Food bank
2025 04 07
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Every Monday, I volunteer at a food bank. I hadn't wanted to be front-facing, because seeing people hungry makes me crazy. I've seen people cry. I didn't want to cope with that, but I still wanted to be helpful. However, when I signed up, the front desk is where they needed me, so that's where I am.
We have a shelf at the front desk where we put random things that people can choose an item or two from along with their regular parcel. Sometimes those shelves at food banks contain the most odd things - which today was a tin of mackerel. I'm from the east coast of Canada, so I'm genetically predisposed to the enjoyment of fish, but I'll never understand the appeal of mackerel. I think the oddest thing I've ever seen on the random shelf is a tin of snails.
Snails.
That's an even harder pass than the mackerel.
It's been nearly a year, and while I still don't like to see people hungry, some of the people have been so lovely. There's a gentleman that sometimes plays the piano while he waits, and every once in a while one of the clients will become a volunteer. It's a wonderfully multicultural place, with people from countries across the globe. I've learned about languages I never knew existed, and learned to make use of the translation app on my phone - except for that time I wasn't paying attention and kept showing a lady my text in Arabic when what she needed was Persian. D'oh.
Also, if you're one of those people with an offensively large collection of reusable grocery bags that you're not sure what to do with, donate them to a food bank. They can always use them.