As donations dwindle, food banks are feeling the pinch
»Play Video
SEATTLE -- Food banks and shelters are straining to feed the hungry as the demand for free meals rises with the unemployment rate.
Men line up daily for lunch at Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. The mission serves 2,000 meals each and every day, but this year there's more men and less food.
"That's 500 meals more than we did last year and the whole thing of it is we're down 15 tons of food from where we were last year to today, so anybody can do the math," said the mission's Norm Hummel.
It doesn't add up to enough food for the people dependent on the mission's meals.
"It's a place to come when I'm low on funds for chow," said William Waller.
Droughts in the Midwest have dried up donations of produce, and corporate donations are also dwindling. Even distribution centers can't give as much as they used to.
"We haven't been seeing as much food come from the bigger places like Food Lifeline," Hummel said."
Food Lifeline distributes to about 300 food banks. For years, the federal government has purchased surplus produce and meat from farmers and given it to food banks. But greater global demand for that food means the government isn't buying up as much surplus under the emergency food assistance program.
"Last year we saw the amount of these foods go down by about 3 million pounds," said Linda Nageotte, CEO of Food Lifeline.
To help make ends meet, mission cooks are now forced to get creative while stretching their resources.
Food Lifeline serves 750,000 people. That number isn't climbing, but the number of families coming in for more food has increased, meaning people who need help now need it more often.
Men line up daily for lunch at Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. The mission serves 2,000 meals each and every day, but this year there's more men and less food.
"That's 500 meals more than we did last year and the whole thing of it is we're down 15 tons of food from where we were last year to today, so anybody can do the math," said the mission's Norm Hummel.
It doesn't add up to enough food for the people dependent on the mission's meals.
"It's a place to come when I'm low on funds for chow," said William Waller.
Droughts in the Midwest have dried up donations of produce, and corporate donations are also dwindling. Even distribution centers can't give as much as they used to.
"We haven't been seeing as much food come from the bigger places like Food Lifeline," Hummel said."
Food Lifeline distributes to about 300 food banks. For years, the federal government has purchased surplus produce and meat from farmers and given it to food banks. But greater global demand for that food means the government isn't buying up as much surplus under the emergency food assistance program.
"Last year we saw the amount of these foods go down by about 3 million pounds," said Linda Nageotte, CEO of Food Lifeline.
To help make ends meet, mission cooks are now forced to get creative while stretching their resources.
Food Lifeline serves 750,000 people. That number isn't climbing, but the number of families coming in for more food has increased, meaning people who need help now need it more often.
We can't afford to give ,the government steals half of our money!!
Romnie's not worrying about it
 @maggie112 Honestly you think any politician loses sleep at night about it? I think not.Â
"Â Food banks and shelters are straining to feed the hungry as the demand for free meals rises with the unemployment rate."
Â
"Rises with the unemployment rate?" But I thought we were in a "recovery?" I mean the unemployment in the lead-up to the election has gone from 9% to 8.2%, right? Every once in a while the mainstream media will screw up like this and report the truth. The only reason the unemployment rate has fallen is because they don't count the people that have given up looking for jobs. The truth is the REAL unemployment rate is closer to 16%. The mainstream media needs to quit providing political cover for the incompetent in the white house and report the truth to the American people. Afterall, that is your job isn't it?
I donate when I can afford it. Here's a little sarcasm. People could always move to Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, etc and get all kinds of donations from Congress (your tax dollars). Or maybe to an African country and the Gates and Bono will help them out. Those are options, too.
I simply can't afford to give as much.
The cost of living far outweighs any increase in my income.
Â
Don't blame me.
 @bobalouie Don't worry. The canned food drives start soon. Many haunted houses or concerts give out free tickets for donating a bag of food. The story next week will be how 2/3 of Americans are now obese. Hungry yet obese. Please explain that one to me. The media can't make up their mind what we are. Whatever they can do to make a headline.Â
 @FremontTroll Probably because cheap food is fattening.
