> I am always in a bind about what to give them. I am reluctant to
> give them pasta, tuna or peanut butter because the needy have
> probably already had enough of that to sort of stuff. Last year my
> wife was about to hand them two cans of sweetened condenses milk
> which I quickly rescued because I had bought it for my Christmas
> baking, and I figured, rightly or wrongly, that if they had the
> ingredients to do something worthwhile with that they didn't need my
> help.
>
With a can of pumpkin and some other basic ingredients they could probably
make a pie using that Just a thought.

> I know that charity is a good thing, and we have a pretty good
> welfare system here, compared to some places, but I have heard some
> stories about such charity work that make me think twice. My son's
> girlfriend was delivering a food basket to a needy family. She had
> worked to gather food, donated some herself, packed it up and wrapped
> it with a nice bow. When she showed up at the house the parents were
> sitting around drinking beer and smoking pot. Funny how they can
> afford to buy beer and pot but need help with the groceries.
>
There will always be abusers of the system. It's sad, but true. I don't
know about Canada but in the US there are literally *generations* of
families who have never worked, who have never contributed a dime into the
system, yet they live off it. And they perpetuate it as a way of life.

> A few years ago my brother went to help out at a free Christmas
> dinner for the needy. He went outside for a cigarette and two of the
> clients are out there phoning for a taxi to take them to a nearby
> city to play bingo. Being a bit like me he could not resist asking
> them how it is that they just got a free Christmas dinner but can
> afford more than $50 for a taxi to go and gamble. One asked "Are you
> going to give us a hard time about that?" and he answered "No, but
> you won't see me back here next year."
>
Tell you what bugs me. There are casinos just to the south of me in
Mississippi. They cash welfare checks and Social Security checks. Most of
these people can't afford to gamble and the casinos are acting like banks.
They encourage people who can't afford it to think they might just hit it
big. Makes me sick. They shouldn't be allowed to do that.

Jill

"Dave Smith" > wrote

> Pennyaline wrote:
>>
>> I understand what you're saying. With the above situations in mind (and
>> those situations are not at all rare) I only give nonperishables during
>> recognized food drives. I also buy those prepared bags of groceries at
>> local supermarkets, which are given directly to the food bank.

> I have trouble with those. They have those at one local grocery store. I
> did a rough calculation and it looked like they were selling them are
> market value. I figured that if they are packing them in their special
> bags
> and getting the advertising benefits, they could be selling them for cost,
> or a slight mark-up. After all, it is supposed to be charity.

They did that one year at my local store. The bags were a bargain,
meaning they cost less than what you'd pay for the items yourself. I
guess they had trouble with people taking the bags at checkout because
they started yelling for someone to take it when you paid for them.
In other words, they didn't take any chances you'd put it into your
cart and abscond with it.

nancy

> Tell you what bugs me. There are casinos just to the south of me in
> Mississippi. They cash welfare checks and Social Security checks. Most
> of
> these people can't afford to gamble and the casinos are acting like banks.
> They encourage people who can't afford it to think they might just hit it
> big. Makes me sick. They shouldn't be allowed to do that.

And at they usually offer a premium if they cash their check there. Either
free dinner certificate, or a free hotel room if you save up three credits.
Stuff like that. We went down several times when we lived in Horn Lake and
the first of the month was NEVER a good time to go.

Cindi

>
> Jill
>
>

> Thanks for listening and for doing what you can.

Thanks for the reminder Jill. I always try to do two or three boxes that I
give away through FreeCycle and we do quite a few baskets at church for
families that the school has identified are in need. I realize there is
always the chance the service will be abused but I guess I know I gave, and
what the recipients do with it are not something I have to know.

Cindi

>
> Jill
>
>

"Cindi - HappyMamatoThree" > wrote in message
t...

<snip>

> I realize there is always the chance the service will be abused
> but I guess I know I gave, and what the recipients do with it
> are not something I have to know.
>
> Cindi

And that, folks, is what giving is about.

Felice

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> Tell you what bugs me. There are casinos just to the south of me in
> Mississippi. They cash welfare checks and Social Security checks. Most
> of
> these people can't afford to gamble and the casinos are acting like banks.
> They encourage people who can't afford it to think they might just hit it
> big. Makes me sick. They shouldn't be allowed to do that.
>
> Jill
>

I heard the funniest thing the other day on TV. You know the ads that tout
all the medications where they give you the warnings. One of the warnings
was to stay alert to the fact that maybe all of a sudden you were having
the urge to gamble. I'm still chuckling over that one. (I think one of the
other warnings was similar, but sex was the urge. LOL.

