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Feeding the Masses
Posted: May 08, 2008 in Dining
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I have always wondered why it is so hard in this country for people to obtain food when we have such a surplus. Recently I have been haunted by a special I saw that featured a young woman with 3 children. She worked two jobs and could barely pay her bills, much less put food on the table. In one clip she is retrieving expired milk from a refrigerator at a food bank. As she does so she says "this milk expired yesterday, it will be good for at least another week".
I recently read that Panera Bread donates their baked goods to shelters and food banks at the end of the day. Why can't more restaurants and caterers adopt this policy? At my wedding I asked the caterer to donate the left over food to a shelter and they said that due to Health Department standards they were unable to. Are companies afraid of being sued, is it out of laziness?
During the summer months there is an even greater need for food as children are out of school and not receiving breakfast or lunch at school. Is there any way to get food to the people that need it.
I would love to hear some insight into this matter.
I have heard the Health Department line, but I wonder whether it is true. Is it more an insurance liability issue? Just wondering.
It is possible to donate food, it's just that not many agencies are set up to accept it. Check out this website for more information on a local organization that does exactly what you're taling about. A great cause in my opinion.
http://www.secondhelpings.org/
Some answers to questions you posed are also found on the site. Q: Are there any food donations you can't accept?
A: We cannot accept foods that have been handled by persons untrained in sanitation. Prepared food should come from commercially licensed establishments, not yet discarded into a waste receptacle. The original seal on packaged items should be intact. We cannot accept food more than 48 hours old from initial preparation. We cannot accept food that has been at room temperature for more than two hours. We can accept most foods that meet the above criteria, although we have plenty of bread and baked goods, so these items will not be a priority for pickup.
Q: Is there a minimum amount of food you'll pick up?
A: Our minimum pickup is 50 pounds of food.
Q: What's my liability for health risks of donated food?
A: Good Samaritan laws protect food donors from liability in almost every case. (Ask for our brief entitled "Donating Food To Second Helpings: What About My Liability?") We will be happy to share complete information about liability with you and your attorneys. In addition, you should know that no case of food-borne illness has ever been associated with Second Helpings or any other agency in America that provides this kind of service.
Thank you for that information, I plan on learning more about second helpings. Perhaps they have some opportunites for volunteering!
Well also there was a quick response to deliver aid in Mynamar to keep the death toll down but... sometimes politics gets in the way. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Myanmar-Cyclone.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=cyclone&st=nyt&oref=slogin