AUC Food Bank
I think everyone deserves equal and free access to food, education and health care. University students are not all having their way paid for by their parents, and homeless people aren’t all poor.
I think our perceptions of people and their situations are skewed by our own personal experiences and that any step towards supplying aid to someone, regardless of their social status is a step in the right direction. It’s a juxtaposition of social normality, like Hugo Chavez supplying affordable oil to New York city from his “Third World Country.”
Yes, university students need food, everyone does. It’s called equal distribution of social wealth. Am I to feel bad for visiting a food bank because someone less fortunate than me does not? Wouldn’t that be some twisted form of self fladulation? Punishing myself for having more than others by refusing what is offered to me?
Life is a conundrum then isn’t it. If I care about the poor and the starving, how poor should I live and how much should I starve myself to make what I feel more REAL to me. Should I devote my life to the lives of others? Should I be happy with my lot and ignore them completely…out of sight out of mind right? Is there a happy medium…can I please everyone?
My last question for you is should someone feel bad, ie. a university student, for visiting a food bank when they’re shelling out 10 grand a year on tuition and another 2000 on books working two jobs and having to decide if they should quit school and become another unemployment statistic or press on to better themselves? That sounds exaggerated but it comes to that for some people…why should university be for the rich and for those who can get loans? I myself can’t get a student loan and have to work two jobs through the semester and all summer to pay for school. If it wasn’t for free food and help from friends and family I wouldn’t be here…I don’t have rich parents…I don’t come from high society stock…and I’m certainly not above taking something for free, even though someone who needs it more didn’t show up to get it first.
November 5th, 2006 at 10:24 pm
I wanted to respond to your blog, because I work for the Salvation Army food bank, so I wanted to put in my “two cents”.
I believe anyone who does not have food to eat, or has so many other expenses that are worthwhile (ie: school) should have access to the food bank. As an employee of the food bank we see a variety of people every day. We see people who really need it, and we see people who abuse the system. We still don’t turn people away. God didn’t say, “help your brothers, as long as they haven’t spent all their money on alcohol”. He just told us to help them. We do at times have to tell people they can’t come back until next month, or cant’ use our services because they make tons and tons of money, but not until we fully investigate their expenses, and what is going on in their life at the time. I totally respect students who come in and use our services…it tells me that they are working hard to better their lives with education, and that most likely using our services is only temporary for them…not a lifetime use. If someone less fortunate then you does not use the food bank, most often it is because they choose not to…there are TONS of resources out there, and most people below the poverty line are aware of them. If not, and you know someone, share the knowledge! Other than that, I think it is admirable that anyone in a tough situation will step into the food bank to make sure their family and themselves are nourished.
November 5th, 2006 at 11:59 pm
Thanks for your response…That’s exactly how I feel.
November 7th, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Ya man, I totally agree. People need to eat and some people just can’t afford to. I know that money is tight for me right now and I don’t even have a full course load, so I can see how much people with no income or next to nothing can benefit from free food. I also like free stuff.