And Your Response to This Is?
May 17, 2009 by Marye Audet
Filed under Reviews
I read an article on National Review.com that really bothers me. O.k. makes me seethe, really. Basically, in a hazelnut shell it talked about the soup kitchens and pantries around the country throwing out food because it was not gourmet/upscale/trendy enough. The following Washington Post quote is taken from the site:
In a Washington Post article covering the visit, one Miriam’s Kitchen official explained, “If anyone brings us donuts, Steve [the chef] throws them away. . . . It is not good food for our guests. We care too much to give them anything but the best. Steve wants our guests to have the same experience as if they were paying $30 for the meal.”
Puhleeze. They care too much? Male Bovine Quadraped Fecal Matter.
I am all about generosity. I could list stuff that my family has been involved with as far as feeding/sheltering/caring for homeless and people in need. I won’t list it because that is not what this is about…but I say that to let you know upfront that I believe human beings have a high calling and responsibility to minister to one another’s needs;physical, emotional and spiritual. It is a responsibility that we have impressed upon our children.
We have also been in financial positions where being given grocery bags of food was a blessing in the biggest way. In fact…We were vegan at one point, and going through financial crisis. People generously (and anonymously) left bags of food in our car while we were in church…they left them on our doorstep. Sometimes meat and animal products were involved. You know what? We thanked God for it, and ate it!
So, it bothers me when we feel that people in need are somehow in need of superior treatment to the rest of society. A 30 dollar a plate soup kitchen meal is ridiculous. Throwing out food because it is not organic/local/upscale is a slap in the face to those people who are providing it.
I will tell you something else. I spent a few years dumpster diving. The amount of food…GOOD food that gets thrown out is ridiculous. pathetic, and criminal. I have picked up entire cases of fresh green beans without a spot or a blemish, thrown out because a new shipment came in. Cheese, imported cheese, loaves of bread…one time Marc and I lifted 300 half gallons of ice cream, still frozen, from a dumpster. In fact, most people freak when I tell them this but when we were financially strapped on time we went for over 3 years living almost exclusively on what I “dove”…and we ate rather well. No one got sick. A year after I could afford groceries again I got salmonella, on some 6.00 a pound chicken breast I bought. Ironic, huh?
My family will be fed. I will grow it, kill it, or find it if I can’t buy it but they will not starve. My kids love imported cheese, fruit, and crackers for dinner or a quick snack. They will eat quiche, pasta with white truffle oil, or mushroom risotto with joy. BUT…they will also eat fish caught in the creek, dandelion greens with bacon, cheap hot dogs, and store brand white hot dog buns. Some weeks we have more money than others, some weeks we eat more upscale than others. We have feasted on beans and rice, and feasted on grass fed beef roast. Happily. Ice water, Sweet Tea, or an expensive glass of wine…it all works as long as you are together. We have a lot to be thankful for..and we are.
The homeless people I have met just want to eat. They are hungry. In my lifetime I have met only one person who was snooty about the homemade cinnamon rolls I made him for breakfast and lamented that there wasn’t bacon and eggs. When I was growing up we had words for that. Unappreciative, ungrateful, and spoiled come to mind.
The idea of throwing donuts away because they are not healthy enough to feed to homeless people is disgusting. Homeless people often have drug addictions and alcohol addictions, and the diseases that go along with them. They have mental and emotional problems, they are run down, and beaten down. They need showers, someone to listen to them, and a pat on the shoulder. The need medical care. And they need calories.
Many a man existed on donuts and coffee for breakfast during the depression. My dad talked about making soup from ketchup packets at a local diner…and the butcher giving him a large bone *for your dog, son” knowing that my grandmother would make it into soup. Dad said that they often asked for the offal that paying customers wouldn’t eat. Noone has time for misplaed pride when they are hungry. There is a lot of nutrition left in a rused head of iceberg lettuce, people. And when you are panhandling a 2,000 dollar a day crack habit somehow expensive organic food is hard to justify.
I am sick and tired of being told to feel guilty because I am blessed, because I work hard, and because I think outside the box. I will gladly give toys and other items for gifts for children at Christmas but people, I am darn tired of being told that I need to give a needy child an i-pod touch when my own kids don’t have them.
As un-politically correct as this will sound there is an old saying: Beggars can’t be choosers. If you are in need and someone gives you something? You say thank you and feel grateful.
No one deserves anything. No one gets a free ride. You work hard and you maintain high standards and ethics and maybe you won’t get rich but you can look yourself in the mirror and smile.
