How do charity organizations get their "meals per dollar" count?

[thecrecarc]

For example, Here claims $50 is equivalent to 700 meals. That is around 7 cents a meal. How is it even possible to make meal with only 7 cents? I have nothing against charity, but these numbers seems a bit unrealistic.

 

[waggy]

donations. the money helps offset what cost they do have.

 

[Eli]

I've wondered the same thing.......

 

[NikolaeVarius]

They make food in bulk

 

[illusion88]

Food donations....
It's a charity organization remember? Plus, anything they buy will be at a ridiculously low price because it's a you know.... charity organization.

 

[thecrecarc]

Originally posted by: illusion88
Food donations....
It's a charity organization remember? Plus, anything they buy will be at a ridiculously low price because it's a you know.... charity organization.

I understand that, but do they really get enough food donations to offset every 7 cents they receive? And do that 7 cents include wages, distribution, etc.? I highly doubt 7 cents can actually make a meal.

 

[Q]

Maybe they mean 7 cents....of every dollar.


EDIT: Hm that made no sense, not sure why I posted that.

 

[Nik]

Originally posted by: thecrecarc

Originally posted by: illusion88
Food donations....
It's a charity organization remember? Plus, anything they buy will be at a ridiculously low price because it's a you know.... charity organization.

I understand that, but do they really get enough food donations to offset every 7 cents they receive? And do that 7 cents include wages, distribution, etc.? I highly doubt 7 cents can actually make a meal.

Here's an extremely simple answer. Think of it this way:

$50 fills the gas tank on the truck that drives to some donation center that donates 700 meals to the charity for free.

Boom. 700 meals for $0.07 each.

It's quite a bit more complex, but that's one explaination.

 

[Capt Caveman]

In some places, a meal is a bowl of rice.

 

[Snapster]

It probably take into account economy of scale also.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
In some places, a meal is a bowl of rice.

You have to look at what consitutes a meal. Dried rice/beans/corn/potatoes provide the basics of nutrition, are cheap to ship and store.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: thecrecarc

Originally posted by: illusion88
Food donations....
It's a charity organization remember? Plus, anything they buy will be at a ridiculously low price because it's a you know.... charity organization.

I understand that, but do they really get enough food donations to offset every 7 cents they receive? And do that 7 cents include wages, distribution, etc.? I highly doubt 7 cents can actually make a meal.

Here's an extremely simple answer. Think of it this way:

$50 fills the gas tank on the truck that drives to some donation center that donates 700 meals to the charity for free.

Boom. 700 meals for $0.07 each.

It's quite a bit more complex, but that's one explaination.

pretty much it. its a charity. they are given a ton of food stuff. they still need some cash to do stuff.

you take what cash you are given to distibute, cook, etc teh food and it comes out to $.07 each.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Northwest Harvest, the major food bank supplier for Washington state, lists their cost for providing food for one meal for a family of 3 at 67 cents, or about 22 cents/person. The cost for a person by themselves is probably higher.

They get food donations from grocery store chains, farmers, food producers, and they buy staples like rice in bulk.

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
For example, Here claims $50 is equivalent to 700 meals. That is around 7 cents a meal. How is it even possible to make meal with only 7 cents? I have nothing against charity, but these numbers seems a bit unrealistic.

Holy crap, by those estimates it means I have ate the equivalent of a whole poor African country in one sitting. Need to go have another expensive meal.

 

[Bateluer]

Ask Sheriff Arpaio.

 

[Hacp]

Maybe the dollar buys 1000 seeds that they grow to produce hundreds of pounds of corn/rice/wheat.

 

[zzuupp]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
In some places, a meal is a bowl of rice.

You have to look at what consitutes a meal. Dried rice/beans/corn/potatoes provide the basics of nutrition, are cheap to ship and store.

Yup.
7 cent meal = enriched porridge

 

[Gothgar]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
They make food in bulk

alternator sized chunks?

 

[us3rnotfound]

Voodoo Economics

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: Gothgar

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
They make food in bulk

alternator sized chunks?

You only buy beef in alternator sized chunks. Everyone knows this.

 

[KeithP]

I saw an explanation of this once, while the charities talk about how many meals a donation provides, the money isn't really going to the meals. It is going to transportation. The food is coming in almost entirely by donations however the charity needs to provide transport from point A to B. In some cases, charities turn away large food donations because they don't have the money/resources to get it where it needs to go.

-KeithP

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: thecrecarc

Originally posted by: illusion88
Food donations....
It's a charity organization remember? Plus, anything they buy will be at a ridiculously low price because it's a you know.... charity organization.

I understand that, but do they really get enough food donations to offset every 7 cents they receive? And do that 7 cents include wages, distribution, etc.? I highly doubt 7 cents can actually make a meal.

Here's an extremely simple answer. Think of it this way:

$50 fills the gas tank on the truck that drives to some donation center that donates 700 meals to the charity for free.

Boom. 700 meals for $0.07 each.

It's quite a bit more complex, but that's one explaination.

This is pretty much the simplest explanation. Everything from labor to food are donated. The costs that go in are probably rent and energy costs, which may even be at a discount.