 @jelisized You have a point there. It's very expensive to eat healthy so in the long-term you are pretty much hurting yourself. In the short-term there are so many options for cheap food to sustain you and provide the calories one needs. Food banks don't offer too much healthy food anyways. A lot of it is expired bakery goods and cookies and crackers. Maybe a few canned goods. Fruits and vegetables? Not so much. Fresh meat? Not gonna happen. Â
Something else that gets me about this story is how the Mission and other places that serve the homeless try to raise donations, especially this time of year. Maybe because the weather is turning? Having been on both sides of it and having to ask for help at a point in my life, it isn't so easy to get anything from places like the Mission. Just to get meals most of these places essentially have a lottery. They actually give you a ticket and then you have to stand in line for hours and hope you are one of the lucky ones to get a meal. Beds? Forget about it. Next to impossible. You're sleeping outside. At the same time places like the Mission hate it when good hearted folks give money or buy meals for the homeless. Feeding the homeless is big business. A lot of money goes into people's pockets. But just try getting help and you're literary left out in the cold.  I once tried volunteering in a soup kitchen and they didn't want my help. They just wanted me to write a check. I'm not saying you should be heartless and not give. I just would suggest adopting a needy family yourself and buying them some groceries. Many churches have programs that will refer you to a family in need. Give a week's worth of groceries to a needy family and you will become their angel. You will also get the benefit of knowing where your hard-earned money is really going. At the end of the day most of these homeless organizations keep men and women homeless on purpose because the homeless is their bread and butter. It's the same reasoning why we have more and more ticky-tac laws and more jail time. Get rid of crime and thousands of people lose their high paying jobs. This is why problems like homelessness, crime, "hunger" and disease never go away. There's always someone trying to make a buck off our social problems.Â
I don't consider myself poor by any stretch of the imagination but I live on only a modest pension and Social Security. I also contribute to several charities, including writing a check to Northwest Harvest several times a year along with subsidizing my sister who hasn't had a paying job for several years.
Â
I do NOT have a flat screen TV nor do I have a newer car. I have never owned a boat or RV. I admit that I DO have three computers but even the newest is several years old. Rather than the latest cellular telephone mine is at least eight years old AND it is instead of a land-line phone. I subscribe to the ultra-basic cable TV service because I cannot get decent reception from an antenna where I live. My cell phone plan is also ultra basic.
Â
Â
 @Furd Not to be a jerk, but your point being?
 @mc:Â
Probably that MANY people have some of the things you mentioned but they are not people rolling in money while utilizing the food banks and/or food stamps.
 @FremontTroll My brother use to pan-handle on the off ramps and he said it was pretty lucrative, people tossed coins, food, drink, along with urine, spit, and  assorted other things people can do to be mean.
 @FremontTroll I'm not saying sell things that have a special meaning to people, it makes for bad blood for someone to go to a food bank wearing these expensive items, no matter where they got them, it would be a good idea to leave them at home when going to a food bank, because people will be quick to judge as to why they need to go to a food bank for food when they have all these things, and not to be a smart arse, but if one is really hungry you can't eat a diamond ring, this is moot anyway, just saying if you need to go to a food bank, it's best to leave the expensive  jewelery at home, and maybe park the suv a few blocks away.
 @MC  @LocalLady I agree nobody should be flashing their nice things well standing in a food bank line. Selling your things isn't always the answer though either. There are people that worked very hard for the things they have and don't want to just give their stuff away. Or they are given things that mean something to them. You mentioned diamond rings. My wife has a beautiful diamond ring that her mother gave her. It was her grandmother's wedding ring and she passed when my wife was 2 years old. She wears that ring as her wedding ring. I have no idea what it's worth but let's just say it's worth a $1000. Some pawn shop might give her $60 for it, maybe $100 if she's lucky. Yes, that will buy a few bags of groceries but then that special memory is gone and some greedy pawnbroker or lowballer on Craigslist gets a great deal and melts it down and makes a profit off the gold. I would personally sell a body part before I let my wife sell that ring. I would do whatever it took to get food, even if I had to hold a sign on the side of an offramp. But I do agree, if you're driving a Mercedes SUV, you should leave it at home and take the bus if you're going to the food bank because that looks really bad.Â
 @LocalLady Ok, what I'm saying is, why not sell a diamond ring, a gold chain and buy food for one month and visit the food banks when it is absolutely a neccessity, people are allowed to have nice things, I agree, but when you flash all these things in a food bank line, that kind of makes you look a tiny bit suspicious perhaps.