Dee Dee

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
>> Thanks, Jill! Last time I stopped by the soup kitchen, I asked what
>> kind of foods they would like. Of course anything in cans, I can
>> pick up stuff easily enough on any trip to Costco. What they did
>> specifically mention is that they would like juice. Just a thought.
>>
>> nancy
>
> Juice! Good idea! I always get good ideas here. Things I don't think of
> because I don't buy them for myself.
>
> Jill
>

At our Costco there are sometimes foodbank bins as you come out the door -
or go in, as the case may be, between the big door and the entrance.

The last time I gave to the food bank was 4 HUGE cans of tomato paste. I
oft wondered if a 'kitchen' got them or if they were thrown out as too much
food in one can to deal with.

Why did I have that much? There were 4 different brands and I decided I
didn't want to use it anymore. Don't let it sit until it outdates.

Dee Dee

Nancy Young wrote about store prepacked food donation bags:

> They did that one year at my local store. The bags were a bargain,
> meaning they cost less than what you'd pay for the items yourself. I
> guess they had trouble with people taking the bags at checkout because
> they started yelling for someone to take it when you paid for them.
> In other words, they didn't take any chances you'd put it into your
> cart and abscond with it.

The bags are a bargain and come with a tax break if that's what
interests you. The store where I buy them calls an employee to swoop in
and take them away, too. But they do it to get the bags safely put away.
The store used to ask shoppers to put the donations into a barrel by the
exit, and all shoppers complied. The problem was that the donations were
easy to get to. Security cameras nailed more than one individual coming
in, grabbing a bag or two and running out again. They also spotted
people, like mothers who give their children treats during shopping
trips or shoppers who (can somebody explain this one?) eat while they
shop, throwing their garbage into the barrel before leaving the store.

"Pennyaline" > wrote

> Nancy Young wrote about store prepacked food donation bags:
>
>> They did that one year at my local store. The bags were a bargain,
>> meaning they cost less than what you'd pay for the items yourself. I
>> guess they had trouble with people taking the bags at checkout because
>> they started yelling for someone to take it when you paid for them.
>> In other words, they didn't take any chances you'd put it into your
>> cart and abscond with it.
>
> The bags are a bargain and come with a tax break if that's what interests
> you. The store where I buy them calls an employee to swoop in and take
> them away, too.

I remember posting about it, the cashier was almost frantic
to get the bag away and I felt as if she thought I was going to
steal it.

> But they do it to get the bags safely put away. The store used to ask
> shoppers to put the donations into a barrel by the exit, and all shoppers
> complied. The problem was that the donations were easy to get to. Security
> cameras nailed more than one individual coming in, grabbing a bag or two
> and running out again.

(sigh) And I'm sure some of the people 'forgot' to drop off
the donations in the bin. Or maybe even genuinely forgot.

>They also spotted people, like mothers who give their children treats
>during shopping trips or shoppers who (can somebody explain this one?) eat
>while they shop, throwing their garbage into the barrel before leaving the
>store.

People see a bin and they just throw anything in it. You should
see the shopping bag recycling bin at the store. Grrr. I'm sure
because of that the whole thing just hits the garbage.

I don't care if people eat food in the store so long as they pay
for it. I know what it's like when you have to eat something
*right now* or it gets ugly.

The woman who polished of a container of soup and put it
back on the shelf empty, that I had a problem with. It almost
wound up in her cart when she wasn't looking.

nancy

Dee Dee wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Tell you what bugs me. There are casinos just to the south of me in
>> Mississippi. They cash welfare checks and Social Security checks.
>> Most of
>> these people can't afford to gamble and the casinos are acting like
>> banks. They encourage people who can't afford it to think they might
>> just hit it big. Makes me sick. They shouldn't be allowed to do
>> that.
>>
>> Jill
>>
>
> I heard the funniest thing the other day on TV. You know the ads
> that tout all the medications where they give you the warnings. One
> of the warnings was to stay alert to the fact that maybe all of a
> sudden you were having the urge to gamble. I'm still chuckling over
> that one. (I think one of the other warnings was similar, but sex
> was the urge. LOL.
>
> Dee Dee

That's a medication for restless leg syndrome. I laughed too the first time
I saw it. Didn't make sense. But apparently if you want to get a good
nights sleep without your legs jumping all over the place, and if you also
have a propensity for gambling (or lots of sex!), you might just forget
about those restless legs and pursue other interests LOL

Jill

On Tue, 16 Oct 2007 10:07:01 -0600, Pennyaline
> wrote:

>The adults who choose to abuse can go hang as long as their
>children eat.

