The end of the year brings a lot of New year Resolutions (which are usually broken by February, if not earlier). I am, and have been, no better than anyone else in this regard. Although I did give up smoking over a decade ago after a new year resolution .... but it took until the following May before I actually did it.
However there is one resolution which I am always able to keep, and which benefits others as well in a very seasonal way.
I empty my food cupboards of every food can that is still in date, but that is going to expire before March the following year (the expired ones I either throw away or use quickly ... I am aware that expiry dates on food cans are really guidance only, as the contents can last for years or even decades in an edible state, if stored correctly, but Charities can't legally use them once the expiry date is reached).
These edible foodstuffs which I am most unlikely to use in the next few months, I then take them to the local Salvation Army Citadel, for distribution and use in their food kitchens. They are happy to take any food that has not expired yet, and you are helping the truly deserving in our society. Of course there are many other organisations offering similar food distributions these days, notably the rise of the 'food-banks'.
However as I used to work for the old social security system, I have a deep suspicion that many regular users of those food-banks, are actually not really in need, but are in fact just the usual chancers who used to put in for bedding grants every year, and who would report that they had been 'mugged' every Easter and Christmas. This because they had just been given double week giro-cheque, and which they had invariably just cashed at the post office (..... they now wanted an extra emergency payment, which they didn't have to repay i.e.. extra money for the holidays).
Still its your choice as to who you give the food to, but the point is that you have done it.
So why not give it a go ..... It clears cupboard space, is incredibly eco-friendly, and benefits others as well as yourself. You can even still feel good about yourself for months after the start of the year, with virtually no real cost or effort.
However there is one resolution which I am always able to keep, and which benefits others as well in a very seasonal way.
 |
| Early Salvation Army Food Wagon ..... |
I empty my food cupboards of every food can that is still in date, but that is going to expire before March the following year (the expired ones I either throw away or use quickly ... I am aware that expiry dates on food cans are really guidance only, as the contents can last for years or even decades in an edible state, if stored correctly, but Charities can't legally use them once the expiry date is reached).
These edible foodstuffs which I am most unlikely to use in the next few months, I then take them to the local Salvation Army Citadel, for distribution and use in their food kitchens. They are happy to take any food that has not expired yet, and you are helping the truly deserving in our society. Of course there are many other organisations offering similar food distributions these days, notably the rise of the 'food-banks'.
However as I used to work for the old social security system, I have a deep suspicion that many regular users of those food-banks, are actually not really in need, but are in fact just the usual chancers who used to put in for bedding grants every year, and who would report that they had been 'mugged' every Easter and Christmas. This because they had just been given double week giro-cheque, and which they had invariably just cashed at the post office (..... they now wanted an extra emergency payment, which they didn't have to repay i.e.. extra money for the holidays).
Still its your choice as to who you give the food to, but the point is that you have done it.
 |
| Modern Salvation Army Food Wagon ... |
So why not give it a go ..... It clears cupboard space, is incredibly eco-friendly, and benefits others as well as yourself. You can even still feel good about yourself for months after the start of the year, with virtually no real cost or effort.
No comments:
Post a Comment
All comments are welcomed, or even just thanks if you enjoyed the post. But please make any comment relevant to the post it appears under. Off topic comments will be blocked or removed.
Moderation is on for older posts to stop spamming and comments that are off topic or inappropriate from being posted .... comments are reviewed within 48 hours. I don't block normal comments that are on topic and not inappropriate. Vexatious comments that may cause upset to other commentators, or that are attempting to espouse a particular wider political view, are reviewed before acceptance. But a certain amount of debate around a post topic is accepted, as long as it remains generally on topic and is not an attempt to become sounding board for some other cause.
Final decision on all comments is held by the blog author and is final.
Comments are always monitored for bad or abusive language, and or illegal statements i.e. overtly racist or sexist content. Spam is not tolerated and is removed.
Commentaires ne sont surveillés que pour le mauvais ou abusif langue ou déclarations illégales ie contenu ouvertement raciste ou sexiste. Spam ne est pas toléré et est éliminé.