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A friend of mine went to a food bank in NM and got : box of old potatoes, pears that were like nothing you could do with them, some very OLD BREAD..LIKE 30 DAYS PAST PULL DATE, some well hard to describe a pack of SOMETHING: that was in a bag that looked like raisins, or chunk's of something and NO LABEL, NO NOTHING ON IT.
SO WE called the food bank and said . hmm not sure want it is..
so I am goin to take pix and send it to the well who ever and see what it is..
my POINT IS: Should't food banks be responsible in giving away food that is whole some; and not moldy, or ?? in gredients...
People are thankful; but not for food that is not edieble etc.
It is free - what do you expect? If you could afford food (or your friend) wouldn't you just go to the store and buy it? Beggars can't be choosers...and there are plenty of people that would be grateful for that food and could make it into a meal. I know the food banks I work with are having a difficult time keeping enough food on the shelves as it is...but I know that when my husband and I have volunteered that people are always grateful for it. It sounds like you and your friend have no business taking that food...if you don't like it, throw it out. It is a donation, not something you or your friend bought and the food bank has zero liability regarding if it is fresh or expired.
It is attitudes like this that really **** me off!
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's bad experience.
In this severe economic time, yes the food banks are struggling as much as the folks are for donations, but to be handing out garbage, or stuff that should be in the dumpster is not acceptable. The health dept. should be made aware of that.
I'm sorry your friend is going through hard times enough to need that kind of assistance.
I know it's hard enough to swallow one's pride to admit the need for help, and then actually ask for it, and then be degraded to the point of "accepting garbage".
That's shameful, and not acceptable. Especially since some of the food banks get gov't $$ as well as private $$. I would report it. Although I'm not sure to whom or where.
Do check out Angel Ministries. They are a good, credible foundation. They do charge, however. But the food is good for a nominal cost. You order monthly from a variety of item packages.
I'm posting a link. Check to see if they are in your area. If your friend cannot afford them, perhaps they can refer your friend to a better bank.
I hope this is only a temporary setback for your friend.
Food is our most basic need and in this country, with all it's $$, I find it dispicable we send our $$ everywhere and our own people don't get the same respect.
"Take care of our own first!"
Both of my sons used to volunteer weekly at a local food pantry. People would bring in all kinds of old expired stuff to donate. If something was expired it was immediately thrown out. It was policy that no one was ever given anything past expiration date. It was a matter of both health and dignity.
There were several local restaurants that baked their own breads, and at the end of the day everything that was not served to customers, was bagged up and taken to the food bank. If the food bank did not distribute it all to clients within a certain time, like a day or so, it was thrown out. Often, at the end of the last day, the leftovers were sent home with the volunteers, otherwise they had to be thrown out.
What about the food that YOU personally don't find very attractive looking? Should it be just thrown away, or distributed to people who would otherwise have nothing?
Mold can be cut off bread, which, if dried out, can still be used for bread pudding or french toast, pears and potatoes retain their nutrition even when they are not pretty, food is still food even when the label is missing.
It is free - what do you expect? If you could afford food (or your friend) wouldn't you just go to the store and buy it? Beggars can't be choosers...and there are plenty of people that would be grateful for that food and could make it into a meal. I know the food banks I work with are having a difficult time keeping enough food on the shelves as it is...but I know that when my husband and I have volunteered that people are always grateful for it. It sounds like you and your friend have no business taking that food...if you don't like it, throw it out. It is a donation, not something you or your friend bought and the food bank has zero liability regarding if it is fresh or expired.
It is attitudes like this that really **** me off!
I disagree with your post on several fronts. First, there is nothing to say that the OP's friend is not grateful for having a food pantry to go to, and his attitude should not be questioned. For such a "wealthy" country that spends kazillions of dollars on crap, we should make sure that our citizens have healthy food to eat -- regardless of whether it's in a store or if it is through donation.