Well said. A lot of the kids at my school need help. Yes, their
parents are lousy, but the kids still need to eat.

Tara

Nancy Young wrote:
> "Pennyaline" > wrote
>> They also spotted people, like mothers who give their children treats
>> during shopping trips or shoppers who (can somebody explain this one?) eat
>> while they shop, throwing their garbage into the barrel before leaving the
>> store.
>
> People see a bin and they just throw anything in it. You should
> see the shopping bag recycling bin at the store. Grrr. I'm sure
> because of that the whole thing just hits the garbage.

Oh, I know. But food donation barrels are clearly marked, and it's
particularly sardonic when they are filled with food wrappers and food
waste.


> I don't care if people eat food in the store so long as they pay
> for it. I know what it's like when you have to eat something
> *right now* or it gets ugly.

I hate following along behind shoppers who are eating and/or looking for
something/something else to eat immediately as they browse the aisles.
It's really irritating when it's happening in stores with restaurants or
food courts, where shoppers are supposed to sit down, order up some nosh
and eat leisurely rather than wander about grazing on whatever wherever
(with cheese and olive displays for antipasti).

It isn't impulse buying, either. It's using the supermarket as an
automat. I imagine these people at the meat counter, ordering up the cut
they want, the weight they want, trimmed just they way they want it,
then telling the butcher "medium rare, please."

But more irritating and aggravating than all of them is the mother who
grabs a jumbo bag of cookies off the shelf and throws it into the little
car on the front of the shopping cart to appease her bored and wriggling
horde. What will happen next is inevitable, and I hope I'll be well away
from the store by the time it strikes.



> The woman who polished of a container of soup and put it
> back on the shelf empty, that I had a problem with. It almost
> wound up in her cart when she wasn't looking.

There are plastic cups and spoons from the little deli and meat counter
samples on every shelf and on the magazine display racks at the check
out stands. Empty chocolate and candy wrappers are everywhere -- same
with cookie bags and wrappers, sometimes pieces of or whole cookies are
there too. I once pulled an empty milk container from the dairy case.
I've watched people retrieve doughnuts and rolls from the self-serve
bakery displays and stand there eating them while they snagged more for
a bag or box. Oh yeah, I've encountered partially eaten doughnuts laying
marooned on distant shelves. Still, the situation isn't hopeless.
Remember that they do through some of it away... into the donation bins!

I've run my town's food pantry for 18 years and we are always trying to
keep our shelves stocked. Although most folks think to donate at this
time of year, we sometimes get too much and storage becomes a problem.
Almost every school, daycare, preschool, civic organization think about
the needy just at the holidays. We are more apt to need your help in
April or July.

From now until the middle of December, we will be receiving tons of
food, literally. The Boy Scouts alone will collect enough food to last
for months, but by March things start to thin out and no one wants to
have another food drive. I have asked many schools to hold off on their
drives until Spring and sometimes the coordinators are relieved to do it
when things are less hectic.

What we have the most requests for is tuna, canned pasta, baked beans,
juice, pancake mix and syrup, we also supply bread, fresh eggs, cheese,
cold cuts, cleaning products and TP. We would love diapers too.

Don't think of the needy as just the homeless guy living under the
bridge, or the mentally ill lady pushing the shopping cart. In most
cases, the needy is the woman next door who only has a small fixed
income, or the middle-aged man who is now permanently handicapped from
strokes, or the many young women with 2, 3 or 4 babies and a deadbeat
dad (don't get me started on this one). Regardless of how or why all
those babies are here, they still need to be fed.

Please be careful where you give your money or food. Try to think of
the small local charities, perhaps associated with a church run by
volunteers. Many Food Banks make the food pantries buy the food that
was donated to them. Try to give to a food pantry directly, instead of
a place that will charge them.

