sucky food pantry "customer"

[KellyHabersham]

*this sort of situation is why I sometimes think the church just needs to stop handing out food boxes altogether, because I get REALLY tired of this always happening when I'm alone in the office area*

I've posted about this couple before on Fratching (in relations to food pantry stuff), so for now I'll just say that "Vicky" and her husband "Greg" were part of the reason we decided to limit the number of times we can hand out food per year, both have reached their limit since we implemented this policy, and both have been informed of this.

Our pastor wasn't in this morning, and of course "Greg" comes in to ask for a food box. I explain politely that I can't help him out because he's already been here four times this year, and he got verbally upset with me. It didn't escalate to name-calling, cussing, or anything threatening, but "Greg" seemed to feel that we didn't "have a good business practice", denied that I had ever told him we limited food help to four times a year, and seemed to feel that I was just making up a policy in order to avoid helping him out And, he kind of stomped out the door with a comment about how "You won't be hearing from us again...." - like they were "customers" of some sort.

And so this is something which I'm definitely going to mention to Pastor Nancy that needs to be discussed during the "Mission and Outreach" Committee meeting tomorrow.

[emax4]

Someone is always going to find ways to beat the system, but in this case they think the system is a business and not really a charity (usually customers get it wrong, the other way around).

[KellyHabersham]

Well, I'd anticipated that the church was going to have problems with this particular couple trying to "beat" the system, but I'd rather not get into all that because it's more appropriate for Fratching. (basically, I suspected they were trying to mooch assistance off us from the beginning)

[wagegoth]

It's really sad, because often the people who really need the food won't get due to embarrassment, or don't get it because there's not enough to go around, but the EWs will always be there, taking advantage of it.

[jedimaster91]

I don't know if this would work for your set up, but one idea you might pass on to your pastor is to have people "work" for the food they get. Mr Jedi does this and it works really well. If something needs fixing up at your building or you know someone in the congregation that needs help moving, the folks getting free food are part of the crew to help. It doesn't have to be much, but if the pastor can come up with ways for them to give back some, it may cut down on some of the suckiness.

[chainedbarista]

i think jedi is on to something; having them actually work for their donation might deter the abusers, since they tend to have that entitlement attitude.

it just might work.

[zombiequeen]

Yeah, my church shut down our food pantry for the same reason...and we had people who would drive up to our little backwoods church in their fancy expensive car, be informed of the "need to attend church at least three times in the past two months" policy, and stomp their little feet about their "starving kids" all the while being as obviously rich as possible.
Or my aunt that argued since my grandpa came, she should get free food. She would literally shop there, get three or four paper bags of food, then go to the grocery store to get whatever else.

[MoonCat]

There was a couple in my town some years ago who made the news because they were receiving a lot of aid money (unemployed due to the man's "bad back") and yet they were driving a huge SUV around town....while at home, the kids had to sleep on the floor because mom and dad had never purchased furniture. Anyway, one year someone caught the mom driving around to all the food pantries in town to get a free turkey for Thanksgiving. Turned out she had over a dozen turkeys already in her car. She got pissed off because someone told her she couldn't have any more.

These people were scammers. Nothing against those who genuinely need help. I've been there myself.

[Kristev]

It's one thing to get a turkey for your kids for the holidays with a little help from a food bank once in a while. I've done it once. Not the turkey, but go to a food bank.

But twelve? That's just sheer greed, and eleven other families that won't get to eat a holiday dinner. Whatever happened to shame? Any of you willing to bet she wanted to sell ten of the turkeys?

[KellyHabersham]

What bothered me most about this particular situation is that Greg seemed to consider himself a customer of sorts, and apparently we were supposed to be sorry to lose his "business". Neither of which is the case - he and Vicky were the reason we started having to limit food pantry handouts in the first place, and ALL they do regarding the church is show up once a month asking for a food box.

[Marszenka]

My (entire global) church sets up welfare with Mr. Jedi's "work" system. It seems to work rather well; people who are too proud to ask for handouts are technically not getting any, while those who would mooch, can't. Definitely suggest it to your pastor.

[MoonCat]

It's one thing to get a turkey for your kids for the holidays with a little help from a food bank once in a while. I've done it once. Not the turkey, but go to a food bank.

But twelve? That's just sheer greed, and eleven other families that won't get to eat a holiday dinner. Whatever happened to shame? Any of you willing to bet she wanted to sell ten of the turkeys?

Kristev, I'm sure she did intend to. If I remember the story correctly, I think the actual number given was 15 or 17! She was an exception to the majority of people getting help.

[chainedbarista]

Whatever happened to shame?

sadly, kristev, some people have never had it.

i like that idea; some people, even though they do need the help, like marszenka said, but are ashamed of handouts.

allowing them to work for it lets them 'keep face' and earn it; a win win situation.

[Mnemjian]

That is really shameful. Hopefully he really doesn't ever come back and leaves the food boxes for people who actually need (and deserve) them.

[depechemodefan]

The turkey reminds me of someone I helped some time ago.

I worked for the health dept. Long story short, I had to send a kid to a TB clinic; I called his mom, set up the appt but he never made the appt. So I had to ban him from school, since that was our policy, until he went. I told mom if she needed transport to let me know and I'll take her and the boy. Mom didn't say anything (like "yes, need help" or "no, don't need help." Mom didn't take him the second appt. so I said I will take him and his mom to the third appt. Each appt. is a month between each other. I pick up the kid and his elder brother. pick them up latter from the clinic. Never did anyone thank me. Around this time, though, it's Christmas and our dept. let us give a free turkey (provided by dept.) to a needy family. I decided to give them a turkey. Mom never thanked me.