Hunger Is Not a Disease

There’s all this Food out There

IMG_2647-150x150“While you’re making your way around the room, take what you need of the fresh produce, breads and bakery items.  We’ve got potatoes here and carrots, onions, peppers, spinach, salad mix.  Take what you can eat in 3 days.

“IS THIS YOUR FIRST VISIT?   Welcome!  We hope you’ll come every week.  That’s how you get the best deals.  Come on in.   Go around the pantry in a clockwise direction.  Begin here with a bottle of water.  Now, as you go around the room, can you use a box of cereal?  How about a jar of peanut butter?  We have some jelly today.  Take a jar of mayonnaise, too.”

I was speaking with a new shopper, a young woman who had just come in the door.  She was on the verge of tears.  I  learned  the best way to handle this situation was to  cheerfully guide her through the room.  When a person cried, I  treated the event as though everything was normal.  And, it was normal to see people crying in the pantry occasionally.  If they asked for a tissue, I gave them one.  Other than that, I  ignored the tears.

“No thanks.  I have a jar of mayonnaise at home now.  My kitchen is almost totally empty because my husband hasn’t worked in 7 months.  I’m completely out of food.  But I do have some mayonnaise.”

“Take it anyway.  You never know when we’ll get more in.”  Back on this wall is the USDA section.  Take a can of each type of vegetable or fruit for each person in your household.   That means you can take cans of vegetarian beans, refried beans, green beans, corn, peaches, and tomato sauce.  How many people are in your household? “There’s me, my husband and our 2 daughters.  They’re in elementary school.”

MONTHS LATER HER STORY REVEALED ITSELF.   Her husband, badly injured in an accident, may never work again.  They sold  a piece of land  for money to live on.  One child has diabetes.  Here was a woman struggling against all obstacles to do the best she can to raise her children properly.

I’M ALWAYS PROUD TO CARRY USDA PRODUCTS IN THE PANTRY.   When a person’s kitchen is totally empty, it’s a godsend to be able to take several cans of different foods to put on the shelves at home.  Our tax dollars are at work here.

Let’s consider the United States Department of Agriculture for a moment.  As our country accumulates agricultural surpluses, the food is distributed to those in need.  I always get the feeling that our government is embarrassed by this food.

A much better, more mature, more realistic attitude  is to realize (understand)  it’s impossible to produce only the food we need.  It’s  better to have too much food than too little.

Droughts and floods work on their own schedules and weather is very difficult to control.

CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE:  FOOD SHORTAGES.

SURPLUS FOOD HAS A DEFINITE PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY:

Diverting food from landfills offers communities an opportunity to feed people who don’t have any money after paying for housing and transportation to work.

Diverting food from landfills offers communities an opportunity to improve our environment.

Diverting food from landfills offers communities an opportunity to ensure that children do not go to school hungry.  This is a major investment in the future because children have a difficult time learning on an empty stomach.

NO ONE IN OUR GREAT NATION SHOULD GO HUNGRY.

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Peace and food for all.

Thurman Greco