I Would Have Starved Without the Food Bank

[mfcorey1]

I stood there shocked. It was the day after my roommates and I had thrown a huge party. I had opened the cupboards and realized that we had literally been eaten out of house and home....

When I first moved out on my own there was a tremendous amount of adjustment time. I was young, foolish and unfortunately in bad company. To make matters worse, I didn't know how to budget, I had bills to pay, I had to finish my schooling and couldn't find a job better than a counter attendant/bakery assistant at a doughnut shop. I worked graveyard shifts for over a year at the wage of $6.10/hour and I did this while attending high school. How I did it, I really don't know. These were not the best times in my life.

I remember moving from cupboard to cupboard and feeling completely overwhelmed by the disparity. There was nothing to eat. To make matters worse, we had no money. Nothing. Not a penny until our pay checks, which were over a week and a half away. I knew I could eat one free meal daily at the doughnut shop but I had no idea what I was going to eat for my other meals.

That was when I realized it. We needed to go to the food bank.

I recall trying to think of an alternative. I believed that food banks were for homeless people and that I would be taking from someone more needy than I.

However, I soon realized that if I didn't go, there would be repercussions. I needed food to keep my mind and body healthy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-bly/i-would-have-starved-with_b_7089158.html

[yeoman6987]

1. Threw a huge party?

Glad he was able to get some food. Food banks are good I typically leave some stuff around thanksgiving time.

[Kalidurga]

2. I am glad she went

I might be reading more into this than is there. But, it seems like her growing up was less than optimal and she is minimizing the impact that had on her and her coping skills. It looks like she managed to overcome those problems, kudos to her.

[Skittles]

3. I contribute to my local food bank

I like the newsletters I get from them featuring the stories of real people thanking the donors - they are very touching indeed.

[winter is coming]

4. I volunteer at a local food bank. There's a guy who's given us a lot over the past

few years, but doesn't want to be acknowledged. All he'll say is that a long time ago, we helped him survive a rough patch in his life, so now he wants to help others through us.

[BojackFan]

5. There are examples of this...

I see all the time. Warms my heart.

[Skittles]

6. I have never depended on a food bank

but I know sh** can happen to anyone, myself included

[DFW]

7. I got an appeal from the Vermont Food Bank, but I get a LOT of requests for money in the mail

So, I asked the one guy I trusted to give me straight info about Vermont as to whether or not they did good work. When Howard Dean said they were good people, I now give them a couple hundred bucks each year.