A few thoughts here. Not trying to be THAT guy but the media has a way of spinning stories into something they are not. For at least 10 years every fall we get the same newstory from Komo about food banks being overwhelmed, donations down, need up, blah, blah, blah. You never hear the story when there is an abundance of food. Either way poor today is not poor from the 1920's and 30's. Today's "poor" are very likely to have an iPhone, a flat screen TV, a computer, and other goodies. Think about that for a second. In the 20's you had basic bills to worry about. You had your groceries, rent/houes payment, electricity, and that was about it. Today the average family has their cell phone bill, cable bill, internet, car payment, car insurance, water, gas, electricity. groceries, home/renters insurance, prescriptions drug refills to pay for for the latest anxiety/attention deficit disorder, huge doctor bills, huge insurance co-pays, credit card bills, and this doesn't even the account for those that have kids! We live in a world today where we have to keep up with all these reoccurring monthly bills. It's no wonder we are going hungry! But eliminate all those goodies and toys we don't have to have and all of a sudden we would feel very wealthy. It isn't just incomes have stayed steady while cost of living is creeping up. It's all the nonessential stuff we HAVE to have  in our lives in this modern world.  Is anyone really starving? I mean really? The media keeps talking about how obese we are as a nation yet somehow at the same time we are starving? Come on. Which is it?  Don't drink that kool-aid. Just a little something to chew on. A side the media will never talk about because it doesn't create fear or panic.Â
 @fremonttroll:Â
I'll give you my own personal perspective on what you refer to as "goodies & toys".Â
Â
 I am on SSI, and have a VERY limited income. I pay over 75% of my income for rent alone each month (I am 100% disabled, but because I am younger than 55 I do not yet qualify for disabled housing - I am too young).Â
Â
After rent is paid, I have cable (my ONLY entertainment - I have not gone to a movie in years because I can not afford it).Â
Â
My internet is the lowest price I could get out of Century link - $19.95 a month. Because I am on food stamps, I qualify for the Telephone Assistance program - my landline costs me $1.95 a month after that credit is applied to my bil.Â
Â
I do NOT have a flat screen TV - I have an older Magnavox, it has a DVD & VCR built into it. I talked Comcast down by letting them know I am getting other offers, asking them to match it. Since where I live you cannot get even the local channels without cable, I have the lowest basic package they offer - and TV is my only entertainment. I have not been to a movie in over 5 years now - I simply cannot afford the prices.
Â
When I became disabled, I had to move to an apartment that was relatively accessable - which, unfortunately, mean putting many things into storage - another monthly bill to pay.Â
Â
City Light has a program I qualify for that cuts my electricty bill in half, but even so it can be challenging to pay it.Â
Â
Renter's insurance is a thing of the past - I could no longer afford the premiums.Â
Â
When I losts my job, I had COBRA for 18 months, but them=n that was gone. It was during this time that I became disabled & began racking up HUGE medical bills. Inow have medicare primary, medicaid secondary so thankfully have no co-pays for medical care, but I do have them for prescriptions.Â
Â
I have not owned or used a credit card in over 5 years.Â
Â
I filed for bankruptcy this year, due to the fact that even WITH insurance, I was nearly $250,000 in debt mainly from medical bills.Â
Â
The only cell phone I have EVER had is pre-paid - if I have no money I have no minutes.Â
Â
I do not live the high life - I barely survive. I actually look forward to turning 55 - then I will be old enough to qualify for disabled housing - and there is a building less than a 1/2 mile away so it will be a relatively easy move - and it will save me over $200 a month on my rent. I may actually have "discretionary income" again!