If an upscale restaurant has 500 quail in calvados reduction dinners left over one night and donates them to a shelter then WOW! That is cool stuff for the people eating there that night. But…to try to maintain that high of a standard every night and expect people to feed homeless strangers better than they feed their families? That, my friend, is unrealistic and beyond belief.
Homelessness should not become another place for a few idiots to show everyone how generous they are and how humanitarian they are by throwing away good food that doesn’t meet some unrealistic standard… It should not be a place for a wanna-be- 5 -star chef to make his fantasy life come true. Give the homeless guy a hotdog, a baked potato and some coleslaw, and, by the way? A cold glass of ice water tastes fantastic on a hot day.
You want to show how humanitarian you are? Offer free meals to active military personnel, police, firemen, and disabled vets. That’s what we used to do at our restaurant. I offered a homeless guy a meal in trade for an hour of work once…but the men and women that served society? They ate free.
That soup kitchen? They don’t care about the guests. They want people to notice how cool they are, maybe they have their own generosity issues, I don’t know. Personally? I am glad to continue doing what I am doing without feeling the need to publicly assuage my guilt by serving homeless people mushroom risotto. A big scoop of rice with salt, pepper and butter…some spinach or broccoli…a wedge of lettuce, and a slice of meatloaf with a nice apple for dessert may not be upscale but it is what these men and women need.
And the worst of it is? These types of soup kitchens are popping up all over the country and asked the President for a bailout. They got 150 million. You know where that money came from right? Yep…your pocket, taxpayers. 150 million will feed average food to a lot of hungry people. It doesn’t go so far when the chef aspires to be Gordon Ramsay.
Thanks for letting me vent. Now it’s your turn.
Homeless people: should we be spending the money to feed them ris0tto and pate or should they use what is given with thanksgiving? You know what to do. Leave a comment.
- No swearing
- No attacking other commentors..or me for that matter
Lets have some good conversation here.
image:sxc
photoshopped by maryeaudet
Marye,
I agree. There were times when my mom and I were living in the city and we knew what churches had soup kitchens that day. The girls never went hungry but there were times that mom and I did so they could eat. But they did like going to the kitchens. We did work in them for a long time. We were living in the city on my little paycheck from pizza hut. Mom was in and out of the hospital for hip replacement surgery and the girls were homeschooled as they liked it. But I do thank the Lord for doughnuts. We took them home with us and whatever they would allow us to take. I learned how to streach a dollar and how to make do with what is in the pantry. I learned how to garden, how to put food by and how to become more self reliant in that time. So this time around when we are in danger of losing almost everything my husband and I can look around and say “We are blessed” and indeed we are.
The homeless in the city all they want is someone to listen, feed them a nice meal, (beans and rice is just fine) and sometimes just a kind smile and hug. It burns my butt that that soup kitchen would throw away food. Dumpster diving is a fine art. You just have to be careful and know how to do it. You know we as taxpayers really have no idea where our money is going and what it is doing.
I do not normally speak of political matters but here is one thing I have said over and over……”if we can not take care of our own, then how can we help another nation?”
This was an interesting article…thanks for posting!
My reaction was that I came away not really knowing what to think. The article doesn’t mention if there are any other soup kitchens throwing away food outside of this one oddball place. The other spot they mention with “fancy” meals–those aren’t necessarily expensive things, they just taste good! Browned butter isn’t any more expensive than regular, it’s just prepared differently; fruit is plenty cheap if it’s in season (the article doesn’t say); canned pumpkin is very reasonably priced; etc. Furthermore, they never say whether the kitchens mentioned received the “upscale” food from donations or from government funds; if donations, I can’t possibly see what the problem is! If people wish to donate nicer food, I’m not going to stop them. I guess my problem with the article was that it was a lot of insinuation and anecdote but not very many actual facts. It doesn’t even say if the two kitchens mentioned actually received any of the bailout funds. I would have liked to see some actual statistics: what proportion of kitchens receiving bailout funds throw away donated food? Without knowing that number, it’s really hard to know whether these couple of kitchens are outliers or whether this is an actual problem. I would guess that because the reporter is unable to produce those numbers, they’re trying to make a mountain out of a molehill; but without the numbers, it’s impossible to tell.
