...when food stamps are not enough to cover your monthly food costs? Some go hungry while others depend on a local food pantry. “Food pantries are private emergency providers that gives bags or boxes of unprepared groceries to clients in varying amounts.” (Berner, Ozer, Paynter, 2008) Food pantries play a major part in the lives of those who are faced with hunger. They give out only enough food to last 3-4 days, however, every little bit helps. Economic, population, process, and benefits are all factors pertaining to food pantries. Food pantries rely on donations from local businesses and non-profit organizations. In the state of New Jersey a woman who started a food pantry at her church states, about 250-300 people would come each month to receive food. It was not gourmet dining (canned tuna, vegetables, tomatoes, spaghetti, rice, peanut butter, dried beans, and so on) but the people appreciated the gift and the church could manage the distribution with a handful of dedicated volunteers. (“Food Pantries, Poverty, and Social Justice”, 2010) Below is a picture showing bagged food ready for distribution. Donations from the state and federal government helped make it possible to help more families. It was stated that participation grew from 250-300 monthly to 2500-3000 monthly. “The federal subsidy made it possible to provide a more balanced supply and the pantry was able to obtain juices, chicken, turkeys, and other proteins.” (“Food”, 2010) Some people turn to food stamps...
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...Houston Food Bank My Exciting day all began Saturday afternoon at 1pm, I had just arrived on time at the main entrance of the “Houston Food Bank”. The food banks sliding doors parted as I walked in the direction of a young lady who was smiling and taking everyone’s queue code to enter as a volunteer. As I approached my 1pm group, our team leader was giving everyone insight about the food bank and a guided tour. Our group walked all the way to the doors in the back where we started unwrapping large pallets of food in boxes and started to break them down and sort them. Every single minute I was there, I witnessed everybody performing with positive attitudes. Everyone was willing to listen to one another’s advice and ideas as well as always engaging in the work. Service learning is a method of teaching that combines classroom instruction with meaningful community service. This form of learning emphasizes critical thinking and personal reflection while encouraging a heightened sense of community, civic engagement, and personal responsibility. Volunteerism is the reliance of volunteers working towards helping a specific social, or educational duty in the community. This is similar to community service, because by definition of both terms, both groups of people take time out to help a community. Community service differs from volunteerism by catering to organizations which does not just benefit a community, but also an institution. Having been founded in 1982, the Houston Food Bank...
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...leaders took us into a sorting room where we had to separate and sort items from big boxes into smaller banana boxes. The items range from cereal to drugs to toys and other household products. Items such as water, soda and items that were too big to go into the banana boxes were placed into different boxes. Once a banana box has been filled, it is covered and carried to the packaging unit for proper packing and storing. We did this for about an hour until one of the leaders pulled the UHD students out of the room as it was getting too crowded. The UHD students were then moved to a separate unit where we had to further group the items packed into banana boxes into different categories which includes non-food products, drugs, condiments and soda, dry foods and snacks. Expired food items were placed into a separate container to avoid giving them out. We worked in this unit until the end of the period. Working at the Houston Foodbank taught me a number of things. Firstly, I got the opportunity to work effectively with people from different places and backgrounds to complete various tasks. Secondly, I had to pay attention to details and listen carefully to the instructions given so as to ensure that I was putting the right product/item in the correct container/box. I also had to work quickly but efficiently within the given time-frame....
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...Food Banks Fight Hunger and Help Economy in Local Communities Cindy O’Sullivan Strayer University ENG 115 Composition Professor Tamra Martin November 3, 2013 Imagine if all our communities in Central Florida could provide consistent food and assistance for those in need. Hunger should not be overlooked in such an abundant country. Children need food to develop and grow. Other individuals may need food so they be healthy and maintain or reenter as constructive contributing members of the community. This part of Florida might just have the solution. The mission of The Second Harvest Food Bank is to promote and support development of their partner agencies and fulfill their mission of a hunger free Central Florida. (Second Harvest Food Bank, 2013). Food banks not only provide food for hungry children from low income families but also those in the community who have come upon hard economic times. Once a person has been fed adequately they may then take on their next challenge in life, maybe finding shelter, a place in the community and for some employment. Once they are able to care for themselves, they are more apt to give back to the community, thus helping the local economy. Despite today’s unstable economy, high unemployment and what seems an obvious need, there have been many closures of local assistance programs making availability of services for this population increasingly difficult. Some of our affected community members have never had to apply...
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...When individuals are advocating for the abolition of food banks, naturally it gives one reason to pause; it portrays the advocate as unsympathetic, callous and cruel. However, after carefully consideration it appears the reasons are justified. Abolition is not the primary concern; it is the delivery! Should food be edible waste provide by corporations? Or government funded options, like safe farming techniques, or a livable wage to choose healthy culturally acceptable options? Poppendieck (1994) outlined a detailed history of the emergency food system; whose journey began a temporary measure and has now become a staple in our society to supplement a recurring issue. Food is a basic human rights referenced in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948, it states that “….The right to food is the right of every individual, alone or in community with others, to have physical and...
