How many times did you hear your Mother say

[WinterStorm]

"Eat your food there are starving people in China"?

When we sit down at the dinner table with our families, should we tell them to "eat your food there are starving people in the US"?



Below is a small sample of facts from AMERICA’S FOOD PARTNERSHIP'S:

Over 33 million Americans, including over 13 million children, live in households that experience hunger or are at the risk of hunger. (Source: ERS Food and Nutrition Research Report No. FANRR-29, United States Department of Agriculture October 2002)

If all 33 million Americans faced with food insecurity stood in line at a food pantry in New York City, the line would stretch to Los Angeles and back TWICE! (Source: Share Our Strength)

There are more children in poverty today than there were two decades ago. (Source: Estimates in this fact sheet were prepared by Hsien-Hen Lu of NCCP based on the U.S. Census Bureau, March Current Population Surveys, 1976-2002)

Almost 25 million Americans sought emergency food assistance from food banks, church pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters, just within the agencies we serve; and nearly 40% of those served include someone who is working. (Source: America’s Second Harvest)

There are thousands of shelters for abused women, the homeless and abandoned, the sick and the elderly throughout the United States, in every small and large town and city, all in need of food assistance. (Source: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and America’s Second Harvest)

[silverlib]

1. Aren't these great numbers?

Spread this democracy now!

This is really sad.

Several years ago, I met someone who had traveled to China. She told me that when the older people spoke of their youth, they spoke of being told to eat their food because there were starving children in America.

And yes, there were and yes there are. People are starving as we spend our money fighting wars and lining the pockets of the wealthy - all over the world.

[WinterStorm]

25. I feel guilty

Any other country would help their own people. We are the only country that ignores what is going on around us.

[demnan]

2. "There are more children in poverty today than two decades ago"

That's because two decades ago this country sought to eradicate poverty and hunger in this country. The Republicans have succeeded in reversing this. We should be saying this every day to everyone we meet.

[WinterStorm]

26. Trickle down Reganomics

That was a load of crap that the right wingers fell for.

[Straight Shooter]

3. My parents never said that. They simply said, "Waste not, want not."

To this day, it's difficult for me to throw anything away if there is any possible way to make good use of it. Sometimes it takes a long time to figure out a use for things.

As gas prices rise, and the cost of food rises (to grow it, process it, ship it), there will be more hungry children in America. Just something to think about. Remember to add some extras to your grocery cart for your local food bank, please.

[WinterStorm]

4. "It depends on what era you grew up in"

[seventythree]

7. I was told both sayings

and I am a hoarder, as well as overweight, but I really think that has more to do with genes than food consumption since I am not a big eater. I don't want to belittle the problem, but all we hear is how fat we are, fat, fat, fat -- malnutrition is one thing, not having what we think is enough to eat could be another. Please don't think I am heartless -- I just gave $20 to a local food pantry, yesterday,-- but there is often more to a problem than meets the eye. Years ago when I worked in social services, I'd see folks who sold their food stamps to buy a bicycle, or some other non essential and then need food vouchers.

[MountainLaurel]

15. Fat and malnourished are not mutually exclusive

Often, poor people might be overweight because the produce section in their local grocery is pitiful, or because they have no electricity and thus require overly processed, will-last-through-a-nuclear-bomb food products.

And today there is no such rampant abuse (if there ever was), because most people receiving government aid get debit-type cards that they can only use at the grocery store.

[seventythree]

16. thanks for the debit card info

Since the low income are eligible for food stamps, what do you account for the problem?

[WinterStorm]

40. Fruit might be too expensive for them to purchase

The poor end up filling up on pasta, beans and high carb foods. That might be why some of them are overweight.

[seventythree]

45. We need to plant apple trees in public parks,

and let the people take what they wish, and teach them how easy it is to make applesauce from apples with bad spots -- only need a hot bath, no pressure cooker, to can that. They could have fruit all winter.