Â
I used to be a "three meals a day" person - now I have become a person who only eats when I am very hungry. Bills are the priority - if there is money left for food, terrific - but if not, it's a long month. Â
 @LocalLady  @fremonttroll: I totally understand. Believe me. I wasn't trying to bash those that are poor. I'm in a very similar situation. I'm younger than 55, I have many years until I get there (but not in a rush lol) I'm also disabled. Hopefully I will get a life saving transplant soon and I can return to a normal life but even in that there are no guarantees. My wife and I struggle every month. I have a flat screen TV but really TVs are so cheap nowadays I'm not bragging. We had to take out an emergency advance just to pay our rent this month. I don't qualify for food stamps because my wife makes too much money (yeah right) but we live in a very expensive city. We have a tiny 1 bedroom apartment and pay almost $1300/month but I have to be choosy about where i live because I have 35 boxes of medical supplies I have to store that keep me alive. I take satisfaction in life's little pleasures and luxuries. We haven't had to hit the food bank yet. I'm just more against KOMO and other media trying to tell the same story they tell every year to scare everyone. This country focuses so much on the negative nobody talks about how well we are actually doing. I'm in a similar boat as you but I also know it could be far, far worse. For that I count my blessings.Â
This comment has been deleted
 @Elvis No I hear you. I love my iPhone. If I ever became homeless it's probably the one thing I would have still. People have a right to those toys and entertainment. But how can we say we are such bad shape when Apple just sold 2 million iPhone 5's and demand isn't going away? I would bet most people would slash their grocery budget before they would slash their cell phone budget. Seeing people with no jobs camp out for the iPhone 5 tells me we are in better shape than the media would have everyone believe.Â
 @FremontTroll  @Elvis Without my smart phone, I can't do business. I use that tool to make money. So for 1400 dollars a year for my full on family plan, I see a return of tens of thousands of dollars. And my wife has instant contact to emergency services for her and our child.Â
Â
No brainer.
SO, I am curious - according to those who claim the federal government should not even HAVE a food stamps program, that claim that churches & other charities ewill take care of the pronblem - where are all the donations? According to them, this situation should never have happened because "everybody will donate to charities & charities will take care of the people now receiving food stamps".
Â
So, why are the food banks facing this situation?
Â
PLEASE, if you are able to, donate whatever you can to your local food bank.
 @LocalLady Don't worry LocalLady I am not as heartless as you may think...... I am only trying to point out existing arguments along with perceptions...... I will continue to volunteer, give food and care for those who are struggling.
 @funky-munky:Â
I've read many of your posts - I know you are not heartless. I just get SO sick & tired of the people who come on here & pontificate - "if they had made better choices", or "they should have planned better", and the other garbage lines they spew. Guess I am a softie - I like to believe there is good in most eveyrbody, even when it maybe hard to see, it's still deep down in there somewhere. I give what I can where I can, and only wiosh I could do more. I have not had an easy time of the last few years - but I know there rae people who are worse off than I am so I give while not giving up hope.
 @LocalLady Why donate when you're already forced to via taxes?
 @Romey-Rome  @LocalLady Obviously not a Christian.
 @Romey-Rome  @LocalLady If only everyone took care of their neighbor or family members we wouldn't have such a need for food banks. I kind of agree that we should take care of those in our own circles. On the other side of the coin I think that's awesome that you could take five years off and live comfortable. We should all have that and for some people it's bad choices. Others they have to live check to check because of situations out of their own control. Don't get me wrong, I wish I could do the same but I can't. Not making excuses, I'm just lucky to get by until the next week. And I consider myself lucky and blessed. That's messed up.Â
@LocalLady @romey-rome: I care about those in my circle. I can't extend the same to all the Toms, Dicks, and Harrys. I planned beyond the next week or next tear of my life. I can take the next 5 years off and not care. Won't see me on any street. I'm not a one trick pony.
