Get thee behind us CUTTER IN LINE

[Star*]

Our local ASPCA has an awesome dog food soup kitchen. Every Friday morning at 8:30 am. They will allow you to sign up and get a free bag of dog or cat food based on your needs. It's not just junk dog food. Some of the local mills have donated graciously so the food is fit literally for human consumption and very high quality. Some times depending on the donations there are also snacks, cat food and biscuits.

It's run by the people from the ASPCA and has been a low keyed venture until well, until everyone found out about it and now it's a disgusting free-for-all. People are pulling up in Lexus, Cadillacs, Jaguars - with more jewelery on that I own and claiming to have 4 large dogs, and 12 puppies. Makes me sick - especially when I pull up in a 20 year old car, without air conditioning, in clean but older clothes and really DO have 5 dogs, 1 cat and am living on the edge.

Today was the limit. They were late. 100 people sitting on the trunks of their cars STOOD or SAT and watched as one lone man struggled to unload some bags of dog food from a semi. I couldn't belive it. So I went and helped. I left WORK to help. Usually it's all set up - tents, sign in - etc. So another woman came to help and then a few men, another woman in a dress and an older woman - really old. But we stood there taking bags - NOT GOOD. My take charge attitude took over - I asked everyone if we could form a human chain and they thought it was a good idea. ANother woman suggested we form 2 lines - she had sand-bag - levy experience from hurricaine Katrina - we did - and we were done in no time. Then the ASPCA van got there - set up the tents and you can't belive it - the people who sat - CAME RUSHING UP - while we were unloading -YOU KNOW they knew we were volunteers because one of the women who walked up with me said 'ANY ONE ELSE GETTING FREE DOG FOOD GONNA HELP THIS MAN?" - no one came.

SO I went up to the director and said "I don't mind volunteering - even really enjoyed it. But to have these people rush up here - and think that they should be served first after they did no work- isn't right. I belive the volunteers should be asked to stand in line first." and walked to the end of the line....which by now was nearly 200 people long....the volunteers came up to me and said "That isn't right that we are at the end because we worked." AND the dog treats are in short demand and usually only available to the first 50 people - about the number of people we had volunteer? 25.

Then the announcement was made......CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE. (a silence fell over the crowd) If you were in the volunteer chain - unloading or help stacking this morning will you please step over here.....And we did.....all 25 of us. The ASPCA put a table under a tent. THen they said THESE PEOPLE WILL BE SERVED FIRST and we appreciate you getting the dog and cat food off the trucks for EVERYONE THAT CAME HERE TODAY TO GET FOOD FOR THEIR PETS.

I thought - YEAH.....about that. I told the lady that if she would allow me to come at 8:00 every Friday and help unload - like we just did? I would. It gave me a sense of feeling like I was helping to pay for what I was getting. I would NEVER have been able to stand and watch and then run up to be first in line without helping. The nerve. But for once - someone recognized and actually followed through for the little man. Or in this case the large woman. AND .....it qualifies for that 30 minutes of exercise for the day - I'm sure of that - lol.

OH and the BONUS of the day - I'm the only person out of 500 that was able to obtain a free voucher for a neuter that does NOT live in this county because I didn't LIE to the director about why I needed a coupon for the puppy. SCORE..... Now to tell Rudy the ermmmm GOOD news.

 

[Lothlorien]

Maybe you should suggest to the person in charge that it's mandatory that everyone volunteers in order to receive. Not everyone has to do manual labor....I'm sure there are other ways of helping. I bet that would thin out the crowd a bit and make it fair for everyone.

 

[Star*]

Excellent Idea Loth - I told her that it should be mandatory that to get a dog neutered or spayed (when I got the coupon) that we did community service like washing dog trays or scooping poop = for neuter.

She said the bad thing for that is that they WANT less puppies - and people are inherently LAZY -

I think the table should stay closed until the dog food is unloaded - GOOD idea.....I will call and tell her that. Thanks Loth.

 

[tiredmommy]

Do they need to show proof of ownership, like a current license?