[MountainLaurel]

41. Often, they might make too much

So not everyone who needs the services are eligible. The threshold for receiving government aid is very, very weird. So, if you're working full-time at anything above minimum wage, you may earn too much to qualify. If you own a car worth more than $700 (and in areas with no public transportation, or for people who have to get from work, to daycare, to school, this is absolutely necessary) or a home (even the tarpaper shack you inherited when your dad died of black lung), you don't qualify. Some people don't have the literacy level to fill out the paperwork, or don't have a ride to the government office where they have to apply. Some just can't take the time from work to do it. Others start the process but become discouraged after being treated like worthless trash by the government clerks, or after being shunted from one line and office to another in an endless Catch-22 of bureaucracy. In some areas, there's a historical wariness of government, or mores against "taking charity."

And even if they do get government assistance, it doesn't mean they'll be able to use it for healthy food, assuming the individual knows the slightest bit about nutrition. I remember being in a grocery store in Mississippi while visiting my ILs: The produce section was the size of a McDonald's bathroom and had the most pitiful veggies and fruits, yet throughout the entire store there were FOUR separate displays of 10-feet-long each, for pork rinds.

And don't discount the lack of exercise -- there are neighborhoods here in DC where parents can't let their kids play on the street because of the drug dealers, the drive-bys, and the teenagers hotrodding in stolen cars. The pollution is so fierce (because where else is the government going to locate trash stations and power plants), that too many kids have asthma, for which their parents can't afford preventive treatment.

There are million reasons why -- but most of them come down to the sinful way the poor are treated in this country.

[seventythree]

44. I knew about the car and the home

disqualifications, but I thought they were only for ADC, not food stamps -- are you sure? I believe the car allowance has been raised to 1500, too, at least I think that's it in my state last I looked.

[WinterStorm]

48. My friends family use to hide their TV set

They had some type of rule about people not being able to own a TV and receive government help.

[kslib]

39. And also because

healthy food is often more expensive. At least it is in my small town grocery store. Junk (or at least nutritionally suspect) food is cheap and it can be bought very cheaply in bulk. Produce is expensive and can't be saved for a long time. Just IMHO.

[whitedove]

5. My Aunt

used to say it to us, I got tired of hearing it. So, I told her " here send my dinner to them"... I got slapped for that one...

Never really liked that Aunt...


No, this is an important issue. Do you think we will see some help from the people? Maybe neighborhood veggie gardens? Wrong era for that propably. People really don't care anymore...

Peace,
Whitedove

[WinterStorm]

6. "People don't care any more"

I wrapped my dinner up one time and I asked my Mom to send it to the starving kids. This country is going to hell right in front of our faces.

[seventythree]

9. speaking of gardens,

I know there are community gardens in some cities -- like Chicago. Heck, you can grow things in a pot, if you have no land. My bro-in-law has a huge garden and keeps the local pantry and the neighborhood supplied with fresh produce. I just keep a small one. I have a low income in law. I went over one year and tilled and planted a garden for her. Did she keep it up? Do it herself next year? Nope. The only thing she plants now, is any extra starts I have from my garden -- doesn't even buy the 10 cent package of seeds. She did, however, have a $30 "claw", used for weeding -- heck, I don't even have one of those -- think they are too expensive! I hope hers was a gift -- I'd feel better about it.

Ever hear of anyone canning nowadays?

[WinterStorm]

10. Do they still sell equipment to do the canning?

Years ago you could walk into a store and see mason jars sitting right in front of the checkout line. To tell you the truth it wasn't that many years ago.

[seventythree]

18. I do believe they still sell the jars

If you hot bath, instead of pressure cook, you can use mayo jars -- the lids fit those jars. I don't believe you can hot bath foods that are not acidic, though. Mayo jars are great for tomatoes. I have gotten lazy in my old age,however, and now freeze tomatoes.

[MissB]

19. I do

I still can.

[rock]

8. Possibly the most famous non-sequitor

ever.

[in_cog_ni_to]

11. But, but, but the economy is so good!

Bush has created millions of jobs and the tax breaks helped EVERYONE!

This is dowright shameful. THIS in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. :grr:

I always tell my son there are children starving in this WORLD and would give anything to eat a fraction of what's on your plate...EAT IT! Out of guilt, he does. ;)

[WinterStorm]

22. Do you know how much food goes to waste in this country?

Farms toss out vegetables and fruit that aren't perfect. I wish that a group of us could go and pick it up and pass it out to our poor. No one should go hungry in our country. We also have buildings that could be renovated and the homeless could live their in exchange for helping to put them back together.