 @romey-rome:Â
You are what is wrong with this country. You worry about "your" taxes - but you don't seem to realize it is no longer "your" money once the taxes are paid to the government. At that point, "your" desires" about what to do with that money no longer matter.
Â
Too many people seem to care only about themselves these days, not giving a rat's patootey about anybody else. They assume that everybody who needs any sort of assistance is a lousy lazy worthless person, that they put themselves into their situation so they should get themselves out without any help from anybody else.
Â
There is such a thing as the "greater good". People should care about each other, not make judgments against/about each other. You never know when YOU will be ion the side of the line needing help from others - and when you are, you will be cursing those who refuse to help when YOU need it. Highly ironinc, if you ask me.
@Audio Cat @Funky-Munky No. I'd rather help those where I see results. Not just blindly throw it a pot and hope for the best. Foodstamps should be the same way. Have a family, and their own story they have to write on dshs. You have to pick a family to sponsor with your taxes until their allotted pot is full. That way I can filter anyone with "baby-daddy" in their story.
 @Funky-Munky Translation: " Why should I give to anyone else? I don't really care about them because they are not me."
Â
One is either honest about being selfish and uncaring, or not.
 @Audio Cat Get a grip.....
It's tough out there for many, but I am hard pressed to feel sympathy for those who abuse the food clinics. We have a Food Bank down the street where many pull up in nice cars, s.u.v's and with designer clothes on while talking on their iphone/droid etc.! I also believe it's a haven for drug addicts, child molesters and felons.
 @Funky-Munky There will always be abusers of others' charity. And they take from those that really need it. But be careful not to cast a blanket judgement on people because of their appearance, although some are exactly what they appear to be, some are not.
Â
Everyone has a story.
 @Audio Cat What is the first thing you see when you look at someone? appearances tell the story and it is a bad one when someone pulls up in a classy car talking on a fancy phone to a food bank, somethings  very wrong with that picture, I'm not judging, but it sure makes you wonder.
 @FremontTroll That's just disgraceful that things like that happen, I think a lot of homless people are targeted, just another injustice among many that makes no difference anymore, they are throw away prople to many, yes, that is a good idea, if those of us want to help the less fortunate,  that way we KNOW our money was used as we intended, I have know of instances where people, not saying all, that work at the food banks go threw the things donated by, lets say Safeway, and pick out the reasonably good stuff before anything is given out, not a good thing.
 @MC No offense taken. I can see it from both sides of the fence because I've been on both sides of it. I just watched the Kelly Thomas beating. They have the full video at the Orange County Register. It really puts things in perspective. It has to be the sickest video I have ever watched in my life. Besides for the cops doing what they did, what ultimately did him in was when a bar saw him loitering in the parking lot in the middle of the night and called the cops saying he was breaking into cars because they didn't want the homeless around their bar. He was homeless but not bothering anyone and his life was taken for that. I guess that's why I choose to give directly to people that I see that are struggling and not to some organization trying to profit off donations. It feels good to see it helping someone.  Â
 @FremontTroll Maybe that didn't sound very nice on my part about who would they call, it was more like making a funny, just lightening the conversation a bit, it's hard to come on a place like this and try and say what you believe without someone taking offense, (not that you did) if we could all be face to face and see the expressions behind the comments, maybe people would be less offended by what one says, anyway, I have know some homeless people, and they were the salt of the earth, I'm not bashing the homeless, that could happen to any of us, threw no fault of our own, time and unforseen circumstance befall us all.
