# food banks for building stores?



## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Morally reserved on this one. Food is expensive, and food banks collect and distribute non perishable foods that don't require cooking. Anyone try this?


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I have thought about it.

But won't.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Jakthesoldier said:


> Morally reserved on this one. Food is expensive, and food banks collect and distribute non perishable foods that don't require cooking. Anyone try this?


WOW,Just WOW. Now I know why I carry when I volunteer at the food bank. WOW,Just WOW.

So that's my money paid to train you for. You are a disgrace to any community and should be treated as a prisoner.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

It's hard morally for me. I was homeless 2.5 years and often depended on them to ease survival. Now I volunteer at one to give back.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

AquaHull said:


> WOW,Just WOW. Now I know why I carry when I volunteer at the food bank. WOW,Just WOW.
> 
> So that's my money paid to train you for. You are a disgrace to any community and should be treated as a prisoner.


My initial instinct is to lash out at you for your ignorance. I never said I WAS going, despite the fact that financially I absolutely qualify for assistance. I'll give you a moment to read my last post and rethink your overactive imagination.

Also I didn't mean robbing a food bank, I meant going as any other person does on a regular basis.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Morally the food bank should be reserved for those in the most desperate circumstances. If its not you being down and out, leave it for someone else. Prep on your own dime. It may be slower but even on a tight budget it is possible to accumulate food. Just the way I look at it.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Jakthesoldier said:


> My initial instinct is to lash out at you for your ignorance. I never said I WAS going, despite the fact that financially I absolutely qualify for assistance. I'll give you a moment to read my last post and rethink your overactive imagination.
> 
> Also I didn't mean robbing a food bank, I meant going as any other person does on a regular basis.


I'm not ignorant, merely aware .


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

AquaHull said:


> I'm not ignorant, merely aware .


Ignorant of my intention is what I mean. Assuming the best of you I can only hope to believe you were under the impression I intended to rob a food bank. I hope that's what you thought, and I can assure you that's not at all what I meant, and my meaning has already been clarified. In truth, a food bank is the last place I want to be in a SHTF situation.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Having so much canned food, sometimes we don't get around to eating it before it's about to hit the best by date. I gather them up and take them to the food bank and go buy some more to replace them. Before anybody says it, yes I know the food is good for a long time after that date. But it is my way of rotating uneaten stock and helping out the poor folks that are plentiful around here. If I was in a bind and really needed to put food on the table I would have no qualms about collecting from the food bank.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

I was a board member and then president of the board (no pay) for a food pantry..

One of the worse things is to get to the end and have to tell folks, "Sorry we are out of >Bread or meat or cheese< 

I would never go to a food pantry JUST for stocking preps


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Jakthesoldier said:


> Ignorant of my intention is what I mean. Assuming the best of you I can only hope to believe you were under the impression I intended to rob a food bank. I hope that's what you thought, and I can assure you that's not at all what I meant, and my meaning has already been clarified. In truth, a food bank is the last place I want to be in a SHTF situation.


Either way you've been busted.
And you've only been here 6 days at the most.At least under this username.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

AquaHull said:


> Either way you've been busted.


Oh No! Busted for posting a question of morality! I must go and hide, never to show my face again... OR I could continue to protect the nation, my community, my family and volunteer my time improving the quality of my community. Yea... I think I'll do that instead.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

jakthesoldier said:


> oh no! Busted for posting a question of morality! I must go and hide, never to show my face again... Or i could continue to protect the nation, my community, my family and volunteer my time improving the quality of my community. Yea... I think i'll do that instead.


"qft"


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

AquaHull said:


> "qft"


would you like proof? I'm sure I can pull out some photos of my uniforms and ERB. Next Tuesday I can take a picture at the food bank. I mean if that's what you need. Then again I know who and what I am, so proving it to someone anonymous on the Internet has no value other than serving to better demonstrate my experience and range of skills. Want my NCOERs too?