We have a large Food Bank here in NH that gets a lot of publicity so
naturally everyone has huge food drives for them. What people don't
realize is that the food pantries have to _buy_ the food from them. Why
not give it directly to the food pantry who deals directly with the
needy. Don't make us pay for the food you just donated.

Just a few thoughts from someone who has done this for a while.





Denise
http://community.webtv.net/DeniseJG/
My QI

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> I've been so neglectful with these posts! I used to do them quarterly,
> then
> I just sort of forgot about them.
>
> With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching (and Christmas right on its
> heels!) in the US, it's time to remind everyone to give (if you are able)
> to
> the less fortunate. While most of us are able to have a good meal, there
> are so many people who can't.
>
> For many years the Memphis Food Bank didn't have the facilities for
> storing
> fresh or frozen foods. They do now! They'll even take items in glass
> bottles and jars, which used to be a no-no. (The concern about glass jars
> used to be lids coming loose - thus breaking the seal - or chips and
> cracks.) The man I spoke with said they won't turn glass away; they
> inspect
> everything before it's given out so they'll take *anything* they can get.
> I
> gather from previous discussions here about food pantry's most of yours do
> have the facilities to supply fresh and frozen foods.
>
> I plan to pick up a couple of small turkeys to donate when it's closer to
> T-day. If it's close enough to 11/22 (so they won't spoil) I'll throw in
> some sweet potatoes. Sweet potato pie seems to be a southern tradition.
> And some people serve them glazed, like yams (which don't actually grow in
> the US).
>
> Of course, staples are always a good choice. Canned vegetables (and now
> they'll take frozen - yay!) and canned and dried soups. Dried beans and
> legumes, rice, instant potato flakes, dried stuffing mix. Flour,
> cornmeal,
> other baking items such as baking powder and soda, sugar, salt & pepper.
> Things the recipients can easily store that won't go bad. Evaporated milk
> and powdered milk. Butter (now that I know they can store it!).
>
> There are many other things, of course. I didn't realize until recently
> the
> Memphis Food Bank, which is associated with Second Harvest, also accepts
> standard household items - paper towels, toilet paper, light bulbs.
> Diapers, baby wipes. Soap & shampoo. And don't forget, even if you're
> poor
> you can have a beloved pet that you love and care for. Most food pantry's
> will accept donations of dog and/or cat food.
>
> Doesn't have to be pricy stuff. Shop the sales, look for the bargains.
> Just like you would for yourself. Because you never know when you might
> need help. Life turns on a dime and it doesn't always fall "heads up".
>
> Thanks for listening and for doing what you can.

We have food allergies so there are a lot of things I wouldn't normally buy.
But I often get coupons for free things that we can't eat. I had just been
throwing the coupons away, but then decided that for the non-perishable
stuff, I would just get them and save them to donate.

"Dee Dee" > wrote in message
...

> I heard the funniest thing the other day on TV. You know the ads that
> tout all the medications where they give you the warnings. One of the
> warnings was to stay alert to the fact that maybe all of a sudden you
> were having the urge to gamble. I'm still chuckling over that one. (I
> think one of the other warnings was similar, but sex was the urge. LOL.

I've seen that. It is funny. I also like the one for the sleeping pill
that says it can cause drowsiness. Well, I should hope so!

