Kalmia wrote:
> On Thursday, February 21, 2013 2:59:10 PM UTC-5,
> wrote:
>> Up until a couple of years ago, I would have agreed with you -
>> however
>>
>> when I looked at the bottom line of our local food bank and saw that
>>
>> the woman running it takes home $140,000 + per year
>
> I hope you TOLD them you were done. I'm sure she works hard, but 140?
> OutRAGEous.
>
> I vol at a food pantry run by a church and there is absolutely no
> salary paid. A guy donates the money for the gas to run the van down
> to the pickup point, and all the shelvers and baggers etc are vols.
> Church members are even asked to donate their used plastic groc bags
> so the recips can bring the stuff home. One gal cooks a big lunch
> meal for the vols who work there when the pantry is open to the
> public. And she draws upon the pantries food. I have never seen a
> penny change hands.
>
> It's pretty sad - some of the recips ask sheepishly if we have a roll
> of t.t. to give them, or even a disposable razor.

I have never actually been to our local food bank but I have been to their
website. They are run by some sort of religous people and I don't really
like that aspect of it but it doesn't appear that they are all preachy or
anything like that.

I do not think they take a salary and I believe they are all volunteers.
They do ask for donations of specific things. For a time they did not want
any junk food but I see now that they have changed that and at Christmas
asked for small packages of candy. They also now ask for birthday packages
that would include a cake mix, icing, candles, paper plates, etc. for a
kid's birthday party. They also wanted blankets, gloves, hats, scarves,
socks, toiletries, toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, dish soap and stuff
along those lines. For a time they said they did not need beans because
they had a supplier but they no longer have that. I also wish they would
update their wish list. It still lists what they needed for Christmas. Oh!
And they also ask for pet food. And toys for the children.

It is easy for us to donate because they have a bin in the store near my
daughter's dance studio. The bin is emptied frequently although often there
is nothing in it. We do try to give as often as we can. Not just around
the holiday times. And we try to give stuff they can use. Not stuff like
mustard and hot sauce. Not that people don't want that but... People can
tend to give tons of that stuff because they can get it for free.