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Whether it was you intention or not, you stuck your foot in your mouth. Unfortunately it has left a bad taste in the mouth of the other people here and they don't like it. Sorry if you don't like their comments. Your holier than thou attitude doesn't help. But remember, you started it with your post.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

Well I guess when people seek opinions on moral questions they risk others misinterpreting their intentions. My feet however are nowhere near my mouth. I know what I meant. That's enough for me. If people can read words and see their meaning without attempting to read between the lines when there is nothing there, and feel they have anything to contribute I welcome it. I do not, however, welcome unbased claims against my character. However my detractor has made clear his opinion on the matter, which I respect. He has not, however, made clear his original interpretation of my post, which leaves me still questioning whether his objection was against robbing a food bank, or whether utilizing unconventional sources of food is so despicable is so deplorable to him that those who would do so are criminal and deserve to be trated as prisoners.

Again, either way I respect the opinion, even if I find it a little harsh.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

A lot of the food banks will give food that is very near or beyond the best buy date. So i believe it would make no sense to stock food that is aleady going bad. But i will also say it would be good to see some older supplies donated to such a place if you so choose.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

James m said:


> A lot of the food banks will give food that is very near or beyond the best buy date. So i believe it would make no sense to stock food that is already going bad. But i will also say it would be good to see some older supplies donated to such a place if you so choose.


I have to call BS on this.... 1st MOST food banks will not give food past the date because (as much as they want to help) they know people are sue happy and do not want to risk a law suit.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

If they want fresh food they should have applied for EBT, by god!


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

Back in my youth when minimum wage was $3.35 I had to go to the Salvation Army's food bank. Food stamps don't always last the whole month. I was grateful for everything I received whether it was expired or not.


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

Jakthesoldier said:


> Oh No! Busted for posting a question of morality! I must go and hide, never to show my face again... OR I could continue to protect the nation, my community, my family and volunteer my time improving the quality of my community. Yea... I think I'll do that instead.


Jakthesoldier not everyone misunderstood what you were saying.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

I reread this thread... 

I have to say what struck me a little

To me it did not seem as if he was advocating using a food pantry when you did not need it.. he was asking a question.

also.. it seems that folks are more bother by a person "with an appearance" of ripping off a food pantry then when folks say they will "DO ANYTHING" to make sure their family does not starve

REALLY - so SHTF it is ok to "DO ANYTHING" but prior to that it is highly objectionable to ask if anybody has considered abusing a food pantry....

I do not know Jakthesoldier, I have not read enough of his posts to judge his character yet... 

just my humble opinion


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

(Slippy quietly takes out his notebook, touches his pencil to his tongue, and writes some notes...then disappears back into the shadows...)


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

One of our local food banks gets donations from a Mennonite Salvage/Discount Grocery.A lot of the food they sell is past the "Best By" date which is legal since they have a salvage food license
The Spartan store freezes meat products around the Best Buy date to donate 
"Best By" date is merely a suggestion, Expired by date is just that-expired and you may expire if you consume it.

That's what I was told at the volunteer intake interview

And I don't volunteer my time for 1) some vigilante to rob the goods I donate
or 2) some dam prepper to stockpile/ hoard donations for SHTF


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

MaterielGeneral said:


> Jakthesoldier not everyone misunderstood what you were saying.


I know. Lots of people have understood and have made great contributions.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

I have to disagree with the claim that a food bank is only for the nost desparate people. I know of many working families and pensioners that go to the food bank that aren't so poor that they couldn't get by without it. Additionally, I don't see any reason why someone that goes to the food bank couldn't or shouldn't become a prepper. 

You guys talk about the morality and viability of the person that goes to a food bank, and I would suggest that you are contradicting the policy and mission of many food banks. 

In Canada atleast, every food bank I've every known about has an open door policy with no questions asked. There is NO ONE that checks your income or pantry to see if you truly need food support.

Frankly, I know a woman that is a welfare recipient/mother/homemaker/gardener/etc. She doesn't make much or receive much. If she happened to have a rotating pantry of 1 year, I would be happy for her. I would not cry fowl. I see no moral dilema.

