Community Service- Oct. 23, 2007
Foodlink. Yet another day of sorting food. There isn't much variety in sorting food, but I really don't mind the work. It gives me time to just think and make a difference at the same time! The type of sorting that we did is my favorite because you get to see all the types of food that comes in and you don't have to lift as much.
I noticed that there are many similar items that are donated. Instead of healthy alternatives, most of the food is processed and can be categorized as "Adult Munchies." This includes chips, beef jerky, candy, and cookies. Sadly enough, I don't recall sorting any cans of fruit or vegetables this time. *How are people supposed to be healthy if the only food that they receive is junk?* Meals in a box, like Rice-a-Roni and Hamburger Helper, are good alternatives, but I can't see many people sustaining on merely that. I was also thinking about how weird it would be to go more than a week without having fresh fruits or vegetables. I certainly could not live like that, but that's just because I am fortunate enough to always have choices of food, healthy ones at that.
The sad reality is that the people that receive this food have to rely on this pre-packaged food because it is more economically feasible. McDonald's is cheap, therefore that becomes a main meal quite often. While I was at Starbuck's on Mt. Hope once there was a homeless man ranting about how he could not afford food because the government wasn't paying him enough for being a veteran. He told everyone there that he ate McDonald's for nearly every meal because it was quick, warm, and cheap. *How does someone who risked their life for our country not get what they need to survive?* The government gave him money, but he needed more than that because I believe that he was an alcoholic. The government should have been giving him money in the form of help, such as an AA type program, instead of giving him money to just waste on alcohol. He probably is not the only veteran like this, but our government is creating more veterans than helping out the ones that there already are.
I noticed that there are many similar items that are donated. Instead of healthy alternatives, most of the food is processed and can be categorized as "Adult Munchies." This includes chips, beef jerky, candy, and cookies. Sadly enough, I don't recall sorting any cans of fruit or vegetables this time. *How are people supposed to be healthy if the only food that they receive is junk?* Meals in a box, like Rice-a-Roni and Hamburger Helper, are good alternatives, but I can't see many people sustaining on merely that. I was also thinking about how weird it would be to go more than a week without having fresh fruits or vegetables. I certainly could not live like that, but that's just because I am fortunate enough to always have choices of food, healthy ones at that.
The sad reality is that the people that receive this food have to rely on this pre-packaged food because it is more economically feasible. McDonald's is cheap, therefore that becomes a main meal quite often. While I was at Starbuck's on Mt. Hope once there was a homeless man ranting about how he could not afford food because the government wasn't paying him enough for being a veteran. He told everyone there that he ate McDonald's for nearly every meal because it was quick, warm, and cheap. *How does someone who risked their life for our country not get what they need to survive?* The government gave him money, but he needed more than that because I believe that he was an alcoholic. The government should have been giving him money in the form of help, such as an AA type program, instead of giving him money to just waste on alcohol. He probably is not the only veteran like this, but our government is creating more veterans than helping out the ones that there already are.