blogsNH - Feeding The Hungry & Food Waste: Out Of Site, Out Of Mind? - Comments

Donations

Susan Sherrouse — Tue, 6 May 2008 10:42:32 -0400

Tracy;

I was involved in numerous organizations back in NH, and we would always try to donate to the homeless or needy. The restrictions placed on donors and what they wish to donate can be restrictive. We tried to donate plates of sandwiches which were left over from a large fund raiser. They would not accept them, because they were not individually wrapped. The same logic applied when we tried to donate a large turkey dinner. Again, not individually wrapped portions. Unfortunately, it's easier to donate clothing than food.

I'm not defending the organizations which try to feed the homeless and those in need. However, from their perspective, some times they don't have the space or refrigeration to house some donations. The people who work the food kitchens are often volunteers who work one to two time per week, and the organization needs to make the food preparation and distribution follow a process that is easy, and that every one can learn quickly.

This is a huge issue, and one that deserves everyone's attention, even if our current fuel price crunch dies off. We need to be accountable as individuals for what we eat, and what we throw away. And it wouldn't hurt our schools to install a sense of giving-back to the community through working at a food bank.

Susan

More food for though

Bill Bunker — Mon, 5 May 2008 16:12:21 -0400

Here is some food for thought for restaurateur's, cafeteria operators (including schools) and others in the retail food business.

Tracy, the cost of a meal prepared by a restaurant is around 25%-35% of the sale price. Imagine if 10 local Concord area restaurants donated $100 worth of food each to the food bank or charitable organization every week. That is $1000 in dollar value of food but it would cost a food establishment only about $30 per restaurant.

There have to be at the very least, 100 eateries. So five times per year each establishment would donate food and it would cost each of them $300 to do so. Rotating turns would result in a variety of food and a good press story as well.

This builds good will and it is tax deductible. Their real cost after taxes might be $200.

That would certainly take care of a large part of the hunger at food pantry's and kitchens around the area.

Tracy, you should organize this. What is $200 spread over 52 weeks....Just $4 per week. That might be a nice project for you to work on. I believe there would be those who would say they could not afford it but a coalition of food establishments feeding the hungry would be a unique and outstanding initiative.

Just a thought if you wanted to pursue this I would be willing to help you do the math.

PS

Tracy Merriman — Sun, 4 May 2008 17:18:48 -0400

Bill,
I forgot to thank you for the works, past and present you do for the the homeless/hungry. Although nowadays, being hungry doesn't have anything to do with being homeless, yet about trying to keep your home and feed your family!!! This I feel is affecting every class...this is where I believe that politics does play a very important roll! You are the man to bring up the effects that seem to have hampster wheeled us as a nation...that's what you are good at:)

Tracy M

Bill, I knew you'd be the

Tracy Merriman — Sun, 4 May 2008 17:08:17 -0400

Bill,
I knew you'd be the first to reply and I am sure glad you did! It is a shame to think that food pantries would reply to a donation by saying, "our clients are sick of bagels". Yet, you bring up a good point! Are those who are homeless or starving really that bad off? When I lived in Miami Beach years ago, I noticed a huge population of homeless (why not, it's warm most of the year and Florida is home to many homeless)anyway, I was living on nothing (just enough to pay the rent, really) but I fed the homeless whenever I could. None of them ever complained when I baked them the same bread everyday or gave them bologna for a week. They appreciated it and some of them gave me items in return. To this day, I still have a quartz crystal on a braided twine rope that I recieved from a man named Cal. When I would take my dog for a walk, any number of the homeless would see me and walk with me, just for company. Some afternoons I'd hit the beach and again, any number of the homeless would sit with me and chat for hours. They appreciated what I did for them yet in the end, I appreciated them more. Eventually it would seem that my young adult dream of being on my own and living in a paradise like Miami beach would fall short....before I could fall completley out of control, it was my homeless friends who convinced me to leave and go back to my family no matter what caused me to leave them in the first place. There I was feeding and looking after them, yet it was their advice that sent me home...and never have I experienced the sense of nothingness that they live with everyday. I am forever in debt to them, and whether they have survived or not, they are always in my heart. That story is the biggest part of me that drives me to pay it forward!!!!!!
When a pantry complains about repatition than they are being greety. Ask any homelesss person if they would eat bagels for a week and I bet they say yes!!!! Thanks Bill for the complements on the blog...this is going to be my lifes works...I have spent years deciding who I was and why I was here...I know now...you all haven't seen the last of me in the fight on hunger!!!!!

Tracy M

Some Food For Thought

Bill Bunker — Sun, 4 May 2008 16:44:04 -0400

Tracy,

Nice blog and not one that I would necessarily have a political spin on. I can, however tell you some good stories about wasted food.

In the food industry there is a tremendous amount of food waste from over produced food that does not sell to food that is just not quality enough to serve to the public in the end.

I have been involved in many donations over the years and many roadblocks are initiated by many of the groups involved.

I remember working for a bagel company and we took our leftover bagels (about 120) per day to several food pantries. It reached a point with one kitchen that she called and asked if we had anything else to offer because her 'clients' were getting sick of bagels. I had to chuckle because we had bread and she did not want anything to do with bread products.

I have also run into roadblocks with donating obsolete inventory which a restaurant would no longer use on it's menu. A few years back I had large containers of pickles and olives and a food pantry manager asked: "what could I possibly do with that kind of food". Thoughts raced through my head like: "if someone is hungry enough it might be an added feature to their meal."

I experienced the same situation in donating used goods and a friend of the family had some handcrafted brand new items that she made and was told by a pantry that they only accepted sealed brand name items.

Finally, I worked for a popcorn company a while back and we tried to donate that. Once again, the food pantries did not want it.

My personal opinion was that they were being picky. I would imagine that they would probably not refuse that kind of food today.

Another company I worked for we put together care packages once per week and donated about $100 retail value of food to charity every week.

With my present company we have a program for my clients take to churches and they make meals for charities. Recently one client built meals at her kitchen for single moms through a church. It was good PR for her and it fed lots of single moms.

Your blog points out to the majority of us who are fortunate to have enough food to be thankful and to help out.

I would urge restaurants and other food operations out there to donate their leftover staged food and even donate $100 retail value of food to pantries. It would take a handful of them to help out and make a huge impact.

Good blog Tracy...no politics to mention although I appreciate your deference on that point.

Feeding The Hungry & Food Waste: Out Of Site, Out Of Mind?

Tracy Merriman — Sun, 4 May 2008 14:55:20 -0400

Again, the New Hampshire Food Bank is putting out a call for help. It doesn’t take much for one to realize the crisis at hand. Wasn’t it just a few months ago their shelves were empty, restored and emptied again? Residents plagued by high fuel costs are joining the food pantry lines in record numbers and it seems as if things are only getting worse. The pinch is being felt by those of every class and most are no longer walking around with an “It won’t happen to me” attitude. It’s happening to everyone, and this dire situation does not discriminate.