With two colleges and the liberal kids, our small town just positively pampers our vast homeless population. It angers me greatly to frequently see recipients of the largesse of our multiple food banks and resources giving much of the lovely food they received away online because “I won’t use this” or “my kids won’t eat this.” They must not have been very effing hungry, huh?

Guess not, huh Melissa? My mother absolutely forbade the words "I don't like" in her household. If you didn't like it, you kept your cakehole shut and ate it anyway, or you didn't eat it and went to bed hungry. THOSE were our two options...

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
Guess not, huh Melissa? My mother absolutely forbade the words "I don't like" in her household. If you didn't like it, you kept your cakehole shut and ate it anyway, or you didn't eat it and went to bed hungry. THOSE were our two options...

We weren’t forced to eat things we didn’t like, but you either ate it or went without. Mom’s was not a short order kitchen.

Tonight's menu features a choice of two specials:

Take it, or

Leave it.

---

הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים

quote:

Originally posted by MelissaDallas:

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
Guess not, huh Melissa? My mother absolutely forbade the words "I don't like" in her household. If you didn't like it, you kept your cakehole shut and ate it anyway, or you didn't eat it and went to bed hungry. THOSE were our two options...

We weren’t forced to eat things we didn’t like, but you either ate it or went without. Mom’s was not a short order kitchen.

When I was growing up there were NO options and there was NO negotiating...You didn't get to leave the table, and the common report from my parents if there were ANY objections was, 'You're eatin' it'!

One of my mom's favorite stories is about my sister going to her collage roommate's family house for a holiday.
They served up some special meal made from fresh squash that was in season. My sister hates squash.
My sister ate everything on her plate while smiling because we were raised that you ate what was served.

I volunteered at a local Food Bank for a couple of years . Most of what I saw was people trying to scam us on the qualifying . We didn't just hand out food to anybody . You had to fill out an application and provide various documentation relative to your income level , place of residence , etc. Plenty of people driving nice vehicles , latest cell phones , expensive nail jobs , etc.
The woman that reviewed the applications was pretty good at weeding out the folks that were just trying to get free food .

quote:

Originally posted by MelissaDallas:
They must not have been very effing hungry, huh?

In a similar vein, a coffee shop I frequent is at a corner populated with a number of fast food places and restaurants. Most of them have 'help wanted' signs prominently displayed. One of them even has a sign that says 'Work Today, Get Paid Tomorrow' as an incentive.

On the same corner I regularly see an able looking "homeless" guy with a sign saying "Hungry. Please Help".

The wife asked me if we should give him something. "No", I said, "Look around. He can't be that hungry".

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
I volunteered at a local Food Bank for a couple of years . Most of what I saw was people trying to scam us on the qualifying . We didn't just hand out food to anybody . You had to fill out an application and provide various documentation relative to your income level , place of residence , etc. Plenty of people driving nice vehicles , latest cell phones , expensive nail jobs , etc.
The woman that reviewed the applications was pretty good at weeding out the folks that were just trying to get free food .

We have multiple places handing out food, many of them “no questions asked.”

A long time ago my Mom once made me eat green beans. When finished I promptly threw up all over the table. No malice on my part- Great beans and me just didn't get along.

That was the last time they forced us to eat anything.

Feeding America offers free food here in the Yoop.
Long lines of cars waiting for the food. Most new or newly new. Expensive trucks, too.
I think its no questions asked.

When I got divorced a lifetime ago, I wound up with primary custody of my three relatively young children.
I cooked the meal, and always set out the Peanut Butter and the Jelly with the meal.
Every great now and then, one of the kids would make themselves a PB&J instead of eating what I had made. No commentary, no argument on the part of anyone. They would peruse the table, and make their choice.

Maybe the poverty is hidden.
There are people here that have a pallet of MREs,and a years supply of toilet paper. After a hurricane these folks feast. They know all the give aways including cash money. A number of these folks clearly need it. I do not know the ins and outs of governmental programs. These folks could teach graduate level courses on how to get free food and supplies.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by MelissaDallas:

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:
Guess not, huh Melissa? My mother absolutely forbade the words "I don't like" in her household. If you didn't like it, you kept your cakehole shut and ate it anyway, or you didn't eat it and went to bed hungry. THOSE were our two options...

We weren’t forced to eat things we didn’t like, but you either ate it or went without. Mom’s was not a short order kitchen.

When I was growing up there were NO options and there was NO negotiating...You didn't get to leave the table, and the common report from my parents if there were ANY objections was, 'You're eatin' it'!

Dad had a rule,

eat it ,
or wear it,


I have a pretty broad palate, so I ate it,

my brother suffered a bit, since he is a meat and tater eater, no greens,

I don't recall him ever wearing it, but as a kid the threat was real,

My mother apparently spoiled me. I am a very picky eater, much to my own detriment. I quite clearly remember several times I would get something completely separate from the rest of the family as she knew I would not eat what they were having. Usually it was something simple like nuggets and fries or mac & cheese, but she was willing to make an effort to accommodate me.

I also have a puked on the table story, but it was the result of stewed whole tomatoes. Get ill at the sight of a sliced/stewed tomato for years after that and still will not touch one of the slimy things on anything I'm eating. Tomato and mayo will and has made me toss whole sandwiches.

In my house if you don't eat it, then you don't eat at all. It goes back in the fridge, and you get it again at the next meal. Eventually you'll get hungry enough to eat it.

A bunch of years ago I was walking in San Diego and came across a homeless family with a “Hungry Vegan Family” sign.

A retired buddy volunteered at a food bank near Iowa City , ( a big ten college town)

After seeing the very lax distribution policy he found another way to spend his time better.

When he expected 12%- 15% of the recipients to be selfish bums he was being very optimistic.
He soon found out that 30% to 45%were lazy free loaders.

He was very sad

But he said that it was total avoidable ,
But the chair people at the food bank did not want to do the work.

Maybe they're Jews and all the have are Pork & Beans.

I remember my dad had a tenant who was always behind on his rent. One day as I was driving by the property I saw his vehicle in the center of the front lawn with all of the doors the car open (plus the trunk). I thought he was clearing out the house and leaving without paying his rent so I got out went to the door knocked on it - got the guy’s girlfriend who said “oh no no no no we’re just unloading groceries”. When I called my folks to ask them about it they said he goes around to every church, every food shelf offering there is, and has different addresses around the city. He collects bags of food, which he then resells. Obviously no longer a tenant with us, but certainly not the craftiest person out there. I’m sure many more are milking the system.