(This weekend: food to fill the children’s backpacks – oatmeal, cereal, etc. They need help filling those sacks I’ll post it tomorrow)
____
Sarah’s request today is for help getting coffee and tea to the food pantry. These items are not just peripheral but essential to people. They provide comfort and a sense of normalcy in times of crisis, making them as important as food itself.
Sarah has explained this to me; I learned about the food crisis, how it affects people, and why pantries can try to address it. Sarah is on the front lines of the food crisis in America. Some prices are going down, but the cost of living is still rising.
I’ve come to understand that the situation is both straightforward and deeply painful. It’s a reality that we shouldn’t ignore. These are things people have used, often daily, all of their lives, and are important for emotional and other reasons.
Some of the most beloved foods and items are often the most costly. Coffee and tea are not expensive in the Cambridge Pantry Wish Lists, yet they are still much more expensive than the basic foods and meals we typically purchase.
They are too expensive for people who have to choose between food and comfort. The latter is a huge deal for people struggling to get food for their families.
One of the first lessons I’ve learned about being poor and/or food-deprived is that life becomes a series of bad but necessary choices. Many nutritionists don’t understand this.
Why not just offer healthy and organic foods (five times more expensive than most other market foods)? Because people can’t afford it.
If you don’t have the money for food, you don’t have the money for coffee or tea, two things most Americans care about and, given the chance, eat regularly. I have had one or the other every morning or day.
So has Maria.
So, I’m proud to explain and support the Cambridge Food Pantry’s very frequent requests for coffee and tea. Sarah, unlike so many food pantry directors, cares about not only what her patrons need but also what makes them feel better about their challenges.
Sarah’s request:
Seattle’s Best Coffee Post Alley Blend Dark Roast Ground Coffee 1 bag, Pack of 3, $12.31.
_______
Jon requests four popular items that are rarely available for more than a day. This weekend, I’ll focus on items for the backpack program for the children of pantry families.
Honey Mustard Dressing, $1.99.
Hunt’s Meat Pasta Sauce, 24 oz, Pack of 1, $1.34.
Life Breakfast Cereal, Cinnamon, 13 Oz Boxes (3 Pack), $14.97.
You can access the Cambridge Pantry Amazon Food Wish List anytime, day or night, to make your own choices or just browse the list. The list is updated frequently, and every item on it is something the pantry needs or is off the shelves.
You can also access the list by clicking on the green “pantry” button beneath every blog post.
