this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
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Showerthoughts
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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.
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- Both “200” and “160” are 2 minutes in microwave math
- When you’re a kid, you don’t realize you’re also watching your mom and dad grow up.
- More dreams have been destroyed by alarm clocks than anything else
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So putting myself into an asshole NIMBY's shoes: I bet a lot of people don't want to admit that they would prefer not to rub shoulders with people who needed foodbanks. And that is likely a major reason why a store wouldn't do this.
Also you'd need to staff it and if the food is free, that's an expense. Also the store space could be used for other merchandise so you're paying for a bigger footprint and to light, heat, cool, and clean it. I've been to some food banks and rarely are they in nice modern buildings.
I agree that it should happen instead of food being wasted. Those are just the reasons it wouldn't happen in a commercial store. I think a better idea would be to strictly regulate what food is allowed to be thrown out vs mandatory donating with huge fines for intentional contamination or waste.
If you talk to people about homelessness, they will readily admit they just don't want to see it. If go to any cheaper grocery store you definitely are rubbing shoulders with people who use foodbanks. Food insecurity doesn't go away just because you have a roof over your head.
The rub is a foodbank in a grocery store will attract the more visible "unreliable access to showers" type of user, which would be unacceptable.
I pick up food for two families at a food bank every week. There are pretty much the same people there every week (it's a weekly pop up instance in a church parking lot). There are like, two homeless people out of about two hundred people. They are 99% young Latino families. They are the working poor. Homeless people don't really have a way to manage 5 pounds of carrots, 5 cauliflowers, a box of pasta, a dozen eggs and a big frozen chicken.
Homeless people go to the soup kitchens for hot prepared meals.
I get that, but then those "undesirsbles" can be directed to help. At first yea, lots of grimy people could show up. With time as those people get help, you'll see less and less. Change takes time. This change would be like removing a dam. A crazy surge of water, but then it calms to be the beautiful river it can be :)
One benefit of colocating the food bank with the grocery store is that shoppers could make direct contributions to the food bank. Instead of those questionable 'donate $1 to such and such' prompts at payment, one could purchase an extra can of food and discreetly drop it off after checkout. Seeing the beneficiaries in person is confidence the grocery store isn't just making a money grab.
Since most of us have to buy groceries, it would also provide shoppers a convenient opportunity to practice compassion. Sometimes a bad day can be turned around by doing something good.
You think the reason they are undesirable is because they need help? They WANT to be undesirable. They reject society and choose to make bad decisions. You can't help people like that.
The people who utilize food banks are not the addicted population you are most likely imagining. It’s everyday people who have a home, but not enough money left over for adequate sustenance.
Also, go volunteer at a soup kitchen wherever you live. You’ll see a lot more people who look closer to you than to the people you are describing, I guarantee it.
There will always be the exception of course, but most people who need and will use food banks are not parading themselves out on the streets flaunting their homelessness.
That's a whole lot of assumptions based on... not much, I suppose? Last I checked, most people using food banks are on disability, social security, single parents, or just low-income people.
You can't help people if you don't inform yourself before forming an opinion either.
Ok? Then they won't get help. Others will.
How Christian.