Bread Lines? Well, sort of...

[RichardE]

People lining up outside food banks is nothing really new. It has been happening for decades in out of the way food banks that no one really ever sees.

What is new than?

Well, middle class and upper middle class lining up outside of food banks.

Sure, it is because they are mostly still trying to live outside there means and I am sure a reality check will stop them from using it, but this is one of those "signs" that can either mean a lot, or mean nothing.


Text

Demand at food banks across the country increased by 30 percent in 2008 from the previous year, according to a survey by Feeding America, which distributes more than two billion pounds of food every year. And instead of their usual drop in customers after the holidays, many pantries in upscale suburbs this year are seeing the opposite.

Here in Morris County, one of the wealthiest counties in the country, the Interfaith pantry opened for an extra night last week to accommodate the growing crowds. Among the first-time visitors were Cindy Dreeszen and her husband, who both have steady jobs ? his at a movie theater and hers at a government office ? with a combined annual income of about $55,000.

But with a 17-month-old son, another baby on the way, and, as Ms. Dreeszen put it, ?the cost of everything going up and up,? the couple showed up in search of free groceries.

?I didn?t think we?d even be allowed to come here,? said Ms. Dreeszen, 41, glancing at shelves of fruit, whole-wheat pasta and baby food. ?This is totally something that I never expected to happen, to have to resort to this.?

In Lake Forest, Ill., a wealthy Chicago suburb, a pantry in an Episcopal church that used to attract people from less affluent towns nearby has lately been flooded with people who have lost jobs. In Greenwich, Conn., a pantry organizer reported a ?tremendous? increase in demand for food since December, with out-of-work landscapers and housekeepers as well as real estate professionals who have not made a sale in months filling the line.

And amid the million-dollar houses of Marin County in California, a pantry at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center last month changed its policy to allow people to stop by once a week instead of every other week, since there are so many new faces in line alongside the regulars. ?We?re seeing people who work at banks, for software firms, for marketing firms, and they?re all losing their jobs,? said Dave Cort, the executive director. ?Here we are in big, fancy Marin County, but we have people who are standing in line with their eyes wide open, thinking, ?Oh, my God, I can?t believe I?m here.? ?

The demand is not limited to pantries, which distribute groceries from food banks, supermarket surplus and individuals who donate through church or school can drives. The number of food-stamp recipients was up by 17 percent across New York State, and 12 percent in New Jersey, in November from a year before. When a mobile unit of the Essex County welfare office, as part of a pilot program to distribute food-stamp applications in other counties, stopped in Shop-Rite parking lots recently in Morris County, it was swamped.

It continues on for a bit. So as I said, this could mean nothing, or it could be a sign of how bad it might get. Many of us who are still employed/students don't really see this side of society. It is usually kept tucked away outside of the everyday traffic and we never really come across it. (I know my cities main food bank is down a back alley street near the railroad track) So it is understandable if you wonder "well, I never see that". So I wonder if this is the start of a bigger problem that is getting overlooked, or the result of a correction in standard of living for people.

 

[bobsmith1492]

Considering I spend maybe $100/month for food... I don't know, I just wanted to say "Food's not all that expensive!"

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Considering I spend maybe $100/month for food... I don't know, I just wanted to say "Food's not all that expensive!"

Really? I spend about 65-95 a week (one person)

And that is just food, not alcohol or eating out.

 

[fallout man]

Originally posted by: RichardE
People lining up outside food banks is nothing really new. It has been happening for decades in out of the way food banks that no one really ever sees.

What is new than?

Well, middle class and upper middle class lining up outside of food banks.

Sure, it is because they are mostly still trying to live outside there means and I am sure a reality check will stop them from using it, but this is one of those "signs" that can either mean a lot, or mean nothing.


Text

Demand at food banks across the country increased by 30 percent in 2008 from the previous year, according to a survey by Feeding America, which distributes more than two billion pounds of food every year. And instead of their usual drop in customers after the holidays, many pantries in upscale suburbs this year are seeing the opposite.

Here in Morris County, one of the wealthiest counties in the country, the Interfaith pantry opened for an extra night last week to accommodate the growing crowds. Among the first-time visitors were Cindy Dreeszen and her husband, who both have steady jobs ? his at a movie theater and hers at a government office ? with a combined annual income of about $55,000.

But with a 17-month-old son, another baby on the way, and, as Ms. Dreeszen put it, ?the cost of everything going up and up,? the couple showed up in search of free groceries.

?I didn?t think we?d even be allowed to come here,? said Ms. Dreeszen, 41, glancing at shelves of fruit, whole-wheat pasta and baby food. ?This is totally something that I never expected to happen, to have to resort to this.?