Also, I think the tone here is not totally warranted because at least from what I can see from the article, this is NOT an issue of homeless people asking for fancier food (in fact, they have no quotes from actual homeless people on this issue). It’s more about whatever the organizers of the homeless shelters decided to do, and we don’t know whether the homeless prefer that or something else. I know at the soup kitchen where I volunteer, everyone seems to really prefer the bottled ranch dressing over anything else we could put out–no fancy vinaigrette for them! So I don’t think it’s right to accuse homeless people of being too choosey–we don’t actually know that they have asked for anything in particular or whether this is just what the volunteers decided to do. Particularly since I assume the people involved are primarily volunteers, I can’t see what it hurts for them to be putting out food they’re proud of and be involved in an organization that promotes their values. Most people prefer to volunteer in a way that they can give back to others and also have some fun and enjoy themselves, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that! I know for myself, the homeless folks at the shelter I volunteer at never ask for dessert, but they always seem to appreciate it when we go out of our way to make something special that’s not on the official “menu” for the night. Why is it bad of me to want to give back in an extra way? I think homeless folks deserve a treat just like everyone else, and to be treated with dignity. Some may be in the situation through their own actions, but others struggle with severe mental illness or are foster kids who aged out of the system and were dropped off at age 18 by people they had lived with their whole life, and then left with no money, resources, or anything. I have been fortunate enough not to have these sorts of severe problems, but I know that there but for the grace of God go I…so frankly, if these volunteers want to give the homeless food they themselves would want to eat, I say more power to them! I think it’s a cool way to give back to people in a bad situation, and we would need to investigate the situation WAY more deeply than this article does to find out if taxpayer $$ is even involved at all.
You know there was a time when I was a kid that we were poor. We ate liver twice a weeek and went vegetarian (cheaper without meat) too. My mom stood in line for the free cheese. No one was throwing out the free cheese and giving us something better. We learned to live on what we had and to do without.
I have a question, if they had less expensive food, could they do more for more people?
Marye, what a fascinating article. My reaction is quite similar to yours: disgust. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a nice idea to feed people “niceR” food, but to throw away doughnuts because they’re not good enough? That snootiness is at odds with the fundamental purpose of a soup kitchen. I completely agree with you: gratefulness is something that all people need to show. In fact, I’m taking your post as a reminder to tell everyone around me how grateful I am for them; and I’m going to remind myself of how fortunate I am to have food on my table every night. I’m with you: there are times when I’ve only had the processed hot dogs and the white buns to go with them, but you know what? That food brought me joy, as did the people with whom I ate it. I find these soup kitchens disgusting. Since when did charity work become about “being recognized” and “being posh.” Gross. By the way, sorry that I’ve been an absent commenter; I just finished up my law school exams and am finally getting around to my google reader.
Oh man is this a loaded question. Especially since I know that when people donate food, it tends to be the things they don’t like. The 10 yr old can of tuna, etc. Yes, there are people who don’t do that, people who give food that they themselves would eat. But you know what? That doesn’t always happen, and that’s okay. We waste enough food in this country. Thank goodness someone decided to donate that 10 yr old can of tuna, because it was one less uneaten bit of food in a landfill. And it became calories to sustain people who are less fortunate. And that’s a GOOD THING.
As a staff member of Miriam’s Kitchen, the homeless services agency mentioned in the article, I felt the need to comment and further explain the quote. First, we prepare healthy, homemade meals for our guests for just $1.50 per person. We are 99% privately funded, meaning we get very little government money. In fact, the money we do receive from the government comes in the form of a grant for our Art Therapy program. Second, we are not ashamed of our dedication to high-quality food. Yes, it is true that we do not accept donations of donuts and other nutrionally deficient food. We make all of our food from scratch and with healthy ingredients because so many of our guests are living with serious health problems…cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and high blood pressure. We prepare all of our meals in a way that allows our guests to feel full all day because it is a fact that for many of our guests, our breakfast is the only meal they will have all day. Yes, we feed our guests risotto, but that risotto is donated and when it comes right down to it, risotto is just rice with some vegetables thrown in. Our guests deserve the best. Just because they are homeless doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care about their health and well being. And if we can do it for just $1.50 per guest, why should we stop?
I am happy to field questions about this important issue and welcome anyone to email me at jenn@miriamskitchen.org. You can also check out our website for more information about our programs: http://www.miriamskitchen.org. Thank you for allowing me the space to explain our philosophy.
Marye, as you probably know, you and I end up on different ends of the political spectrum in some areas, but I couldn’t agree with you more here. I also think that this whole feeling of “entitlement” that exists in our society is absurd. Now, having said that, I’m all for benefits, all for helping people with food and medical care, but that’s fulfilling NEEDS, not wants.
I’ve had my hungry periods, too, and oatmeal and pb were about what I ate because I could get the surplus stuff and it filled me up. And this is despite my coming from a background of enough. We all hit hard times, some of us stay there.