 @MC They could use the phone if they really want to get a job and back on their feet. Try turning in job applications with no phone number. Doesn't go over too well. I had to do it when I was 19 and my home phone got shut off, years before cellphones. Also, they could use it as an alarm clock, entertainment, watch TV on it, send out emails, and I'm sure some of them have family or friends that are worried about them. It's their only contact to the real world. I knew this homeless guy in California. He was the town drunk. Real nice guy, just always drunk and homeless. One night he was hit and killed by a car while crossing the street. When his family was contacted in Baltimore they had no idea this guy was even homeless for decades. They were extremely sad that he just disappeared and they never got the chance to help him. Not all homeless people are bad people. Some have just lost their way through mental illness, addiction, bad breaks.Â
 @FremontTroll Agree, yes, I suppose homeless people need a phone, who would they call? as for this guy in the soup kitchen, he might have found that phone, I know someone who did find a Blackberry and the camera worked excellent on it, but that was the only thing that worked.
I was raised in the 40's and I saw my dad pull weeds til his hands bled when the place he worked went on strike, just for a bag of rice, you wanna talk poor, my dad built our house, we had no inside plumbing for as long as I can remember and our neighbors lived on a dirt floor, I think if they had food banks back there my dad would not have used it, he always thought we had more than what we needed, he would cut the head off a chicken, grab vegetables from the garden and give it to the neighbors, but as you say things have changed.
 @MC  @Audio Cat There was a picture floating around the internet a while back of Michelle Obama serving food to the homeless at a soup kitchen and a homeless guy snapping a photo of her...with his Blackberry! Hey homeless people need phones probably more than the average person with a house. i just found it very ironic. That's the society we live in today. Struggling isn't what it was years ago.Â
 @Audio Cat I do realize A.C.! I think some just didn't want to consider the possibility of abuse..... I also realize if the Food just reaches one who truly needed help... mission accomplished!
 @Audio Cat Oh.... Well... that could be a possibility. I will pray for them just the same.... I knew when I posted my feelings, thoughts or plain old gibberish many would get a bit irked. I meant no harm. I am frustrated that donations are abused, nothing more, nothing less....
 @Funky-Munky In reply to this, and as a follow up to the " get a grip" comment that I also responded to - In order for someone to receive the help, someone else has to give it. I am a giver. As are you.
Â
RR is obviously not one of those types. And if he professes to be a Christian, I call major B.S.
 @Funky-Munky You're making a big assumption about how all those people got their nice cars or SUVs, fancy cell-phones, and designer clothes, and I kind of have a big problem with that because, as someone with a nicer cell-phone (provided by my ex) who uses food-stamps, I've been given the stink-eye and even verbally confronted by people like you who think they know something about people they've never met based on the stuff they have, and think that it's okay to make assumptions about how the people came by such possessions, and what disgusting criminals and addicts they must be. How do you know they didn't buy those items when they were still comfortably employed? Or received the phones as gifts (as I did)?
Â
I got harassed at the grocery store about a week ago by an older lady in line behind me who cleared her throat and said "You know, I think it's awful that you're using food-stamps to buy groceries when you obviously have enough money for a nice phone and that leather jacket you're wearing. You ought to be ashamed of yourself." I turned bright red and told her the following (almost word for word): "I got this jacket at a thrift-store two years ago; it cost me $20. This phone was a gift, paid for by my ex as a part of our separation agreement. And you ought to be ashamed of your SELF for making assumptions, judging me, and then having the GALL to call me out in public when you don't know anything about me. What the hell is wrong with you that you think it's okay for you to call out a total stranger like that when they've done nothing to you?" All I can say for her at that point was that she had the grace to take her basket and go to a different checkout line.
Â
People don't deserve to be looked at as though they are freeloaders or criminals just because they use assistance from food-banks or government resources to get their groceries.
 @spacegoddess:Â
Good for you for speaking up & defending yourself!
Â
Most people suing food stamps and/or food banks are simp;ly trying to survive the on-going depression/recession. Whereas they used to be the ones contributing, they are no the ones in need. Many may "appear" to not need it - but appearnaces can be decieving. They may have had/owned "nice things" (*clothes, house, car, phone) before they lost their job or were forced to take a cut in pay. Should they then be further penalized by having to "sell eveyrthing" to "look" poor enough to meet eeverybody else's expectations & assumptions?