Second of all, food pantries I believe fall under the guise of the health department, which is responsible for making sure that foodborn illnesses are not spread. New Mexico probably has jurisdiction, but there are most likely some guideless that fall down from the FDA as well. Just because the food is free, is still has to meet certain standards.
This is America. We shouldn't be giving people, regardless of their economic status, unhealthy, spoiled, or unidentifiable food. The same premise goes for donation toys, clothes, etc. Just because someone is poor does not mean that they deserve to get ripped up or soiled clothes. Children should have toys that work, are safe, and are in good overall condition.
The premise that someone who has to rely on others for basic needs should be grateful for whatever they get --- even if it is substandard, is very inhumane. And, it really makes a sad situation even more so. Let's not ridicule and belittle those who are already hurting.
my POINT IS: Should't food banks be responsible in giving away food that is whole some; and not moldy, or ?? in gredients...
I don't know what "?? in gredients ..." is, but yes, food pantries (not food banks; food banks are large, regional organizations that do not serve the public directly but instead distribute food to pantries, soup kitchens and other nonprofit organizations that feed people -- please get your terminology straight) should have some quality control procedures. Take the food back and ask to talk to the pantry manager. Be concerned and polite. Stow the attitude.
That being said ... Food that is past its expiration date is not necessarily dangerous or even unwholesome. A box of saltine crackers with yesterday's expiration date is 99.999999 percent as fresh as it was the day before. Expiration dates on nonperishable foods are just the manufacturers' way of covering their asses.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alley01
It is a donation, not something you or your friend bought and the food bank has zero liability regarding if it is fresh or expired.
Food pantries do have reputations to uphold and responsibilities to their donors. Providing food that is clearly rotted serves no one.
It is free - what do you expect? If you could afford food (or your friend) wouldn't you just go to the store and buy it? Beggars can't be choosers...and there are plenty of people that would be grateful for that food and could make it into a meal. I know the food banks I work with are having a difficult time keeping enough food on the shelves as it is...but I know that when my husband and I have volunteered that people are always grateful for it. It sounds like you and your friend have no business taking that food...if you don't like it, throw it out. It is a donation, not something you or your friend bought and the food bank has zero liability regarding if it is fresh or expired.
It is attitudes like this that really **** me off!
I hope you never fall on hard times and that if you do, people are more compassionate towards you than you've shown yourself to be. I've volunteered at food shelters where the people who need food lost their jobs through downsizing and are unused to and totally embarrassed to accept what they consider to be handouts. We wouldn't even think of giving them moldy or stale food. Why on earth would you think someone deserves to eat something like that? When donations are down a lot of food banks cut down on the amount of food and the variety - not the quality or freshness of it. To say someone has an "attitude" because they don't want to eat free moldy garbage is ridiculous.
I hope you never fall on hard times and that if you do, people are more compassionate towards you than you've shown yourself to be. I've volunteered at food shelters where the people who need food lost their jobs through downsizing and are unused to and totally embarrassed to accept what they consider to be handouts. We wouldn't even think of giving them moldy or stale food. Why on earth would you think someone deserves to eat something like that? When donations are down a lot of food banks cut down on the amount of food and the variety - not the quality or freshness of it. To say someone has an "attitude" because they don't want to eat free moldy garbage is ridiculous.
No, I say someone has attitude because they took it in the first place and then are looking for sympathy and in my opinion a way to get something back for finding something like that. When people shop at the food pantries we volunteer with and when we collect and sort items through our community food bank, we make every effort to catch anything that would be dangerous. But, the items are free and I don't understand how people wouldn't just use their best judgement and not pick things that they weren't comfortable eating. We have never forced anyone to take certain items. Just like others have said, the expiration date for a lot of food is not an indicator of if something is safe to eat.
"pears that were like nothing you could do with them..."
What does that mean? Were they hard as rocks, rotten?
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, some very OLD BREAD..LIKE 30 DAYS PAST PULL DATE,
