Porcupine food bank

[cathleeninnh]

I hadn't seen the thread before, but now that you brought it back I have some thoughts. I keep a stockpile (I would gladly donate to a porc in need) and spend time each month rotating items into my regular pantry. I suspect we as a group could collect far more food than anyone is needing at a given time. With donated storage space, we could hold for awhile if there were good rotate or throw away procedures in place. Not being wasteful people it might morph into a buying club for ourselves when we take the stuff before it goes bad.

As far as helping those of us in need, we do it all the time now. I can't list all the stuff including food that I have given to new movers. Longer time residents have usually established their network of friends and get help as needed.

The need seems spotty to me. Maybe what we really need is an established process to get the request, get the word out, and meet the need as it happens? How about a list of interested donors, what they have committed to store and supply at a moments notice and contact information? Then each of us would only commit to one case of something in the closet, can use and resupply as we want. One list to be kept up to date and distribute to porcs shouldn't be too tough a task.


Cathleen

[Kat Kanning]

Would it be something to do for non-porcs also?

[dawn]

I think it would be really cool to set something up to help anyone we learn of that's in need. From time to time, there are major disasters in NH for people, like a house burning to the ground or a parent dying in a car crash. If we could reach out to people like that in their time of need, it could be a win-win.

For our liberty-loving friends it might be nice to set something up for when one of our friends is down and out - maybe an operation - or too busy to cook - maybe having just had a baby, for examples. I think of what church groups often do and wonder if we can replicate the bringing of dinners and helping with things that need to be done, etc.

For someone who does not want to be politically active, I think ideas like all of these being shared would be a great way to bring non-governmental assistance to those in some kind of need.

[CNHT]

I can attest to the fact that while I did not need any monetary assistance, (I gave them the money for the groceries and such) several FSPers 'took care' of me while i was bedridden and sick for several months and could not leave the house to drive.

They did my food shopping for me and came over to check on me regularly during that time, kept me company, watched movies with me and did some chores around the house.

Sometimes the people you think you are very close to and for whom YOU have been doing a lot, suddenly disappear in your time of need, while others you could never imagine, jump to the task when needed.

I was VERY grateful!  (You know who you are) 

[Dreepa]

I think of what church groups often do and wonder if we can replicate the bringing of dinners and helping with things that need to be done, etc.

My wife was on bed rest for moneky #1 and I used to travel for a living... her church members brought her food every day for 5 months!!!!!

[Rosie the Riveter]

Question for caring foodbankers --

I see a homeless person siting on a median strip with a sign "homeless please help"  near my neighborhood almost everyday for the past week or two on my way home from work.

The guy looks like a wreck, and I feel sad for him but down deep I really don't want to help him. I want him to get the hell up off that median strip and get a job. I have not given him food or money and really I just want him to go away.

Am I a bad person for feeling this way?  Should I be helping this guy?

[toowm]

Question for caring foodbankers --

I see a homeless person siting on a median strip with a sign "homeless please help"  near my neighborhood almost everyday for the past week or two on my way home from work.

The guy looks like a wreck, and I feel sad for him but down deep I really don't want to help him. I want him to get the hell up off that median strip and get a job. I have not given him food or money and really I just want him to go away.

Am I a bad person for feeling this way?  Should I be helping this guy?

You are definitely not a bad person. Whether you should help is a very personal decision. I have had good experiences from helping needy people, and bad experiences. I had a friend back in Illinois who had a wonderful talent for discerning the needy from the greedy. It was wonderful doing charity work with her because it actually changed people's lives. There is a good discussion of this on the old "Ethics in America" PBS program, which can be watched (registration required) at http://www.learner.org/resources/series81.html

[CNHT]

I think of what church groups often do and wonder if we can replicate the bringing of dinners and helping with things that need to be done, etc.

My wife was on bed rest for moneky #1 and I used to travel for a living... her church members brought her food every day for 5 months!!!!!

This is why it's so important to encourage religion instead of secularism -- they are the extended family some, at times.

[Lloyd Danforth]

As if people helping others doesn't happen outside of religion

[Russell Kanning]

Am I a bad person for feeling this way?  Should I be helping this guy?

most guys begging ... make money that way

but you could ask him what is going on

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Question for caring foodbankers --

I see a homeless person siting on a median strip with a sign "homeless please help"  near my neighborhood almost everyday for the past week or two on my way home from work.

The guy looks like a wreck, and I feel sad for him but down deep I really don't want to help him. I want him to get the hell up off that median strip and get a job. I have not given him food or money and really I just want him to go away.

Am I a bad person for feeling this way?  Should I be helping this guy?

I understand what you're saying, and no you're not bad for feeling like that. I have volunteered at several shelters and soup kitchens and most homeless really don't want to bother finding work, let alone steady work. This is going to sound cold but most of them really ARE lazy folk who prefer just to let others give them their drug and food money.
The shelter I worked at for several years had a great program where they had a Labor Ready van come every morning at 5am sharp and the folk that wanted to would work and put money into an savings account the shelter would set up for them and after they had saved up enough money would help them find an apartment through a network of landlords that they knew and a steady job.
So there was no excuse for folk not getting involved in this program and getting back on their feet. But yet the majority of the homeless that stayed in that shelter chose NOT to do this. They got their free food and their cot and fairly nice shower and bathroom facility too and were out begging for most of the day or getting drunk.
Like someone else posted, this guy that you see on the road every morning if he was really desperate could find a job and could do something about his condition.

[cathleeninnh]

But isn't it psychological problems that underly it? Isn't that why they can't bring themselves to get in the work programs? Taking away the charity doesn't straighten the head cases out. I imagine some are gaming it, but surely not most. I won't hand them a dollar but I will hand them a sandwich.

Cathleen

[Porcupine_in_MA]

But isn't it psychological problems that underly it? Isn't that why they can't bring themselves to get in the work programs? Taking away the charity doesn't straighten the head cases out. I imagine some are gaming it, but surely not most. I won't hand them a dollar but I will hand them a sandwich.

Cathleen

For a few there really are psychological problems and they need help.They're the ones I was (and am) happy to help out, along with those that just were in a bad time and needed assistance. Problem is, the majority had a prevalant psychological problem that is easily fixed, lazyness.

[EJinCT]

I think of what church groups often do and wonder if we can replicate the bringing of dinners and helping with things that need to be done, etc.

My wife was on bed rest for moneky #1 and I used to travel for a living... her church members brought her food every day for 5 months!!!!!

This is why it's so important to encourage religion instead of secularism -- they are the extended family some, at times.

Generosity has little to do with religion IME.

I have known plenty of religious people who do not practice what they "preach".

[CNHT]

As if people helping others doesn't happen outside of religion

It does, but a great part of the 'work' that churches do is charity, no?