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...Food Banks-Solution or Obstacle “What we have done… is to continue down a road that never comes to an end (p.800).” Mark Winne, the co-founder of a food bank in Hartford, Connecticut, takes a unique perspective on food banks in his thought provoking article “When Handouts Keep Coming the Food Line Never Ends” published in the Washington Post on November 18,2007. Instead of focusing only on the benefits of food banks and the good that they provide, Winne poses the argument that food banks are sidetracking the needed efforts to eradicate the root cause of hunger, poverty. Although Winne made some valid points about the problem facing Americans and made me re-examine my previously held beliefs about food banks, I would have to disagree with his claim that food banks are adding to the problem; food banks are not trying to end hunger or poverty they are trying to help the hungry and impoverished. Winne begins by discussing the increased awareness that many have during the holidays to donate to their local food banks providing needed food for those who are food insecure. This need though does not end when the clock strikes midnight, millions of American’s stand in line at soup kitchens, food banks, and food stamp offices every day. He reasons that if we do not adjust our commitment to food donation, “the cycle of need—always present, rarely sated, never resolved--will continue (p. 798).” Next Winne points out that emergency food programs are such a dominant institution in this county...
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...Food Bank Use in Canada According to Food Banks Canada, food bank usage has soared to 28% in the past three years, with more than 850,000 Canadians making use of a food bank in a typical year (Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition, March 2012). One of the biggest contributors to why individuals depend on food banks is their social economic status of lower class and poverty. Although this is a big contributor, there are many more major social determinants that contribute to food bank usage outside of social economic status designation. I believe the other three most important determinants that contribute to usage of food banks are education, employment/working conditions and physical/social environment. The different levels of education a person may have can greatly impact a person’s quality of life in regards to food insecurities. However, a larger percentage of food bank users are individuals who have higher levels of education. A key reason for this is caused by the many professionals who have a foreign education and cannot find work in their field in Canada because their foreign credentials are not recognized (Daily Bread Food Bank, 2010). As well as this, more people with university degrees from Canadian institutions are also turning to food banks due to not being able to use their higher education to find stable employment (Daily Bread Food Bank, 2010). Although a person has a higher level of education, it does not mean that they are successful in finding a job...
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...In a country as wealthy as Canada, close to one million people continue to rely on food banks to provide themselves with basic necessities each month. Food Banks are used by a wide variety of people within Canada, ranging from children and families, to single people, to even individuals who are employed. People tend to use food banks because they are not able to maintain a healthy lifestyle on their own. Whether it is because of economic, social, or cultural reasons, many people have no other option but to do so. I have determined that the main cause of an increase in food bank usage in Canada is poverty. Within Canada, poverty has been an ever-present issue for many years. Although Canada is rated eighth on the Human Development Index, there continues to be a growing number of impoverished people. Individuals who are not able to provide themselves with the basic necessities of life are at an incredible disadvantage when it comes to maintaining their health and well-being. They can be exposed to many illnesses and life threats because they are not able to provide themselves with the resources needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Things such as food, shelter, and warmth all become optional for an individual living in poverty as they have little opportunity to better their life or living situations. Factors such as housing, education, employment, and environment are all equally important in determining an individuals economic standing. Specific groups such as Aboriginals can...
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...August 18, 2013 “Food Banks, how they help people in need” The population of the state of New Jersey is, 8,801,624. The current rate of unemployment is 9.5%, which means that almost 880,000 people face the question each day of “how am I going to feed my family today?’ As the director of Community Food of New Jersey is a hard task, you have to be prepared each day to face the challenges of feeding families in need. Majority of the people that are served by food banks, have children. The biggest challenge of about serving so many needy families is knowing that without the programs we (the food banks) run many of these people would not be getting any of the nutrition that they need on a daily basis. (FeedingAmerica.org) In the world today there are people who never have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. However, there are other who face those woes every day. Food banks are one of the options people have to help feed their families. The community food bank of New Jersey, along with our partner agencies, feed an estimated 900,000 people throughout the year in the state of New Jersey alone. There are also many other options available to New Jersey residents including the WIC program for pregnant woman and their children and SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program). But it is still hard for many residents to make ends meet and provide enough food with enough nutritional value for their families. The rising cost of putting food on the table is becoming...
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...sorting out food for the Houston Food Bank. The Houston Food Bank is one of the most prominent organizations in Houston helping with cure hunger. Their vision food access for all and truly have been doing so. They were announced food bank of the year for 201-2016 by Feeding America. The project I was assigned to was going through boxes of donations and sorting them into the right categories, like peas, bean, cereal, and more. I have never seen so many can goods in my whole life and I work for a grocery store. There were two people who worked there in charge of us the people in my group. I had the honor of meeting some lovely ladies who come a group home called Guardian Angles. They were doing their monthly volunteering services. Today’s youth, it would be hard to ask them to do due to their increased fascinations with technology. But, these kids were really into this. I meet one young lady whom I did not get her name, but a form of Autism. This young lady was the most passionate and kindest person there. I can truly tell she had a wonderful time volunteering. Her energy made me want to work hard and I must say I was not dress for it, but I got down to work. Once we were done for the day and they thanked us for our service, they informed us of where the food we...
