THE FACE BEHIND THE CANNED FOOD DRIVE

  

"Pay attention kids...look up here at the front of the class. We are having a contest between the other classes. The winners of this contest will get a pizza party!" We're all familiar with these food drives that take place every year. "Which ever class brings in the most canned goods this week is going to get a pizza party, so be sure to let your parents know." This is great motivation for children to go home and let their parents know it's time for them to clean out their cupboards and pantries. Get rid of all that processed ucky canned food that nobody wants to eat. Grab those fat cut ucky green beans mom bought last year, she forgot to make it. We always think we can put a face to the person, family, or group that's going to receive your unwanted old cans that have sat in your pantry for the last year. What's worse than stereotyping the face behind the food donation drive? It's not taking a second to even stop to think about putting a face behind the receiver of your unwanted food. 

Hearts always go out to families that don't get to have a family feast at the dinner table for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It's not always the person you pass by on your way to work that's wearing raggedy clothes, it's not always the loner at school that dresses like his parents can't afford to buy him clothes. People have an image of who it is sitting down to an empty plate that's going to be more than grateful for the food you were probably going to end up throwing out of your cupboard. There's secrets people hide that want to bring no suspiction. That's the point...nobody can find out we can't afford to buy food.

The family that offered to pay for others, knowing those people were having finance problems. They family that knew some kids parents couldn't afford to take their kid to an amusement park. They family that could afford to have a butler, servers, and sought after gifts for their kids birthday party. This is the people that invited friends to five star restaurants and went out of their way to make sure everyone had cheerished memories and laughs. Sometimes it's those people that you'd never stop to think about that might need a hand up. The faces behind the money, that at one point made sure others didn't go without, that now need a hand up.

"I remember going to one of their kids parties, I won $100. They would give cash prizes when you'd win." People would over hear comments about how nice they were and recall past events like renting out the V.I.P. hall for a bowling party for the kids and they all made sure everyone was invited, nobody was ever left out." At this point in time has anyone made a comment like, "I haven't seen them around in awhile." It's out of sight, out of mind. There's no secret Santa dropping off anything at their door. 

Call it ego, call it pride, call it what you will. Sometimes it's those people that tried to give without excepting anything in return that are now sitting home praying through tears for an opportunity. They've had some set backs and can't find the opportunity to get back up off their feet. They've slipped right through the cracks of peoples minds. Those on the verge of losing everything they had that aren't so concerned about eating the old dusting can of corn you donated, no their concerned about what they are going to eat the day they woke up, three days before Thanksgiving.

Their hearts are full of worry. They're holding back tears because they can't afford to buy their kids anything for Christmas. It's not always the people you see, the people you've put in a box and stereotyped that are behind that school food drive. Sometimes it's the people that you don't see. The people you forgot about that don't know how to ask for a hand up, that don't want a hand out that are eating those canned yams.