Re: From a Truck Driving Pal

Old_Timer wrote:

Many years ago I worked for a while in the county welfare office and
death with Food Stamp, Medical and AFDC recipients.

But flash to the present. Among my volunteer activities I am one of
the directors and also volunteer for much of the grunt work at a Food
Bank. Our operation receives no government funding so in addition to
the other work I am active with our fund raising operations.

I am reasonably certain that we have a few recipients scamming the
system but not many. They are, by and large, a shabby, distressed
appearing bunch. They line up at our gate over an hour before the
gate opens. I do believe, that for the most part, they are truly in
need of the help we provide.

I treat them with respect and have conversed with many of them as they
tell me their tales of woe.

I am sympathetic to their needs and do a lot of hard work as a
volunteer to provide assistance to them. Using my own truck I load
and unload the food items and then with other volunteers break down
and repack the bulk pack items. We put in at least a couple of
partial days of work prior to Food Bank Day. I was out there yesterday
unloading my truck as the thermometer was reading 107 degrees F.

While I am definitely "lending them a hand" I do not believe that they
are all totally without blame for their present position.

For example, the majority are younger than I, some 50 plus years
younger than I who are not visually physically disabled. Many are
unemployed and have been unemployed for the 7 to 8 years that I have
been a volunteer there. Some are quite elderly and in poor physical
health. I don't lump them in with those others .
It is really the exception to have a client come in and then after
three or four months be gone. Most of our clients are long term
clients.

Some of them will volunteer to help us. I have found out from
experience that what they mean is "what do you want me to do right
now" . Like carry that box from this side of the room to the other
side. If we indicate that we would like for them to come in next
Wednesday morning at 11 AM and help us unload the truck it is unlikely
that we will see them. If we say that it would be helpful if they
remain at the Food Bank until we close for the day and help us wash
out the fridges and mop the floors it is very unlikely that they will
stay.

Old_Timer

And that's the reason they've been unemployed for years.
They prefer a free, if bumpier ride.
.

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