Â
People need to quit judging others on superficial things, putting other people to the test of their own realities/perceptions.
Â
Remember the saying:Â There but for the grace of God go I
 @LocalLady Well, ok, without trying to be insensitive about this, just about everything I have said sounds wrong to you, right? you say you are not 55 yrs. old yet and don't qualify for disabled housing, that is not so, disabled housing is open to any age if they have a disability, you may not qualify for a community that has a 55+ requirement, but disabled housing is an option, you said the free phones and minutes I spoke of were for people on assistance, you have said it several times, YOU GET FOOD STAMPS, so, you qualify for a FREE PHONE, and that friend would save you, not a huge amount, but heck, lets face it, IT'S FREE, and if you qualify for it, why not use it? that's what it is meant for,  as for me saying everyone should sell everything they have, I did not to the best of my knowledge say that, as stated above in your comment, it was Romey Rome, who with all due respect has a right to their opinion, just as you do, as for your vehicle, aren't Rav's pretty fuel efficient? 4 cyl. a whole lot easier on the juice than a huge, new Cadillac Eldarado, Ford Explorer, etc. some of which I have seen not only at the DSHS, but food banks, yes I will admit, I did need to use a food bank a couple times, so that's how I know, as for DSHS, I took a neighbor there to apply for food stamps, and just about 90% of the people I saw were on an expensive phone playing computer games, and now for heavens sake not ALL of these people were given these phones by a friend, relative, etc. ok, now, I'm quite a few years older than you, not that  that makes me any smarter, or anything, and I do believe as you do, and try and keep it in mind, not everyone is a crook, basically, the majority of people are good, law abiding people, what I was trying to get across is, there are a few who are not, and will use any means to get a hand out weather they need it or not, if I offended you in any way, I sincerely apologize to you, that certainly was not my intent, hope you have a wonderful day and get everything you need to make your life a pleasant one.
 @mc:Â
Who said had to sell everything?Â
Â
Romey Rome for one:Â "Doesn't matter if they bough it before. Sell that ish, buy a bucket, and put some cash in your pocket until you're better off."
Â
What I am saying is do not judge people - which from reading the comments here MANY people do.
Â
I never sadid everyone is "on the up and up" - I said MOST are - call me a Polly Anna if you like, but I tend to believe in the basic goodness of most people, not that they will (for the most part) takeadvantage of the system. I also believe that most people using the food bank & similar resources do so out of NEED, not out of greed.
Â
I drive a 15 year old Rav4 - because I cannot walk very far, I do not take mass transit. I love my Rav because it giv es me the capability to take my wheelchair with me, as well as being to load/unload it by myself. Thankfully I do not do much driving - I can usually getg through the month on 1-2 fill ups. It may be slightly more expensive to operate, but it is the "ribht" vehicle for me & my needs.
Â
Â
 @LocalLady Who said anyone had to sell off everything they own? look poor? a picture is worth a thousand words, and someone sporting Diamond rings on 3 fingers, and gold necklesses and designer clothing, while standing next to a kid with NO shoes would give a clue as to if they really need a hand out wouldn't you say, listen young lady, I sympathize with your situation, but to say all people who use food banks are all on the up & up no matter what they are wearing, what kind of phone they have etc. common sense would tell you there is something wrong with that picture, oh and fyi, I drive a 25 year old SUV, and I still can't afford the gas, and I live so far out there isn't any bus service.
 @spacegoddess  @Funky-Munky Yep. Some people are not human anymore.
 @spacegoddess Read on... SpaceGoddess.... Obviously you took what you wanted to hear.... Me bashing the poor.
 @spacegoddess Obviously you're not reading the entirety of my posts in this forum.... or........ You don't realize I am poor, volunteered at many Food Banks and fully comprehend what down and out truly means...
 @Funky-Munky No, what I took away from that was your assumptions about people you don't really know, not bashing the poor.