 

[DammitJanet]

I swear, people will do anything for something free.

I kid you not...one time I did a fraud investigation and found this woman guilty of defrauding the Christmas Child program through our local DSS. The people who get help only get a voucher for $50 to a local store per child. She only had one child. Turns out she really didnt live in my county, she used a friends address here. She didnt work because she didnt have to work. Her husband was a top research scientist at one of the leading pharmacuetical companies in the Raleigh Durham area. The man made a very good income. There was no reason for this woman to do this. The husband was mortified when he found out.

 

[susiestar]

Janet, I would have divorced someone who did that. That is hideous. Hideous. I wish they could do jail time for that. Because kids are turned away from programs like that every year. BEcause of witches like that.

Star, I think that you have new lifelong friends at that shelter. But everyone should want to be YOUR lifelong friend! I am always appalled at greed like that. I can remember one community food coop where we walked up to get our order (not a free service, but where lots of people order food so it is cheaper) and there were all kinds of healthy teens waiting in line while older people struggled to carry food out. One of my preteen Jessie's friends was there helping out because her mom helps organize it. Jessie saw that a lady was struggling and told me to wait and went and helped. She worked for over an hour, though we could have left right away. I wasn't able to help move food, I couldn't even carry my own out, but I happily went and bought water bottles for the volunteers. It just made me sad that my 11 yo could help and all these teen boys didn't even help the parent they were with, much less anyone else. I made a few comments about it to some of the boys. They looked ashamed, but not ashamed enough to pitch in.

I think that helping unload SHOULD get you served first. I am GLAD they did that and I hope they continue to do it. It is just what is RIGHT.

Score! On the free neutering!! That is awesome. telling the truth is always a good thing, and for once it had good results!

 

[gcvmom]

Sometimes it only takes one person to effect postive change. Good for you, O Warrior Woman, for having the courage to lead the way for the clueless masses. You're all right in my book, Star.

 

[mstang67chic]

Good for you Star! You'll get these idiots whipped into shape (or submission) in no time!

People are just ......self absorbed I guess. My friend and I were at the mall one time when we were about 19. An older gentleman (like close to 80 I'd say) had fallen on or near some steps around a fountain and couldn't get up. His wife was there but was just as old and looked not so great herself so she couldn't help. My friend and I (at the time, we were about 100 lbs and 110.....maybe) went over and tried to help him up. Even with the two of us, we weren't having an easy time. People were just stroooooolllllllling right on by, sometimes watching us struggle as they went. The man was obviously very old, was a big guy and was BLEEDING and these people just kept walking. Finally a man who was walking by came to help and the three of us glared daggers at all of the lookie loos after we got the man up. Some of these people were looking at us like "what?".

 

[Hound dog]

I think our humane society (*cough- I don't think it's really associated with the official one*) does something similar although I haven't figured out when or where it takes place. However when times were better for us I have donated to it cuz you can just drop the food off.

I could sure use it now. Our pride of stray cats are killing me. And I'm sorry I just can't turn away up to 10 (OMG) crying cats........and yeah, they let me know they're hungry. Skinny Minnie has finally gotten to where you can't see her bones......but still is very skinny. And shelters still aren't taking in strays.

Plus, I'm supplementing our dogs food with table scraps. (meat mostly) One because I don't want it to go to waste, and 2 because otherwise the dog food runs out before payday. And now Molly who is rapidly loosing teeth.......has to eat special dog food. Can't be canned because the gas it gives her will knock you over. So I give her moist n meaty....not cheap even at Sam's Club.......soft dry food that she can still chew and not stink up the house. Bad part is that food is made for small dogs. Molly requires at least 3 pouches a day!! I also supplement the cats with any chicken or fish I have leftover.

People go insane over free stuff. I had to use the food pantry here a few times and caught people I know are upper middle class lying to get free food. And although it would probably help us out......I won't use it now because so many people are out of work....and husband at least has a job.

I'm glad you guys got put at the head of the line. That ought to become policy along with the other suggestions.