"Pennyaline" > wrote in message
...
> Nancy Young wrote:
>> "Pennyaline" > wrote
>>> They also spotted people, like mothers who give their children treats
>>> during shopping trips or shoppers who (can somebody explain this one?)
>>> eat while they shop, throwing their garbage into the barrel before
>>> leaving the store.
>>
>> People see a bin and they just throw anything in it. You should
>> see the shopping bag recycling bin at the store. Grrr. I'm sure
>> because of that the whole thing just hits the garbage.
>
> Oh, I know. But food donation barrels are clearly marked, and it's
> particularly sardonic when they are filled with food wrappers and food
> waste.
>
>
>> I don't care if people eat food in the store so long as they pay
>> for it. I know what it's like when you have to eat something
>> *right now* or it gets ugly.
>
> I hate following along behind shoppers who are eating and/or looking for
> something/something else to eat immediately as they browse the aisles.
> It's really irritating when it's happening in stores with restaurants or
> food courts, where shoppers are supposed to sit down, order up some nosh
> and eat leisurely rather than wander about grazing on whatever wherever
> (with cheese and olive displays for antipasti).
>
> It isn't impulse buying, either. It's using the supermarket as an automat.
> I imagine these people at the meat counter, ordering up the cut they want,
> the weight they want, trimmed just they way they want it, then telling the
> butcher "medium rare, please."
>
> But more irritating and aggravating than all of them is the mother who
> grabs a jumbo bag of cookies off the shelf and throws it into the little
> car on the front of the shopping cart to appease her bored and wriggling
> horde. What will happen next is inevitable, and I hope I'll be well away
> from the store by the time it strikes.
>
>
>
>> The woman who polished of a container of soup and put it
>> back on the shelf empty, that I had a problem with. It almost
>> wound up in her cart when she wasn't looking.
>
> There are plastic cups and spoons from the little deli and meat counter
> samples on every shelf and on the magazine display racks at the check out
> stands. Empty chocolate and candy wrappers are everywhere -- same with
> cookie bags and wrappers, sometimes pieces of or whole cookies are there
> too. I once pulled an empty milk container from the dairy case. I've
> watched people retrieve doughnuts and rolls from the self-serve bakery
> displays and stand there eating them while they snagged more for a bag or
> box. Oh yeah, I've encountered partially eaten doughnuts laying marooned
> on distant shelves. Still, the situation isn't hopeless. Remember that
> they do through some of it away... into the donation bins!

We have a Central Market here that has a salad bar, cold food bar, olive
bar, Italian food bar, etc. They have assorted containers, including little
ones intended for salad dressing. Countless times, I've seen people take
the little containers, fill them up with various things, then eat them as
though they were samples! I also spied a man eat a very expensive lady
apple right from the counter and throw the core in a waste bin intended for
whatever fruit they were giving out samples of that day. I gave him the
evil eye.

What I really hate is this store is very generous with the samples. They
always have several types of cheeses, some crackers or bread to go with.
Quite often they have chips and salsa, usually some kind of fruit. One day
they had every melon known to man. You could try every one of them. I've
seen samples of pasta and sauce and they almost always have someone cooking
meat or fish over by the butcher counter. So why do people feel the need to
sample the stuff they *aren't* giving out samples of? Grrr...

jmcquown wrote:
> I've been so neglectful with these posts! I used to do them quarterly, then
> I just sort of forgot about them.
>
> With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching (and Christmas right on its
> heels!) in the US, it's time to remind everyone to give (if you are able) to
> the less fortunate. While most of us are able to have a good meal, there
> are so many people who can't.
>
> For many years the Memphis Food Bank didn't have the facilities for storing
> fresh or frozen foods. They do now! They'll even take items in glass
> bottles and jars, which used to be a no-no. (The concern about glass jars
> used to be lids coming loose - thus breaking the seal - or chips and
> cracks.) The man I spoke with said they won't turn glass away; they inspect
> everything before it's given out so they'll take *anything* they can get. I
> gather from previous discussions here about food pantry's most of yours do
> have the facilities to supply fresh and frozen foods.
>
> I plan to pick up a couple of small turkeys to donate when it's closer to
> T-day. If it's close enough to 11/22 (so they won't spoil) I'll throw in
> some sweet potatoes. Sweet potato pie seems to be a southern tradition.
> And some people serve them glazed, like yams (which don't actually grow in
> the US).
>
> Of course, staples are always a good choice. Canned vegetables (and now
> they'll take frozen - yay!) and canned and dried soups. Dried beans and
> legumes, rice, instant potato flakes, dried stuffing mix. Flour, cornmeal,
> other baking items such as baking powder and soda, sugar, salt & pepper.
> Things the recipients can easily store that won't go bad. Evaporated milk
> and powdered milk. Butter (now that I know they can store it!).
>
> There are many other things, of course. I didn't realize until recently the
> Memphis Food Bank, which is associated with Second Harvest, also accepts
> standard household items - paper towels, toilet paper, light bulbs.
> Diapers, baby wipes. Soap & shampoo. And don't forget, even if you're poor
> you can have a beloved pet that you love and care for. Most food pantry's
> will accept donations of dog and/or cat food.
>
> Doesn't have to be pricy stuff. Shop the sales, look for the bargains.
> Just like you would for yourself. Because you never know when you might
> need help. Life turns on a dime and it doesn't always fall "heads up".
>
> Thanks for listening and for doing what you can.
>
> Jill
>
>

What did you score from the food bank last year?