A way we can help when the recession strikes (Misc. charitable)

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We heard on the news today, that many foodbanks are now getting primed to be in high gear when folks start losing jobs due to recession and got to thinking of ways we can make a difference. Lynn and I are considering planting 50% more than we did last season and use this as fresh donations to our local food bank as the effects of recession will still be occuring during harvest. Also, an idea I want to try is planting greenhouse starts of tomatoes and such in pots, go to dollartree and buy cheap buckets and hand trowels and scratchers and help urban freinds that may be facing financial tight times by giving them some plants and tools and know how to intensive garden in an urban environment with limited space. Even a small garden can help when your income gets reduced and if nothing else, we all know, gardening does ease a mind during stressful times

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000

Answers

The second half of your post is more in line with my way of thinking. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day...teach a man to fish and you feed him for life. When facing Y2K we had already decided that in the case of a flood of folks into the countryside looking for food what we would do. Give em a hoe and show them how to use it. Giving to a foodbank is nice but I'd like to see more grassroots type projects, especially among children and welfare recipients. I won't turn anyone away that is hungry but they will work for their supper. I would love to see more attention paid to educating people on how to take care of themselves rather than welfare. Maybe in addition to planting more food everyone should have more heirloom seeds on hand to give out to folks so they can raise their own food. Maybe even some photocopied pages of gardening books giving simple instructions on growing those seeds?

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 31, 2000.

Amanda, It is amazing at the intensified gardening techniques available. We started using walkway gardening and container gardening here on our one acre as a means of maxing our harvest and its amazing at how it helps. The book "square foot gardening" has practically become my garden bible. I especially am partial to the fact that the only required tools are a 2 gal pail and hand trowel (scratcher is optional" after the initial soil prep. If eash of us here in Countryside USA have the opportunity to assist just one urban dweller, maybe more urbanites will catch on. Vancouver has an excellent citygarden website , however, I have lost the address.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.

I have that book and I really like it too. My garden is set up a bit like the ones in the book but not exactly. I suppose it is sort of a combination of french intensive and square foot gardening. I have to watch it with getting too conservative on space though....I seem to have a green thumb when it comes to gardening and my plants always get bigger than they are supposed to.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 31, 2000.

The concepts mentioned here are good, unfrotunately the system will not allow them to work.

Food banks are largely supplied by the Federal Government, at the rate of 4 cents per pound, the last that I heard. That's right the federal government takes tax dollars, and purchases food commodities in the marketplace. They buy in large quantities and often manipulate the price down by doing so, Oh well the rich farmar can take the loss... Then they sell at below cost to the food banks, and have the food delivered by non-profit corporations to the food banks. Now the food is distributed (fairly?). First to people (not necessarily families) with children. Most of those who qualify also qualify for ADC, Food Stamps (card), WIC, and some also get medical assistance. Many are singles who would loose some or all benefits if they married. A considerable number are female high school students, or dropouts, with more than one child. This is what our tax dollars are financing.

Then comes the elderly, who are next in line for assistance from the local federally supported food bank. They also often qualify for the food stamp card, and often have some income from social security and private pensions.

There is a large chunk of the population who will go unserved as things are now. That is the group of people who are working, but making irregular incomes, and have no children at home. So you are 45 years old and you own and operate a dump truck. You took in $2,000 last month but the truck has a transmission problem that will cost $2,500 to fix. Gosh we are sure sorry that you "rich" truckers don't Qualify. Sure hope you don't go hungry.

Lets suppose that you are a homesteader and your gardening efforts fell short this season. You are 45 years old with no children at home. You could use some help. O.K. get in line behind the pregnant teen agers and thier children, and the old folks (some of whom will be babysitting thier pregnant grandaughters' youngster while she is working somewhere and getting paid in cash "under the table").

