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ime community fridges/pantries are even better than food banks. almost all food banks make you show proof that you live in the area. if you're too poor to even have that? homeless? vagrant? moved there FOR the food bank program? starve. pantries/fridges are open for everyone.

Yeah, I’m speaking specifically from my experience doing direct food distributions via a mutual aid group. I have critiques of food banks, but we do get a decent amount of food from the Capital Area Food Bank. We don’t check any sort of ID or anything like that

Yeah, it's also why universal basic income would be so effective.

I have a theory that because it feels weird and tacky to give $ as say, a birthday gift to a friend, folks subconsciously transfer that vibe to other things given away and feel like it is more meaningful if we give physical items/time. But often straight $ is truly best for the receiver!

i think it also feels more concrete/real. you can SEE the cans you donated; making a payment online with your credit card number feels like it didn't even happen. i struggle w this w my kids, bc i want them to get the satisfaction of seeing their donations as real things. but adults, just give $!

Get them envelopes for the money and some art supplies and let them decorate! That way they feel they've donated something they've put their personal touch on

If you have non-perishable goods and can give them, that’s certainly better than nothing, but what usually ends up happening is everyone gives the same things and then we have like 100 cans of beans to give out

If you have any questions, ask! We will tell you if we need specific things, but usually we will just ask for cash. Especially for mutual aid, where there are a lot of non-food needs we try to meet

Even when a group is asking for specific event donations (usually Thanksgiving is the one I'm used to seeing), donated cash lets them fill in the gaps when it comes time to make complete kits. And there's always other expenses. Being in a church trying to keep a pantry open in 2008 was eye-opening.

Yup. Currently planning a community Easter egg hunt, and we have been doing an annual group trip to the water park in the summer. Shit adds up quickly

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