[in_cog_ni_to]

35. Yes. I know how much food goes to waste here.

It's truly shameful when we have millions of homeless and hungry going without.

I donate to a Homeless Veterans Organization here in Illinois and the last fundraiser was for $$$ to help build shelters to give the Vets a place to go if it was cold or they needed a place to shower for a job interview or if they just wanted a night off the street. :cry: Homeless Veterans. You have no idea how that angers me. All they have done for this country and they have to live on the streets. :cry:

NO ONE should ever suffer hunger and homelessness in this country. NO ONE! I agree.

[Ironpost]

12. I was one of those kids born into poverty in '48

Mother never had to tell us kids that, it was there is others that have to eat also. She was a master at making a meal out of seemingly nothing. She would say we would have beans and potatos for lunch and potatos and beans for supper. Love you mother may you forever rest in peace.
on edit: spelling

[WinterStorm]

20. We had onions with our potatoes and beans

:P

My Mom could take $2.00 and feed us a nice dinner with meat. It wasn't that long ago either. I think that chicken was .26 cents a pound back then. I remember gas being less than .50 cents :wow:

[Ironpost]

23. Check this out WinterStorm

when I was just a pup gas was .17 cents a gallon. When I started driving it was .23

[WinterStorm]

27. My Dad use to buy gas from Sinclair

Do you remember the Dinosaur in front of the gas station?

[Ironpost]

33. yep, sure do

[seventythree]

31. .33 cents a gallon when I started driving

we ate a lot of pancakes for supper in my poor household. During steel worker strikes, hubby would just have sweet corn and tomatoes from the garden. Pop was a New Year's Eve treat, and then just a juice glass full (glasses from the soap box) because we needed to share. I remember the dinosaur on the Sinclair station, too.
Ever wonder how all we poor people made it back then without any government assistance for food, utilities, rent, etc?

[WinterStorm]

37. Remember the bottles of pop in soda machines

It was ice cold :)

[seventythree]

42. yep

Orange Nehi -- grape, too.

[Window]

13. My mom always said, "...people somewhere are starving."

.

[WinterStorm]

24. That somewhere is the USA

[Window]

46. You've got that right!

Right here in the good old USA.

[MountainLaurel]

14. I always knew that

A large proportion of my classmates growing up fell into this category -- got their hot meals at school, or from what their parents could grow or shoot.

[WinterStorm]

17. We had cookies and milk breaks at school

People lived off of their gardens and had root cellars.

[supernova]

21. Well, as little as we had, it was made clear to me

that there were people on this earth who had even less. So everyday I tend to appreciate what I have. Especailly the necessities: food, shelter and clothing.

[WinterStorm]

28. Same here

[Window]

47. Amen.

Yes, all the things most people take for granted.

[progressoid]

29. Yahoo - - Freedom is on the march!!

:grr:

[unsavedtrash]

30. we ate what came from the garden for most of my childhood and

I could also clean a fish, deer, rabbit, and chicken by the time I was 6.
My mom used to say that line a lot too. As an adult I found a coffee mug that read, "Drink your coffee there are people sleeping in China." I had to buy it.

[WinterStorm]

32. I wonder where they got that line from

I would have bought the coffee cup immediately. What era did you grow up in?

[unsavedtrash]

34. born in 1969 into

a single income (factory working mom), single parent household. She supported herself, my two sisters and I, my grandmother, and an aunt.

[seventythree]

43. many similarities to my home,

3 kids, factory worker (in the office, however), but she didn't have to support a grandma and an aunt, to boot (we did take in a baby for 6 months when my mom's friend was in a car accident). God bless your mom. I am 20 years older, but I know it didn't get any easier for families in our situation. Mom took in a boarder,once,(I lost my room) and laundry on occasions to help make ends meet, and always worked a 2nd waitressing job 3 nights a week. She could do just about anything, from fixing the plumbing to changing the car oil by herself. What a role model!

[Redstone]

36. Second Harvest is a damn good outfit.

They're #1 on the list of people I do pro bono work for.

Great group. Help them by donating to your local food bank.

Redstone

[WinterStorm]

38. Great organization

Your heart is in the right place.