Need ideas

[Katie's Butterflies]

I started a thread over in the Community board, and someone suggested I post it over here (That is ok, right?)

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2486199


Anyway, I have a friend in a horrible situation and I want to help her. She has almost no income (maybe $15 a week) and as I learned yesterday, NO food. I want to get her some (versatile, long-lasting, and inexpensive) staples that she can add to with her limited money. However, I could use some more ideas. (Note: I am on a budget, so cheaper items are better and very appreciated)

So far, thanks to the responses I got on the CB, I have this list:

Beans (and other lentils)
Bread
Canned/bottled spaghetti sauce
Canned/frozen fruit, veggies
canned soups and/or stews
canned tomatoes
cereal
dried herbs
flour
jelly or jam
kool-aid
Noodles/pasta
Oatmeal
peanut butter
raisins
Rice
salt
saltine crackers
sugar
tuna


If you have any ideas for food/changes to the list, or any other ideas to help her, I’d really appreciate it.

 

[hffmnheidi]

If she's in that bad of straits, why hasn't she applied for Food Stamps or other assistance. They could provide her emergency aid in this situation.

It's a good idea that you want to provide her help and you are being an AMAZING friend, but that could prolong the problem and she can't depend on you or her other friends to provide for her each month. I can understand if it was a one time situation, but it sounds like it's a pretty serious problem that's been going on a while.

Get her some food items and offer to drive her to the Public Aid Office on Monday. Many states have a public aid website where you can download the application and the other documents you need to have to apply. She may not want to do it, but if she has no food and no income, she needs to do it. She'll get benefits for like six months at a time which will give her six months of not worrying where the groceries are coming from.

 

[tinkarooni]

Does your friend know how to cook? If she doesn't I would be careful to choose things she knows what to do with. For example I had no idea what to do with dried beans when I first started, I used a bean cookbook to learn the basics.

 

[NYCDiane]

tea bags

flavored rice packets (i get these free all the time w/coupon. they'll have a 75cents off 2 coupon and they're on sale for 75 each & my store doubles coups)

condiments --- ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc. I stock up on these when there are coupons & these items are on sale around Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day.

soup packets (she can use when making burgers or meatloaf)

a $25 gift card to her fave grocery store.

If you stock her up on dry good (as on your list), all she'll really need to buy would be perishibles like milk, eggs, meat, yogurt, butter, fresh fruit.


You're a great friend, by the way!!!

 

[Purseval]

Better yet, offer to drive her to a temporary help agency. Even a 1-day job holding a sale sign at the side of the road will buy her a few week's worth of groceries. She may even find something permanent. All she gets from handouts is a handout, a temporary reprieve before she is right back in the same boat.

 

[rosebud4]

Angel Food Ministries have monthly boxes of food for $30.00 and additional boxes that can be purchased. For the $30.00 you receive approximately $100.00 worth of food. There are no income guidelines. There are sites located all over the country and you just have to type in your zip code to find the local distribution sites.

 

[CajunDixie]

Get her hooked up with government aid and local charities that have food pantries. If you can do this then consider things like soap, shampoo, tp, toothepaste, dishsoap and laundry soap. These items cannot always be found at a food pantry. These items you can get free/cheap if you use the CVS thread on here or sites like iheartcvs and iheartwags and couponmom Combining sales and coupons can get you many items free or nearly free...couponmom has grocery stores, walmart, cvs.

Also consider looking in your area for a bulk food store. Deli meat around here is $5-7 lb but at the bulk food store I got great honey ham for $1.59lb and roast beef & chicken breast for $2.59 lb I always buy all my baking supplies there too.

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

If she's in that bad of straits, why hasn't she applied for Food Stamps or other assistance. They could provide her emergency aid in this situation.

Get her some food items and offer to drive her to the Public Aid Office on Monday. Many states have a public aid website where you can download the application and the other documents you need to have to apply. She may not want to do it, but if she has no food and no income, she needs to do it. She'll get benefits for like six months at a time which will give her six months of not worrying where the groceries are coming from.

Get her hooked up with government aid and local charities that have food pantries. If you can do this then consider things like soap, shampoo, tp, toothepaste, dishsoap and laundry soap. These items cannot always be found at a food pantry. These items you can get free/cheap if you use the CVS thread on here or sites like iheartcvs and iheartwags and couponmom Combining sales and coupons can get you many items free or nearly free...couponmom has grocery stores, walmart, cvs.

She did go to the welfare office and has an EBT card but it won’t be activated until next month. Unfortunately, the welfare counselor (or whoever) was NOT helpful and did not tell my friend about any options except food stamps.

Also because of cutbacks, most of the charities cannot help much. I am taking her over to Catholic Charities on Tuesday so that she can get signed up for a food box (which she will be able to get once every 3 or 4 months).

It's a good idea that you want to provide her help and you are being an AMAZING friend, but that could prolong the problem and she can't depend on you or her other friends to provide for her each month. I can understand if it was a one time situation, but it sounds like it's a pretty serious problem that's been going on a while.

This is actually a newish situation. I won’t go into details, but the lack of income/food started about 2-3 weeks ago. My getting her food will also be a one time deal. I just want to try and help her get back on her feet. She is going through a horrible situation right now and I want to try and help reduce some of her stress.

Better yet, offer to drive her to a temporary help agency. Even a 1-day job holding a sale sign at the side of the road will buy her a few week's worth of groceries. She may even find something permanent. All she gets from handouts is a handout, a temporary reprieve before she is right back in the same boat.

She is applying like crazy for jobs she is qualified for, anywhere and everywhere, but unfortunately, our county just does not have many jobs.
Thankfully, she has a followup(?) interview next week.

