I hosted A Public Affair on WORT on Monday and that was the question of one of my callers, who said he works in a food pantry. Seriously, it was.
And it is not the fist time this issue has been raised. One of the members of the Fighting Poverty Coalition said that volunteers at the food pantries don’t want to give people too much food because they will just sell it for drugs. Did you know there is a food panty food black market? Yeah, right. Day old bread and a mislabeled can of peaches, I bet that will get you big money for drugs!
Anyways, I had 6 guests who were members of various groups and members of the Fighting Poverty Coalition. Audio here. We were talking about food pantries and some of the obstacles to getting food at food pantries such as: transportation, lack of nutritious food (fresh fruits and vegetables), lack of various cultural foods like rice, food running out if you don’t get there early and that benefiting people who drive over those who ride the bus. Anyways, here we go . . .
Last caller of the day!
Caller: There is a thought that there might be some abuse of the food pantry system by recipients that are utilizing the services. What are the thoughts about actually having drug testing to be a recipient of a food panty.
BK: You got a big reaction in the studio on that one. Can you explain why you would think that is necessary?
Caller: From a general, uh, I actually work in food panties and some of the comments he hears from the outside is that people who are utilizing food pantry services are, the stereotypical thought or preconceived notion is, that they are utilizing food panty services but also using services for drugs, you know alcohol, cigarettes, that kind of thing, what are your thoughts to have drug testing to have access to the food pantry services?
BK: Alright. Uh, thanks for calling, we will try to get someone here to answer that question.
Quita: I think that is ridiculous. People who use drugs and alcohol still need to eat to live, criminalizing people because they don’t have enough food to eat. I think that food pantries are not giving out cash, alcohol and cigarettes, they are giving out food. We have no right to judge. What makes one person better than the other. Everybody needs food to live.
Jeanne: And the person is the adult and bringing food home to children and other family members. She eliminated her first reaction that she would have said if she wasn’t on air, to criminalize because of addictions or preconceived and stereotyped ideas is not only ridiculous it is disgusting, unfortunately there are many that have those feelings out there and they really need to think of the ramifications of those thoughts and what they would like to see those actions come out of that. Thanks for the call and that thought provoking question.
BK: This isn’t new, we’ve heard this before, and that people who work in the pantries think the same thing, that is what is so hard, they are (the volunteers) helping the community, but there are attitudes and behaviors that are very difficult if you are there to get food for your family and you are being accused of being a drug dealer or spending your money on alcohol and that is why you need the food pantry. This isn’t the case for so many families out there. It’s extremely frustrating.
Alix: I’d challenge the caller to think about how that statement is racialized, we don’t think about how the middle class white family that are abusing the food pantry system, they are just saving money, they don’t need the food pantry because they don’t have food but because the want to save money on food and pick up some extra groceries. Other people who are starving and their kids don’t have food to eat, its the poor people of color and they are criminalized and get treated bad and get called drug dealers and get called drug addicts. That is why it is racilaized, it is the poor people that actually need it that are criminalized and not the middle class white people that are actually abusing the food pantry system.
There’s more to this, there was a few other really good callers. A single white woman calls in with tips for the users of the pantry but ends up concluding that because she is a single white woman her experience at the pantry might be different than the people of color with kids. Also, a call from a woman who doesn’t have bus service from where she lives on Saturdays so she can’t get to the food pantries. And then there is the “food pantry id” issue – yup, just like voter id!
Like I said, you should take some time to listen to this show, its one that while not technically perfect by any means, is one of the better shows when it comes to important content.
GET INVOLVED!
Want to engage in this conversation and get involved? Several things to know:
Fighting Poverty Coalition
Meets 3rd Thursday of the Month
Find us on facebook.
Or call Jeanne at 770-2049
Or email me at brendakonkel AT gmail
Grocery Shopping/Food Pantry Simulation
February 23rd at the River Food Pantry
Power, a group of Freedom Inc is Buying a Cow!
It’s a fundraising effort, so chip in!
Minority, Youth of Color Health Summit coming up in May, watch for details. – Want to raise awareness on health disparities in the communities of color.
If you want to get involved with Asian gardening or have questions about cuisine call Bopia at Freedom Inc.
Operation Welcome Home is having a fundraiser on February 11th at the Madison East Community Center, there will be entertainment and a soul food dinner.