And again, you say thanks for what you can get and you’re grateful and you try to pay back for that grace when you can.
And to whomever wrote that this might just be an oddball thing – no, it’s not – it’s a common theme these days in a lot of shelter kitchens. The point, in part, is to make sure that everyone stays healthier, and that’s a good goal, but throwing food out in this economy is sinful in the extreme.
Been there! I agree with everything you said, and I Amen it too! Thank you!
Thats BS. My mother could turn a can of tuna and a box of pasta into a five star. They want to feed them an impressive meal? They need to learn to cook.
Maybe they should visit some of those five stars and see what they’re really cooking with. Its not what they think it is, I’ll guarentee. And if they are on donations, how are they feeding them five star at all? I’d guess that bailout is what they’re cookin on, and nothing more.
ok, i started typing before i read the other replies.
If they want to do that, then don’t toss it, thats just stupid. You cannot tell me there isn’t a homeless shelter that could use it to feed the people that have no money at all. you might give it a shot, you know, be conciderate?
I totally agree with you. I have a family member that works for a national known chip & snack food company & the distributers use to give away out of date chips which are still good to eat, but now the company will fire them if they are caught doing this. I can’t believe the food that is wasted daily in America. When we do go out to eat I alway get a doggie bag because if the kids don’t eat it later, the Yorkie will. The soup kitchens here in Texas aren’t so snooty, least not where I live.
I hope everyone reads the reply from Jennifer at Miriam’s Kitchen. I’m writing from the Center for Respite Care in Cincinnati, OH. We are a medical recovery center for homeless men and women and also provide healthful meals. I think the whole concept of “throwing away doughnuts” here has been blown out of proportion. First, it is far more likely that a donation would be redirected than thrown out. Trust me, nonprofits work together. We do NOT pitch donations unless they are truly unusable (soiled underwear, for example), food included.
Please realize that an unhealthy homeless person can easily cost taxpayers millions over the course of a year and many ER visits. So, refusing to provide doughnuts might actually end up saving money. The rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and organ disease among the homeless are significantly higher than that of the general population. And when this population becomes ill, it takes them more time, more hospital days, and more taxpayer dollars to recover.
There are plenty of places that will accept doughnuts and old tuna. If an agency can provide $1.50 healthy meals that promote healthy lifestyles in the homeless community, good for them!
The bias against homeless people and those who serve them tends to lean toward this concept of “be grateful” and “beggars can’t be choosers.” Truly, I have never seen an agency that is not completely grateful or choosy. Turning down doughnuts, in this instance, is providing a long-term service and savings to the taxpayers. Miriam’s Kitchen, keep it up!
-Robin at the Respite
Robin,
I thought to stay out of the comments. Although normally I respond to each in this case I wanted everyone to have complete freedom to say whatever without my input.
I do want to say that i have been very VERY involved in homeless issues in Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex in one way or another. I understand the illnesses, the problems, and the people more than you may think. I am a veteran as well, and spend many hours at the local VA hospital.
However, noone is asking homeless people to eat moldy bread. There is an attitude in many areas that i have personally witnessed, that certain things are not good enough…this is my complaint. Our local food bank refuses home grown produce and yard eggs. They are constantly asking for donations because they dont have enough and yet they are in the center of an area where there is an abundance of home gardens and such.
I think that people who donate should do so with honor and ethics and people who accept should do so gratefully.
Thank you for you comments.
Robin, like Marye, I’ve been involved in homeless issues in my area, and I have definitely seen the attitude that things have to be perfect for the “guests”.
I couldn’t agree with you more about the health issues. Absolutely. But I also have to agree with Marye that I’ve seen homegrown produce, eggs, etc., turned down. Healthy foods turned down. Unhealthy foods turned down. Now, having said that, there is ONE place here that will put most of that out in bins and folks can take it home. And interestingly enough, the stuff that’s “not good enough” disappears every time.
Some areas have better networking practices than others. We are very blessed where I live to have a fabulous food recovery program, but in some of the other regions around here in Michigan, that’s just not the case.
More power to anyone and everyone working with this population to make a difference. I do think, though, that our entire society’s feeling of entitlement is something that is making the U.S. weaker and weaker.
Some homeless people,not being used to eating upscale food, may not eat it and the food will go to waste.
That is also a good point. Thanks George, and everyone for the great comments and thought provoking conversation.
I work for 3 local food banks/soup kitchens here in the metro detroit area, and I have NEVER seen someone in charge of the kitchen turn down food of any kind.
Seems the story is made up.