In Lake Forest, Ill., a wealthy Chicago suburb, a pantry in an Episcopal church that used to attract people from less affluent towns nearby has lately been flooded with people who have lost jobs. In Greenwich, Conn., a pantry organizer reported a ?tremendous? increase in demand for food since December, with out-of-work landscapers and housekeepers as well as real estate professionals who have not made a sale in months filling the line.

And amid the million-dollar houses of Marin County in California, a pantry at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center last month changed its policy to allow people to stop by once a week instead of every other week, since there are so many new faces in line alongside the regulars. ?We?re seeing people who work at banks, for software firms, for marketing firms, and they?re all losing their jobs,? said Dave Cort, the executive director. ?Here we are in big, fancy Marin County, but we have people who are standing in line with their eyes wide open, thinking, ?Oh, my God, I can?t believe I?m here.? ?

The demand is not limited to pantries, which distribute groceries from food banks, supermarket surplus and individuals who donate through church or school can drives. The number of food-stamp recipients was up by 17 percent across New York State, and 12 percent in New Jersey, in November from a year before. When a mobile unit of the Essex County welfare office, as part of a pilot program to distribute food-stamp applications in other counties, stopped in Shop-Rite parking lots recently in Morris County, it was swamped.

It continues on for a bit. So as I said, this could mean nothing, or it could be a sign of how bad it might get. Many of us who are still employed/students don't really see this side of society. It is usually kept tucked away outside of the everyday traffic and we never really come across it. (I know my cities main food bank is down a back alley street near the railroad track) So it is understandable if you wonder "well, I never see that". So I wonder if this is the start of a bigger problem that is getting overlooked, or the result of a correction in standard of living for people.

I sympathize with hard-working, reasonable folks who got a raw deal from this economy, got laid off, and have a family to feed. I have no sympathy for people milking food banks just so that they can save a few bucks and stay in their foolishly-bought and mortgaged $800,000 McMansion for a few more weeks. Fuck. Y'all.

C'mon, youngins! Let's take the Escalade to that there food shelter! Who wants canned corn?!

Perhaps after things pick back up, those same folks will have a better understanding of what the mentally ill and the destitute who are dumped our city streets deal with in order to survive.

Jokes aside, I've been in Soviet bread-lines, and it ain't so bad. The kids can make a game of it!

 

[Andrew1990]

hmmph, another way for the wealthy to scam the poor. Taking our food now, lol.

Anyways, if that couple make $55,000, then they are not budgeting right. My family(My dad and I) make about $32,000 a year and we both buy groceries. We never go hungry and we can easily afford food. Its called budgeting.


I can understand the layed off workers though, they should be allowed to get some food.

 

[fallout man]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Considering I spend maybe $100/month for food... I don't know, I just wanted to say "Food's not all that expensive!"

Jesus man, what do you eat? A sack of rice and a gallon of vegetable oil?

I probably spend at least $15 a day just for food, and that's not including going out. =/ Perhaps I'm over-compensating (see above bread-line post).

Originally posted by: Andrew1990
hmmph, another way for the wealthy to scam the poor. Taking our food now, lol.

Anyways, if that couple make $55,000, then they are not budgeting right. My family(My dad and I) make about $32,000 a year and we both buy groceries. We never go hungry and we can easily afford food. Its called budgeting.


I can understand the layed off workers though, they should be allowed to get some food.

The problem here is that the food pantries don't likely do a credit-check... at least not at this point. It would be a real shame if the trend picks up among the H3 driving suburbanite crowds, because the people who really need the food will be SOL.

I know I'm making a bit of a sweeping generalization here, but come on--$55k for 3 and 1/2 people is more than plenty unless you're getting sushi platters every night.

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: fallout man

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Considering I spend maybe $100/month for food... I don't know, I just wanted to say "Food's not all that expensive!"

Jesus man, what do you eat? A sack of rice and a gallon of vegetable oil?

I probably spend at least $15 a day just for food, and that's not including going out. =/ Perhaps I'm over-compensating (see above bread-line post).

Hmm..I didn't know you were that old

When I say "Truman plan" do you go "I remember that..."

 

[nullzero]

Government breadlines coming to you at a nearby closed down starbucks!

 

[fallout man]

Originally posted by: RichardE

Originally posted by: fallout man

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Considering I spend maybe $100/month for food... I don't know, I just wanted to say "Food's not all that expensive!"

Jesus man, what do you eat? A sack of rice and a gallon of vegetable oil?

I probably spend at least $15 a day just for food, and that's not including going out. =/ Perhaps I'm over-compensating (see above bread-line post).

Hmm..I didn't know you were that old

When I say "Truman plan" do you go "I remember that..."

No.

I was 5 when the 5 year Perestroika plan was the brand-new hotness. Soon after came the rationed sugar, flour, bread, and just about everything else.

A handful of food ration coupons: Delegated to you by the state.
Waiting in line with your grandma for 6 hours because the shop allegedly had a delivery of fish: Priceless.