 @funky-munky:Â
So yuo personally know for a fact that they purchased their "... nice cars, s.u.v's and with designer clothes on while talking on their iphone/droid etc ..." AFTER they became dependent on the food bank, right?
Â
MANY people who never thought they would use a food bank are now forced to due to the continuing (D)recession. They have no jobs, they have run out of unemployemnt, they have no other resources, they may have been forced to take a low paying part time job to replce the high paying full time job they USED to have. They purchased their nice cars & fancy phones THEN became victims of the economy.
Â
As for the phones - many people no longer even have land lines - all they have/use are their cell phones.Â
Â
Before you judge people, why not get to actually know their stories instead of making assupmtions & personal attacks?
 @LocalLady Well maybe it's high time these people down-sized, it costs money to keep these fancy phones working, when you can go to any store and buy a phone for a small amount, say pre-pay and they do the same thing any phone is suppose to do, without all the bells and whistles, if you have need to visit a food bank then maybe you don't need the internet on your phone, heck there are even cell phone carriers that offer free phones and 250 free minutes each and every month, if you can afford to drive a big fancy SUV at gas prices as they are now, you don't need to utilize a food bank, food banks are there for the poor, not the rich, you must admit there are some, not all, who want a free handout but can afford to buy their food, it's called stocking up, I have seen it first hand, it didn't sound like he was making a personal attack, just possibly something he is aware of.
 @mc:Â
".... there are even cell phone carriers that offer free phones and 250 free minutes each and every month ...."
Â
Those particular ones are ONLY for people who are on food stamps and/or other governement assistance programs.
Â
As for "big fancy SUV's" - I have an SUV, very clean & nice looking. It is 15 years old, nothing fancy. But, even though I have extremely limited income, I squeeze the money out of my budget for gas because I need it. Due to amputations, I cannot walk to buses nor can I get up the stairs to enter them & leave them. I use the SUV because it means I can take my wheelchair - and be able to load & unload it myself.
Â
There will ALWAYS be those who abuse the system & people's charity - but I believe they are in the minorty. Most people utilizing food banks are simply trying to survive tough times.
 @LocalLady  @funky-munky: LocalLady: I do know each of them personally and have volunteered at a Food Bank prior.......... Where you fail to comprehend my observation: The Food which is received by the Food Bank is being wasted on many who are abusing the generosity of others. I by no means implied everyone! I posted the truth of how I felt... doesn't make me right or wrong.
 @LocalLady  @funky-munky: Doesn't matter if they bough it before. Sell that ish, buy a bucket, and put some cash in your pocket until you're better off.
@Romey-Rome - what do you mean by 'off to the next island, again." ?  Sounds like you are an immigrant.
 @Audio Cat  @LocalLady I meant "don't bring war"
 @Audio Cat  @LocalLady I would not sit around for 5 years. As long as money has buying power, I will keep making it. Never get comfortable & kick your feet up, and there will be no surprises.
Â
I don't know what it is with American mentality. Just get a job and keep working it. That's soo... bleh. Outside the box - people...
Â
You guys better hope Chin,Russia, or Iran bring war time to our shores. You think you're poor? Wait until you're war-time poor.
Â
Besides, if things are so bad that I can't make money for 5 years, this country's toast. I'm off to the next island, again.
 @Romey-Rome  @Audio  @LocalLady And for those that planned years ahead but lost it all keeping themselves afloat after their career or their small business took the hit from the collapse??
Â
What if you had to float for 7 years and your 5 year plan went up in smoke? Would you rather let your family suffer then ask for help? And those that are disabled or diseased? Do we just toss them in the trash? Are we only American when it is convenient?
Â
Â
 @Romey-Rome Credit lifestyle.... I am guilty as charged.
@Audio Cat @LocalLady @funky-munky: Then that's what they get for living the credit lifestyle then, and only planning a week ahead.
 @Romey-Rome  @LocalLady  @funky-munky: And what if you have to go upside down with the bank to sell it?
Â
You don't have all the answers.