Why is it
that
food fit for your garbage bin
should be a poor child’s manna?
cans crushed and dented
as if they had once been
the subject
of vigorous
street kicking games
Your “donation” is insane
Ever
hear
of
botulism?
Yes, Scrooge, reduce the
surplus
population
cans missing labels
as if this is a game
of guessing
the
mystery
food being served
Your “donation” is absurd
Ever
hear
of
food allergies?
Right, Dad Bunker, ‘cuz
WASP’s sting
the poor in Queens
cans long past their date
as if antiquities
well-preserved
of
grocery stores
now gone defunct
Your “donation” will be junked
Ever
hear
of
bacteria
Fine, Uncle Vernon, leave
Harry
all the rottings
Why is it
that
food fit for your garbage bin
should be a poor child’s manna?
and
While you are at it,
please
tell me
what child wants canned
alligator
meat
for dinner?
Words and Photography ©2016 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me
Posted in human need & poetry. Bookmark the permalink.
—
The first time my older boys helped with a post office food drive through the local food pantry, they returned indignant at the volume of waste “donations” they had to sort through and discard. Many of those cans were years past date, severely damaged and unlabeled; and, yes, canned alligator meat was on the menu. A food pantry drive isn’t the time to clean the junk out your kitchen. Real people depend on food pantries as a stop-gap measure against malnutrition and starvation. Please fill the donation bags full but only with items you yourself would consume. For those of you partial to canned alligator meat, I apologize and cringe.
I’m sure those people making those “donations”are quite pleased that they get to “check that box off”. But yeah, clearly, if it’s not something you gave any intention of eating, don’t make your garbage a “donation.” God knows the heart. Burnt offering and sacrifice he does not want, but a humble heart for service. This is no service.
Nicely stated, John. Thank you! I think that people who have just don’t comprehend what the world is like for those who don’t. When someone goes to the food pantry, they fill out paperwork, wait in line and are limited by whatever happens to be available. It is humiliating. My boys were blessed to get to meet some of those people over time. I hope they never forget…😊
Tanya,
As we prepare for our food drive at church, I admit I haven’t thought about folks cleaning out their food pantries to contribute to food drives. Oh, my goodness. I wouldn’t think of doing something so reckless. I’m going to speak to our food drive person to make sure someone is checking for outdated, unlabeled or botulism-tainted cans. Thanks for sharing this.
I would think where people are bringing the cans in you would have better luck with it. These drives involved bags left in the mail and then picked up by the post office and brought in. It was pretty bad at times.
We also ran personal care good drives, where we would hand out flyers at the entrance to the local Walmart and K-Mart and then collect items at the exit. One year, we received enough donations to fill a bag for each of the 150+ families who used that particular food pantry. It’s a good one to run with a bunch of teenagers over the holidays. (Gotta have enough bodies to block all the doors so people can’t avoid getting your flyers…Lol)
It’s good to check the cans though.
Have a great day, Steven!
btw, I love the new gravatar pic!
Tanya, I was certain I said n my last reply that I “really love that picture of you on this post.” If I didn’t, let me say, that I really love that picture of you on this post. Really!
Awwww…thank you, Steven! Another shot taken by my 13-year-old daughter. She does a good job.
Spot on! And I totally agree! Thank you for this clear, bold and pointed statement . . . Especially on behalf of those of us who have had to utilize the services of food pantries, thank you!
Your very welcome! I remember this one man who had been injured severely and was out of work. We helped him carry his stuff to his truck. He spoke openly about how he hated having to use the pantry to feed his family and how humiliating it was. That always stuck with me. That, and the migrant/seasonal farm workers whose children didn’t eat with out it. We need to get the little things right and do a whole lot more, imo.
I agree 100%
This feels sad …no donation is better than this …
I agree. It is always sad when people do selfish things that show how little they value the lives of others. Thanks so much for the feedback!😊
Well said, Tanya. Nice and important post.
Thank you so much, Jennie. Have a wonderful Friday and weekend!
You are welcome. A good weekend to you as well.
Thanks, Jennie!😊
Thank you for your post. It is an important message.
Thank you, Trisha! I wish more people gave their best from the heart, but we can at least give reminders about the little things. Have a wonderful weekend!
Good one. Clare often gives away some of my luxurious favorites. At least I know they are good and going to a good home where they are needed. The number of people now needing food from food banks is growing at an ever-increasing rate. And this is in the so-called ‘first world’. Thank you for posting this, Tanya: a much needed prompt.
Thank you, Roger. I went through a brief period in college where I had just started a new/better job and was struggling to pay my bills (food was the first thing to go…Lol). A friend of mine, who herself was struggling and on food stamps, showed up at my door with a couple bags of groceries for me one night. I will NEVER forget it. It got me through a tough spot and humbled me in a permanent way.
There is enough food in the world to feed everyone…just not a willingness.
You make a good point, Tanya. We have poverty even among the world’s richest nations … and most people just don’t want to know.
And often people find themselves in temporary need of help. We need to be the solution we want to see…
Practice as if it were our own hungry bellies…
Oh, I forgot: “Come home, Clare!”…Lol
Yes, I know, me and Princess Squiffy…😊 (I like Clare more every time you talk about her!)
Clare got home late Wednesday night. I drove out to the airport to meet her and missed most of the third debate: it was scheduled for when her plane was about to land. This was probably a mercy when I come to think about it. She is slowly unwinding and recovering from an exhausting two week workout with our two year old grand-daughter!
Awesome! The two of you enjoy your weekend and try to stay dry…wishing some sunshine your way!
Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
Thank you so much for the share. If we are ever to get the big things right, we must get the little ones right first. Have a great weekend.
This image at the bottom of this post, is my favorite of you. As always, this post is magnificent Ms. Tanya Cliff.
Again, I thank you. That is very kind of you.
Thoughtful poem, Tanya! Why should they have our cast-offs when a fair taxation system, for example, could provide decent jobs and perhaps a living wage for all? The whole question of charity is fraught with problems.
Thank you, Dave. I agree. On a personal note, I think we will never get the big things right if we can’t get the little ones right. As I said elsewhere, we have to give and fix as if our own bellies were empty…
Well written and makes a very good point! I don’t see how those items can be given to the poor when they can’t be sold to the general public for fear of disease, etc…
Steve
https://lightministryblog.wordpress.com/
They actually can’t be given to the poor. They have to be thrown out. The post office leaves bags by the mail and then collects on a given day. Volunteers, like my boys, come in and sort. It is amazing what people put in those bags. I don’t say that in the sense of anything good, either.
When people bring donations in to the pantries, they tend to be good ones. We gotta give like is our children’s hungry bellies…
Oh now I see. Yes, I can imagine what some people would put in those bags and why they need sorters like your boys to come in and toss the bad, expired stuff! Wow…
btw, I forgot, “thank you” for the feedback. I do appreciate it. Have a wonderful weekend, Steve!
You are always welcome for any comments I make, Tanya. I appreciate the platform to speak them! Take care and have a super weekend…
Steve 🙂
😊
🙂
Will you be “gaving” some to me?…Are you eating or showering by chance? or is this yinyang in action again?…
My giggle jar is busted…Lol (can I borrow yours?😊)
Lol…I’ll al you, if you’ll al me.
I am enjoying all of you today…Lol
I’ll keep a weather eye on the horizon…
and go find a fresh giggle jar…😊
i let my bubbles go down the drain…i kept a weather eye on the horizon of my bathtub…dangerous place to take my phone…accidental face-time being what it is…Lol😊
this is my first iphone…not really addicted…just trying something new.
(it is easy to use, though)😊
no. they are big to hold for phones. I’ve got “girl” hands….
do you have the supersized galaxy?
Hi Tanya, I missed you too much my dear friend! Hope you are well💛
Hi, Amir! So good to see you back! Missed you much. All good here…hope for you also.❤😊
Thank you💛 would you please do me a favor? There’s a short story competition in my college. I’ve written a horror story. So could you have a look at it? I want it to be a native-like story, so I think you’re the best, especially you’re an author. Thx❤
Absolutely, Amir. Just send it through to my e-mail link here:
tlc@postprodigal.com
It will probably take me a few days, as I am really behind on things. I would love to read it though.
Thanks again, Tanya! I wanna win this competition😃 I’ll send it now. Pardon grammar mistakes or anything else. Change whatever you think is not appropriate, I’ll appreciate it.
I will look for it!😊
Hi dear Tanya. Did you receive my email?
Hi, Amir! I did and printed it off last night. I should have some time in the next day or two, which will allow me to go over it a few separate times. When do you need to turn it in?
I have to submit it Sunday.
Ok…Give me today and tomorrow. I’ll send it back end of day tomorrow with lots of good luck your way, so you can look it over (and hopefully win!).😊
Thank you very much.. I’m sure my rivals don’t have such precious editor😊
😊
Shameful.
Maybe Matthew 25:40 should be included as part of the guidelines in every food drive announcement.
Do you think people would read it? I just cringe sometimes. We gotta love as if it were our own children, our own bellies and our own backs needing clothing.
Thanks so much for sharing that!
I’m not sure they would….
We can keep leading by example. That’s the part I try to help my children understand…Blessings your way!
Same to you
Thank you so much for sharing this!
It’s simply ridiculous! If someone wants to give, then give from your heart and not stuff that’s of no use to anyone.
Absolutely. It is giving from a cold and uncaring heart. We can do better than that, and we must. Thanks for the feedback, my friend!
There use to be no use by dates Tanya when I was young, although Dairy and perishables did need them but we had an idea how long they would last.
But old dented and unlabeled cans is rubbish as you shared, would we appreciate them if we were in need, the same with torn and discarded clothes, yes we do unto others as we would like them to do for us and we do it first!
Blessings – Anne.
If we give as if it is our own hungry bellies or those of our children, we will do right. Thanks again, Anne! Blessings to you also!
Lovely Feelings,You Look So Cute.
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed this.😊
Most Welcome Ma’am.
Beautiful , Tanya! So humanitarian. We must do this always, not just for the season.
Absolutely. Thank you so much for the feedback! Have a terrific day.😊
Same to you Tanya!
A very trazic poem.is it belonged from tribal area’s childern?
It is derived from food pantry drives that serve a small town American community. It’s a problem everywhere, I think.
Yeah it is a problem everywhere.
😊
Oh.now , i have known about DAPL.Dis is belonged from tribal people’s water problem.a mountain of dakota has source only of drinking water n american govt wants to build a pipeline for crude oil n for dt , they r ready to remove dt mountain behind it,there is source of crude oil.realy ,dis is d main problems for inhabitants n dengerous for environment.protesters r doing right.
I completely agree with you, why give someone food you wouldn’t eat yourself? Same with clothing too. I can understand that you rather give it to someone less fortunate or in need but at least give something presentable, something you like but would want someone else to have it. It doesn’t always have to be junk.
Absolutely. Thanks so much for the comment. We have to care more…