While you are waiting for the systen to help you, and be sure that it will be a long wait; you can consider how the other folks ahead of you in line can be further helped. As was mentioned previously, we might want to teach them gardening. This will require a complete unteaching of some of the things that they now know, for sure. Things like "food comes from Krogers". It will be impossible to teach anything that takes place more than 10 feet away from a T.V. set. So to teach gardening we will need to have cable connections installed in the garden, and bring plenty of pepsi & chips to that site as well. Then we can expect the lesson to last until the drinks & snacks run out. In my community (and probably yours too) a $60 a month cable T.V. bill is considered an absolute necessity for the needy. As long as they are entertained and fed well, they will have no interest whatsoever in gardening.

BUT< good luck anyway.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.


Then pick the family in need of your choice. forget the system. It has been my experience if you just look around, theres always one family that could use a little help and opportunity and will "pass it on".

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.


Jay, you and Lynn have the right idea. If each of us tried to make a difference with just one other family, not only will you be helping others, but you'll feel good about it, too. We all have choices to make, either sit back and gripe about the system or do something, whatever we can, to make a difference to others. Sure, there are some who would rather watch tv than go pick their own greenbeans, even if they are free, but for each of those, there are many who would be glad for the help and opportunity. I, for one, will join you in the effort. Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), December 31, 2000.

My first experience at "large scale" gardening actually happened right after I moved out on my own into an apartment. The manager at the time allowed us use of an out of traffic area cul de sac courtyard and part of the roof to put in a few crops (it equaled about 3/4 acre). Myself and 4 single mother public aid families worked it 2 seasons amid jeers from the other residents. When I moved, those ladies were still working it and two I know, gave up their foodstamps due to the pride they had providing for themselves.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.

I've been toying with the idea as well of planting a few extra rows of stuff this upcoming season for the church's food bank and weekly Wednesday night supper. And when the pantry is low we'll contribute a few grocery bags of soups, veggies, fruit, and canned hams. Usually however, we try to donate non-food items like diapers, wipes, baby powder and lotion, toothbrushes and toothpaste, brushes, combs, shampoo, razors, deoderant, toilet paper, etc. It's great if the belly is full, but a clean, shaved face and combed hair goes a long way towards enabling someone to have some self respect and hope.

If you choose a particular family to help though, do so with caution! Wife and I chose a family from our church to help last year. Husband, wife, and 5 children, 2 weeks from being evicted from their rent subsidized housing.

Wife called every organization she could get a phone number for and came up with all of the back rent for them. We had them over to the house so the kids could play together, fed them, etc. Offered to let them co-garden with me here and share in the harvest. Even paid for swimming lessons for the oldest. Unfortunately, they didn't want to work in the garden, or help themselves in any real way. They just wanted the handout. To make a long story short, they took everything we or anyone else gave them, except for the advice and heartfelt wishes, and they are no better off now than they were 12 months ago (our church still feeds them, but will not help them with rent or utility bills anymore). In return we got threatening phone calls (to the point where we had to file a complaint with the police and notify his supervisor what was being done with the company phone), and dirty looks at church and in town from them.

I don't mean to discourage anyone from doing what is right and helping those in need, but I just wanted to share that not all charity results in heartfelt thanks and gratitude.

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.


If you are doing charity (or having children) because you expect gratitude.......forget it!!

Good works have to be done without conditions...or else they have more to do with YOU than they do with THEM....giving should be for the sheer joy of it.......no expectations involved......

and, as an aside......unsolicited advice is almost never appreciated....

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.


Amen Earthmama!!!

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), December 31, 2000.


Jay, I think your idea is a wonderful one. I'll put out more in the garden this year, too. We have food banks around here, that depend on us locals. Once a year the mailman leaves a bag at the mailbox and on the following Saturday, the mailman picks them up with whatever canned food people have donated. The local Krogers also had bags of canned food for Christmas that people could buy to donate to the local food bank. Our community is really involved in these food banks and I'm sure they would be tickled to death, to get fresh produce this year. Thanks, I'll remember and mention you when I take the produce to them this year.

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), December 31, 2000.

Jay, I like your idea. I tried to talk the COC in our little town into doing kind of a community garden project where businesses would supply the tools, someone would offer a vacant lot and people could garden woith advice and some help from others in the community. It wasn't entertaining enough of an idea, I guess. A few of the members seemed to like it, but the proposal was never brought up again in an open meeting, so...whatever. Maybe if things do get tougher this kind of a thing could spring up and help people to help themselves.

