CTV posted an article last night which you can read here. The topic is rather interesting and when I first read it I was a little on the fence about the tone the Ottawa food bank was taking. Actually I was kind of offended at first thinking that a charity would turn away donations but it brings up a double sided coin and it cuts right to the heart of how we treat those who are less fortunate than us.
So the Ottawa based Food Bank; Parkdale Food Centre is turning away donations... What???
Scratching my head I read on.... They are turning away bad foods ie Kraft Dinner and hot dogs, which I'll take them if they dont want. But seriously the message here is clear that people do deserve to eat well. And by well they mean healthily. The problem I have is that maybe some people wouldn't mind a dog or some mac and cheese once in a while. If your current circumstances require you to go to a food bank then maybe a little junk treat once in a while isn't so bad. We all do it at times so why should they be excluded? But I do get their point that we shouldn't be just treating people like they deserve our scraps and bottom of the barrel items. And sadly that is what some people are doing. The article states they received and I quote " an opened bottle of salad dressing that expired in 2008 and an opened container of Hot Rod meat snacks" That's going on 6 years if my math is correct.
Really??? Some one donated expired salad dressing?? Thats just rude that you can't even make a little effort to make sure that the items you are giving are even edible. I have heard of the same thing from people who work with the St Vincent de Paul clothing drive. People actually donate shirts full of holes or pants that are ripped all over. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase beggers can't be choosers. But seriously make a little effort to treat people who you could just as easily be in their situation with a little dignity.
Back to turning away unhealthy foods. While I do agree that the thought of sending a clear message that people deserve to eat well, which in turn will improve their health, which in the long runs benefits all of us and society at large. I do think maybe these turned away items could be used for alternative ways to raise awareness or money for the needy. The problem with this approach of the Parkdale Food Centre is sadly there are people who will go to donate foods, be turned away, feel rejected and say "screw this I'm trying to do something good here and they don't want my help. Ok they won't get it then" So they refuse to contribute in the future to good causes. I think Parkdale could use items like donated hotdogs to hold fundraisers. Mac and cheese on a dog mmmmm. Or use the mac and cheese in a salad. There's a lot of possibilities but the idea is have a bbq for the public, solicite a donation, and use that money to either buy better foods or further fund your cause. It puts the onus on the people who can make a choice on whether they want to eat healthily, doesn't turn away donations and make people feel rejected for doing something of a good intention and it brings in money.
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