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...had just arrived on time at the main entrance of the “Houston Food Bank”. The food banks sliding doors parted as I walked in the direction of a young lady who was smiling and taking everyone’s queue code to enter as a volunteer. As I approached my 1pm group, our team leader was giving everyone insight about the food bank and a guided tour. Our group walked all the way to the doors in the back where we started unwrapping large pallets of food in boxes and started to break them down and sort them. Every single minute I was there, I witnessed everybody performing with positive attitudes. Everyone was willing to listen to one another’s advice and ideas as well as always engaging in the work. Service learning is a method of teaching that combines classroom instruction with meaningful community service. This form of learning emphasizes critical thinking and personal reflection while encouraging a heightened sense of community, civic engagement, and personal responsibility. Volunteerism is the reliance of volunteers working towards helping a specific social, or educational duty in the community. This is similar to community service, because by definition of both terms, both groups of people take time out to help a community. Community service differs from volunteerism by catering to organizations which does not just benefit a community, but also an institution. Having been founded in 1982, the Houston Food Bank provides food to more than 500 hunger relief agencies in southeast Texas....
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...Company Q has a reputation to secure in the community. Company Q is hoping to not only keep their current clientele but also build more of it. By donating day old food the store is able not only save on publicity costs, but use the tax benefits for food donation to help with cost. To keep and build clientele the company needs to get their name out in the public eye. To do so Company Q also needs to build their reputation as a company that cares. If a business seems empathetic to the public’s needs more people will support and recommend using Company Q’s services. It gives a consumer the feeling of helpfulness and of giving back. The consumer feels good about supporting a store that cares about the local community. Radio, television, and online and print advertisements all serve to draw customers to supermarkets. Advertising among the top four supermarket chains (Kroger Co., Albertson’s Inc., Safeway Inc. and Publix Super Markets, Inc.) ran combined annual totals of $1.9 billion in the early part of the 21st century (http://www.msgcpa.com/files/Grocery.pdf). When donating food to a local food bank companies are able to save money on those costs. The food banks often times maintain public campaigns and benefit celebrations that advertise sponsors of not only money but also goods. With the food banks doing the advertising of the company’s generosity Company Q is able to project a positive community image and save on advertising costs. When it comes to allowable deductions...
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...Ethical Analysis of Company Q Business ethics is defined as the choices and actions businesses make that reflect their values. Not only are businesses expected to perform in a manner that benefits their stakeholders and shareholders, there is now an expectation that businesses will support the communities in which they operate. Company Q is a small grocery store chain operating in a major metropolitan area. A recent analysis of its ethical culture shows there are areas that could use improvement. Recently, the company decided to close several stores. These stores were located in areas of the city considered to be high crime and the stores consistently lost money. While this can be considered an ethical decision because it protects the profits of the company, many may not see it that way. Many may view this as an unethical decision because closing the stores affects the community in which they operated. The decision to close the two stores affects not just the company but supplies, contractors, and increases unemployment. The decision also affects the community because of lost taxes, which pay for community programs and improvements. Business must take into consideration all of these factors. In addition to closing these stores, Company Q is also taking steps to retain consumers while increasing profits. The company has decided after many requests to begin carrying high margin organic items. This decision is beneficial to Company Q in two ways. First, the new organic...
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...they face everyday. This public problem is hunger, a situation that has continually been very apparent around the world and more specifically in the United States. According to research from the national food bank organization “Feeding America,” one in six Americans face hunger each day. With this statistic there is also data collected in 2014 in which states that forty-eight million Americans are facing hunger and “food insecurity,” or the lack of access at times to provide food to all members of the family. While we recognize that the United States holds a vast majority of millions of people, the problem is not so much in the lack of food, but rather due to the presence of poverty. After the 2008 recession, more than fifteen percent of the United States population lives in poverty and as a result, struggle to provide the necessary supplements, costs and expenses. These are serious numbers and hunger has put many lives at stake. We as humanity understand the importance and simply the need for food, as it is what allows us to survive, grow, and work efficiently in our societies so that it too may prosper. The questions surrounding what we can do to help combat growing hunger issues ranges from the awareness of hunger to major changes in the administration of both federal food programs and policies alike. As we further discuss the detrimental impact of hunger on the lives of Americans, we will also observe policy alternatives that could be the very key to...
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...instead of working to change policy, re-staff, and implement new procedures to fit the high crime rate area shows a laziness and lack of initiative. The recent addition of health-conscience products is a great step in the right direction, but years of requests from customers should not have been necessary to get the ball rolling. Lastly, the denial of the local food banks request for day old food donations seems, from the outside, to be quite distasteful. Company Q stands to make some changes in their stance towards social responsibility in order to act more ethically. The stores in high crime rate areas that were closed resulted in a substantial loss of jobs for those neighborhoods. While this is not necessarily a problem related to Company Q’s business practices, they could absorb it and attempt to make some changes for the betterment of the area. It is possible to attempt to make the stores more secure and the staff more trustworthy and reliable to cut down on losses. These areas could also be a good opportunity for Company Q to reach out into the community and attempt, at least in some way, such as job fairs, food drives, or health seminars, to better the community. These types of events are chances to...
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