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), January 01, 2001.

Doreen, You have the right idea. Keep trying to convince them. Welfare is not a federal gov't function. State level maybe, if it is to use limited tax dollars. Helping others belongs at the local level and if coordination is need should be by a local group or religious organization. Hang in there and good luck.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), January 01, 2001.

I suggested this approach because the lifestyle we have chosen enables us to provide this "small something by our values" at very little cost to ourselves.Most of us here have learned such technique that planting a few extra crops is no problem whatsoever. If you use established distribution programs, you dont have to worry about being bilked or "bothered". If you know someone that you can help, you can do it.If you feel totally pessimistic,plant it and sell it at a great discount. The more that can be done in the coming months will possibly help keep even a few from failing complete. I don't suggest this as something to be appreciated ,as some imply, but as a possible way to preserve and expand the talents known as modern homesteading. The appreciations come from within yourself , when you realize you can make a difference, if only a small one.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001.

We always have planted a little extra for the old folks in the tiny town nearest us. It doesn't cost much in seed,& the extra work in the garden is minimal. The time taken delivering the produce is a real joy. Learning from the older generation & just passing the time of day.

-- Okie-Dokie (tjcamp6338@aol.com), January 01, 2001.


To more or less paraphrase Mother Teresa, God doesn't call me to be successful, He calls me to be faithful. I will contribute as best I can to the local food bank, through my church, and to the local nursing home. If my efforts aren't appreciated, or if they are even thrown out, so be it. I did it in good faith and because it's the right thing to do. I can't take the time to worry about how the system works, or how to re-invent it. Just do it.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), January 02, 2001.

I sell my eggs (well, they are really my chicken's eggs!!) at church. I charge a buck a dozen, and could get twice that if I wanted to. I have some regular customers there and a few of them sometimes have a hard time paying me. I always tell them they can make an offering sometime if they don't have the cash that day. Helps them save face if they haven't got much left for food that month (esp. the older folks) and it's okay by me too! And the offering part is nice, b/c they don't have to approach me about it again.

A woman that I worship with also makes butter. Another guy usually makes bread. Last year we brought extra vegetables a couple of times but we have lately been talking about doing this on a bigger scale...planting extra with a plan.

I appreciate reading this from the rest of you. Sounds like a good direction to take, I think. I also really like the idea of teaching others how to do this. At our church, most of the folks are elderly and can't do it much anymore. But us young'uns (LOL)can grow food for them!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), January 02, 2001.


I have a mess of laying hens, I sell just enough to pay for their feed, the rest I give away to needy neighboors, and anyone who is in need of some real downhome chicken eggs that Granny used to raise. To the oldtimers, it lifts their spirits and brightens their day to remininsce in the old times and memories, all this from a simple gift of a dozen farm fresh eggs, I wish I could bestow such happiness on all so simply.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 03, 2001.

Hey the Feds just dropped interest rates! Whooo-hooo! Markets just took huge jumps today...as a matter of fact, Nasdaq had its biggest one-day gain ever. Do you suppose this "landing" can be a little softer than it was looking yesterday? I sure hope so...let's see what happens. (I'm still planting more vegetables this year, though, no matter what!!!)

-- sheepish (WA) (rborgo@gte.net), January 03, 2001.

I agree with the idea of helping people especially with the coming "new" economy. I figure recession but not many people want to call it that. But anyway, my favorite way to help someone is to help a person/family that either I or someone I trust knows. I limit it to people trying to help themselves but just can't get over a certain hump. Instead of giving things to foodbanks, how about putting together a box or a bag and leaving it on their doorstep after ringing the bell(run like heck). I prefer my assistance to be anonymous. Or else contribute it through someone you know that knows them. In our area, the child care providers who are being paid by the state are getting a lot of their food from the foodbanks because their children qualify for federal assistance. Sounds like a bit of double dipping to me but then who am I... Just the taxpayer who is footing the bill. Happy New Year

-- Kathy (kvilseck@hotmail.com), January 04, 2001.

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