 

[GoingNorth]

I have had to use the pet food pantry up here a couple of times just to scrape through until my VA pension for the month came through.

I was dependent on the Catholic Charities food pantry for a few YEARS, and though it wasn't anything fancy, it was sure a huge help and I was very grateful for it.

They don't actually check income. It is all on the honor system. First time I went to sign up I carried down my 'award letter' (you get it from VA yearly and it shows monthly income for the upcoming year) and my utility bill to prove residence in service area.

All they wanted was the utility bill. There were plenty of people there dripping jewelry and wearing thousand dollar leather jackets and the like.

Can't say about cars. I drive a very nice seven year old SUV in perfect condition and I own it outright. I got it before the wheels came off financially.

I SOLD my good jewelry other than my and late husband's wedding bands, and I sold my fancy leather jackets and stuff.

People got really ugly at the pantry: a lot of pushing and shoving.

Though I was glad that it was there when I needed it; it is sure nice to have my SSDI in place now. I got some back pay to clear old medical and tax bills, and while I am not rich, I don't have to sweat each month to pay bills and eat.

I no longer use the pantry and am now looking for some sort of semi-sedentary volunteer work I can do.

 

[Star*]

Ahhhh here's the rub on the belly -

The directory said that IF we showed up and volunteered - we could but ....they can't ask us to or even organize us or even continue to expect or ask us becuase IF someone gets hurt and sues (back or twist or sprain) and sues - the program is OVER.

This morning was a fluke or a flipper .....lol (get it fluke)

BUT - I did find out that I can be a turd slinger for the neuter, but then they found out I have many talents and now I'm really worried....hahah

they have a donkey -

and no eardrums.

 

[KTMom91]

Yup...same kind of logic that I heard when on the mgmt team at a national retailer that starts with K. When people opened the diaper packages, either to check the size or to change their kid in the store, I couldn't donate the opened packages to a women's shelter. I couldn't just toss them in the dumpster and hope some homeless mom got them. I had to destroy them because someone could sue the store for an infection their kid got from that diaper.

I have to tell you, that hurt my heart every time.

 

[Hound dog]

Oh Mary, that is just so wrong on so many levels. An infection from a diaper.........I suppose there is the remote possiblity........but good grief.

I did successfully get Meijer's in Dayton to finally donate food and the toys were couldn't see on the clearance racks to local shelters. The food wasn't clearanced per se but was close to expiration date. But boy was that a battle. I wonder if they still do it...........hmmmmm

 

[susiestar]

Many places here are turned away from donating food to the local homeless shelter and even the food pantry. If you donate to either place the food MUST come in one the heavy duty baking sheets or cooking pans that restaurants use in steam tables. They cannot take bagels in plastic bags or cardboard boxes for some irrational reason. They once told me the reason, but it didn't make sense.

The kicker for restaurants is that you cannot put your name on the pans/containers because they will pull off masking or freezer tape because it could "harbor germs" and they do NOT give the trays back most of the time. Several restaurants that were newer actually came close to going out of business because of this! They actually lost that many pans (and were poorly capitalized to start with). The shelters keep NO track of how many pans you donate and they let just anyone take them. They pile them OUTSIDE for anyone to take because they "can't take the time and manpower" to monitor this. If they even paid someone to keep track of the pans that came in (how many and from whom) and then make sure each business got that many pans back they would get THOUSANDS of dollars of food each week! But for saving a few bucks they are losing enormous donations - and garnering ill will in the business community.

Penny wise and pound foolish.

I think that if they have volunteers it should just be "habit" that they get served first Or they get to put their food aside and THEN unload teh rest from the truck. Pick up their stuff after they actually work.

Sadly, our lawsuit happy society makes it hard on nonprofit organizations.

 

[ThreeShadows]

Wow! I'm shocked about the diaper lawsuit phobia! At some orphanages in Russia the used disposables were cleaned and re-used. I've known many people who lived on food found that way not so long ago. I knew a couple who had figured out just when Godiva chocolates "seconds" were thrown in the dumpster behind the factory. Now those were smart people!