Angel Food Ministries have monthly boxes of food for $30.00 and additional boxes that can be purchased. For the $30.00 you receive approximately $100.00 worth of food. There are no income guidelines. There are sites located all over the country and you just have to type in your zip code to find the local distribution sites.

The nearest Angelfood is over 30mi away

 

[Maddie2]

I distribute food to people in need at our local Food Pantry and would suggest adding the following to your list, if you are able:

canned chicken
mac & cheese
pancake mix & syrup
cake mix/frosting or brownie mix
specifically cream/mush & cream/chicken soups for casseroles
specifically applesauce as versatile fruit/can be used as oil in some recipes
oil
graham crackers
instant mashed potatoes
boxed potatoes -au gratin, etc
Helpers - hamburger, tuna, chicken
pan spray

If you have friends that want to help out, perhaps you could suggest toiletries and personal care items - toilet paper, paper towels, paper napkins, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, bar soap, liquid soap, laundry soap, dish soap, etc. For those barely able to feed their families, these are viewed as luxuries.

I'm sorry that her social worker did not put her in touch with any other services. Even when people don't qualify for state assistance (here anyway), the social workers offer food pantry help. I see people from all walks of life in need of food. Some as a one time thing and others on a regular basis. It runs the gamut. I have people who cry and hug me, some that are overwhelmingly embarrassed to be there, some that are thankful for each and every item I give them, some that are not picky at all and others that are VERY picky and "tell me" what they want ... some nice, some not so nice. It's never boring ... For the most part, it is a rewarding experience each day that I am there. Thankfully, it is confidential and I remind all recipients of this fact.

Your friend is blessed to have you.

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

Does your friend know how to cook? If she doesn't I would be careful to choose things she knows what to do with. For example I had no idea what to do with dried beans when I first started, I used a bean cookbook to learn the basics.

Yes, she's a pretty good cook and familiar with dried beans.

tea bags

flavored rice packets (i get these free all the time w/coupon. they'll have a 75cents off 2 coupon and they're on sale for 75 each & my store doubles coups)

condiments --- ketchup, mayo, mustard, etc. I stock up on these when there are coupons & these items are on sale around Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day.

soup packets (she can use when making burgers or meatloaf)

a $25 gift card to her fave grocery store.

These are good ideas. This way, at least her food will have flavor. I have to remember not everyone likes their food bland/borderline tasteless

Also consider looking in your area for a bulk food store. Deli meat around here is $5-7 lb but at the bulk food store I got great honey ham for $1.59lb and roast beef & chicken breast for $2.59 lb I always buy all my baking supplies there too.

Wow. That is expensive. I usually buy meat at Sam's club or on sale at a regular dept store so I didn't realize it was that much. Thankfully, Albertson's usually has very cheap ground meat (beef, turkey)

If you stock her up on dry good (as on your list), all she'll really need to buy would be perishibles like milk, eggs, meat, yogurt, butter, fresh fruit.

This is my plan. If I get her stocked up with some shelf food, she can buy the rest.

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

I distribute food to people in need at our local Food Pantry and would suggest adding the following to your list, if you are able:

canned chicken
mac & cheese
pancake mix & syrup
cake mix/frosting or brownie mix
specifically cream/mush & cream/chicken soups for casseroles
specifically applesauce as versatile fruit/can be used as oil in some recipes
oil
graham crackers
instant mashed potatoes
boxed potatoes -au gratin, etc
Helpers - hamburger, tuna, chicken
pan spray

Thank you for the ideas.

If you have friends that want to help out, perhaps you could suggest toiletries and personal care items - toilet paper, paper towels, paper napkins, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, bar soap, liquid soap, laundry soap, dish soap, etc. For those barely able to feed their families, these are viewed as luxuries.

Unfortunately, most of her "close" friends disappeared when this happened.
I will ask her about the toiletries. I didn't think to ask yesterday. There are so many things I take for granted. Thank you for pointing some of them out.

I'm sorry that her social worker did not put her in touch with any other services. Even when people don't qualify for state assistance (here anyway), the social workers offer food pantry help. I see people from all walks of life in need of food. Some as a one time thing and others on a regular basis. It runs the gamut. I have people who cry and hug me, some that are overwhelmingly embarrassed to be there, some that are thankful for each and every item I give them, some that are not picky at all and others that are VERY picky and "tell me" what they want ... some nice, some not so nice. It's never boring ... For the most part, it is a rewarding experience each day that I am there. Thankfully, it is confidential and I remind all recipients of this fact.

Your friend is blessed to have you.

She is very embarrassed about her situation and doesn't know about any of the help available. When I told her about the food bank, she didn't believe me. She kept asking "you're sure it's free?"

Can I just say thank you for actually trying to help people. Because of individuals like you, more men, women, and children are able to get back on their feet and actually survive.

 

[CC12005]

Ask your friends that travel if they have extra hotel toiletries such as shampoo & soap they may be willing to give to her. Small things that cost nothing to help her. You don't have to say who it's for, just a friend in need. Maybe also see if anyone has canned or boxed food they would like to donate. If you let people know it's for a temporary situation, they are usually happy to help.

 

[Maddie2]

Tell your friend that it can happen to ANYONE. Even people that you think it can/will NEVER happen to. Just because a person finds them in a bad situation does not mean that they are bad people or that they "let" this happen to them. It happens to people in all walks of life - even what most people would think of as good/upstanding citizens. People lose jobs, have medical difficulties and/or fall behind.

I don't know your friend's situation and there are many different stories (I hear them all ), but the common denominator is that no one would WANT to be in this situation.

Tell her of course she doesn't know of the services "out there". Most people don't - unless they need them. If she has a difficult time accepting help now, when she is in a better position later on, she can help someone else out. Food Pantries are always in need of donated items. Perhaps at a later date she can give back.

Thank you for being her friend and helping her find hope.