On the otherhand, there must be some good old fashioned ******* in me. If there was a young capable guy out there that was living a life of xbox and food bank, I'd be tempted to make sure he gets his arse booted out into the workforce. But, you have to agree that it is his laziness that is the most revolting. The fact that there is a system that feeds him is actually sort of a good thing in a strange twisted way.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Jakthesoldier said:


> Morally reserved on this one. Food is expensive, and food banks collect and distribute non perishable foods that don't require cooking. Anyone try this?


By throwing in the words "morally reserved", you imply that what you say in the rest of the sentence IS morally reprehensible. So if you thought you were saying something else, I'd say a lot of the group seems to disagree with your idea of what you said.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

paraquack said:


> By throwing in the words "morally reserved", you imply that what you say in the rest of the sentence IS morally reprehensible. So if you thought you were saying something else, I'd say a lot of the group seems to disagree with your idea of what you said.


For me, I would not go to the food bank because I don't feel that I belong there. But, say in a year from now, I end up unemployed or a cripple that cant work, I might go for the sake of my family. If you think I'm hanging up my prepper hat or shrinking the size of my pantry, you are mistaken. In fact, I may even grow my pantry, for example - maybe my coffee and sugar allowance at the food bank is greater than my consumption.


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

paraquack said:


> By throwing in the words "morally reserved", you imply that what you say in the rest of the sentence IS morally reprehensible. So if you thought you were saying something else, I'd say a lot of the group seems to disagree with your idea of what you said.


What I am saying is that I, personally, have moral reservations on the subject, and seek to know if my sentiment is shared or not. What I may feel reserved about may not be common. My personal reservations come from my upbringing and life experience. I was raised that accepting charity is not ok. As I have grown, I see that there are times that not accepting assistance that is available (for example, being a wounded warrior gives me access to assistance that has improved my life) is foolish. Also as I stated earlier, having spent 2.5 years homeless placed me in a situation where I absolutely had to rely on assistance. I had to hold signs on street corners, beg for spare change through parking lots, apply for public assistance, and attend food banks to ensure that myself and my pregnant ex were cared for and had a roof over her head. Now, I personally feel obligated to give back what I have taken. I participate in multiple charities for children's hospitals and families of fallen first responders, donate money out of every check to salvation army, stop at every accident I see if EMS has not already arrived (I carry a first aid kit in my car that gives me the capability to perform aid up to and including field surgery), and have recently started volunteering at a local food bank. My life experiences have far exceeded those of most normal American citizens, and because of this I have developed my own sense of morality and seen that while everything in life is black and white, what is white for me may be black for you, and vice-versa.

I hope that this helps explain my position and post. I hope that people can see I am just trying to gauge my own belief system against that of others. I am not here to attack anyone's beliefs, I am here to learn. I hope others can afford me the same respect. I personally believe that everyone does the best they can with what they have, but some people are 50 gallon barrels, and some people are cereal bowls.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I would never take food out of the mouths of anyone less fortunate than myself. Neither would my wife.
We live in a rural, cash poor area populated by people just barely getting by. The food bank people come out once a week from the city and set up at the community center.
Those that partake really need it.
We are not at that point.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Jakthesoldier said:


> ...I personally believe that everyone does the best they can with what they have, but some people are 50 gallon barrels, and some people are cereal bowls.


And some people have big ass 500 gallon tanks! Just sayin'....

View attachment 9712


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I like The Jethro Bowl of cerial


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Slippy said:


> And some people have big ass 500 gallon tanks! Just sayin'....
> 
> View attachment 9712


Is that a still?


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Camel923 said:


> Is that a still?


I wish! Just part of my rain catchment system.


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

My point of view, since you're seeking opinions... I'm with the idea of the food bank's more about immediate needs. I wouldn't feel right about taking its donations to stock up.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Slippy said:


> And some people have big ass 500 gallon tanks! Just sayin'....
> 
> View attachment 9712


As part of our well system we have an aerator that holds 200 gallons. The well pump brings water up and shoots it to the aerator, which takes the iron taste out. Kind of, anyway. Then another pump sends to the house.


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