18 months ago the social justice action committee at my congregation was looking for another project. Believing that nothing would happen, I suggested we adopt a school and participate in the National Backpack program (bagging enough food for a child on the "Free School Breakfast and Lunch " program to carry on the school bus for the weekend (I personally knew families where weekend fare was powdered Kool-Aid.) We chose an elementary school I'd worked in years ago, learned enough tech to set up weekly volunteer jobs to maintain the program for a semester and explained it to members of the congregation, requesting that those who could do so either volunteer or donate. Our goal year 1 was 20 bags (= 20 students) and a commitment to weekly shopping, packing and delivering to the school. Funding started pouring in. Volunteers started committing. In this congregation of 120 families we ended up with 33 volunteers and 123 contributors. By our December eval, it was clear that the congregation had embraced the program. Families who were themselves just making it found ways to contribute.
Grateful as I was for the surprising response, I was and still am losing sleep over the knowledge that there are 150 children of the 600+ in that school who need the food to get through the weekend. There are families where one child gets a bag each week and the siblings don't.
The congregation kept working at it and this year we are doing 30 bags a week--that's 20% of the need. We've started receiving significant contributions from friends and relatives of congregants who are as far away as Texas, all helping us get to the 30 bags a week.
Sunday young families brought children aged 4-17 to pack 3 weeks worth of bags as part of a community outreach day. Before leaving they asked if they could come back again to help. The program matters, but also smacks of patriarchy despite our having no idea who the specific children receiving the bags are. And yet my nightmares continue.
What about the other 120 hungry kids? Why should we need this program at all? What happens if the Board of our congregation decides not to allow us to continue because the donations are needed elsewhere? What if the programs that feed these kids gets demolished? While I don't want the Canadian version of socialism, we need better answers, and we have needed them for well over 150 years.
I am just so in awe of you and your community on so many levels- what you’re doing, why it’s so magnetic, what you’re discovering along the way and also your focus on the heartbreak of all the work that still needs to be done. Our beautiful efforts aren’t enough, but they are absolutely indispensable
As usual, this gives all the feels. I've basically stopped listening to "political figures" that very clearly have never engaged in anything grassroots or community or neighborhood related. If a person has never borrowed a cake form and returned it with a slice of cake, or has never awkwardly attended a community gathering where nothing was left but pure humble humanity, I don't want to learn anything from them.
Thanks for the reminder that feeding each other isn’t charity, it’s civilization. Meanwhile, the suits on Real Time with Bill Maher are too busy congratulating themselves for being “reasonable centrists” while 42 million Americans brace for empty plates. We’ve got billionaires joyriding in space and kids licking condensation off bus windows for hydration. You want to know what patriotism looks like? It’s granola bars and funeral potatoes, not flag pins and tax shelters.
We are the safety net now because the government traded it for campaign donations. Every lasagna, every bag of granola, every shared shawarma is a middle finger to an economic system that only feeds shareholders. Feed people. Feed everyone because that’s how revolutions start, at the damn table.
I never watch Bill Maher (I don't have an HBO subscription, but even if I did, I would still avoid it like the plague!), but I will admit to checking out the listing every week because I find it amusing to see which awful guests he's booked. Which of these shows, from the current season, is the worst? I can't decide!
a) Louis C.K., Van Jones, Thomas Friedman
b) Thomas Chatterton Williams, Molly Jong-Fast, Walter Kirn
As a palate cleanser, may I recommend this delightful interview from last night's episode of "The Daily Show" featuring Jon Stewart and Zohran Mamdami? https://youtu.be/p2_cRrKScvE?si=pHMARK_JCclW64tU
The title of this piece has put “We take care of each other” by Daniel Tiger into my head on loop. I’m not complaining though; it’s a powerful reminder that if kids can learn about the power of community, so too can adults.
You did it, Garrett. You finally got me to upgrade my subscription 😛
Seriously— this one had so many things that hit. Thanks for your writing and your work and your humanity that inspires all the rest of us out here just trying to love each other well.
18 months ago the social justice action committee at my congregation was looking for another project. Believing that nothing would happen, I suggested we adopt a school and participate in the National Backpack program (bagging enough food for a child on the "Free School Breakfast and Lunch " program to carry on the school bus for the weekend (I personally knew families where weekend fare was powdered Kool-Aid.) We chose an elementary school I'd worked in years ago, learned enough tech to set up weekly volunteer jobs to maintain the program for a semester and explained it to members of the congregation, requesting that those who could do so either volunteer or donate. Our goal year 1 was 20 bags (= 20 students) and a commitment to weekly shopping, packing and delivering to the school. Funding started pouring in. Volunteers started committing. In this congregation of 120 families we ended up with 33 volunteers and 123 contributors. By our December eval, it was clear that the congregation had embraced the program. Families who were themselves just making it found ways to contribute.
Grateful as I was for the surprising response, I was and still am losing sleep over the knowledge that there are 150 children of the 600+ in that school who need the food to get through the weekend. There are families where one child gets a bag each week and the siblings don't.
The congregation kept working at it and this year we are doing 30 bags a week--that's 20% of the need. We've started receiving significant contributions from friends and relatives of congregants who are as far away as Texas, all helping us get to the 30 bags a week.
Sunday young families brought children aged 4-17 to pack 3 weeks worth of bags as part of a community outreach day. Before leaving they asked if they could come back again to help. The program matters, but also smacks of patriarchy despite our having no idea who the specific children receiving the bags are. And yet my nightmares continue.
What about the other 120 hungry kids? Why should we need this program at all? What happens if the Board of our congregation decides not to allow us to continue because the donations are needed elsewhere? What if the programs that feed these kids gets demolished? While I don't want the Canadian version of socialism, we need better answers, and we have needed them for well over 150 years.
I am just so in awe of you and your community on so many levels- what you’re doing, why it’s so magnetic, what you’re discovering along the way and also your focus on the heartbreak of all the work that still needs to be done. Our beautiful efforts aren’t enough, but they are absolutely indispensable
And a guten curd to you.
Lee, I hope you know I means this with my entire heart, guten curd.
As usual, this gives all the feels. I've basically stopped listening to "political figures" that very clearly have never engaged in anything grassroots or community or neighborhood related. If a person has never borrowed a cake form and returned it with a slice of cake, or has never awkwardly attended a community gathering where nothing was left but pure humble humanity, I don't want to learn anything from them.
(Clearly always here learning 💜)
Thanks for the reminder that feeding each other isn’t charity, it’s civilization. Meanwhile, the suits on Real Time with Bill Maher are too busy congratulating themselves for being “reasonable centrists” while 42 million Americans brace for empty plates. We’ve got billionaires joyriding in space and kids licking condensation off bus windows for hydration. You want to know what patriotism looks like? It’s granola bars and funeral potatoes, not flag pins and tax shelters.
We are the safety net now because the government traded it for campaign donations. Every lasagna, every bag of granola, every shared shawarma is a middle finger to an economic system that only feeds shareholders. Feed people. Feed everyone because that’s how revolutions start, at the damn table.
https://twvme.substack.com/p/when-the-cupboard-is-bare-we-shut
I never watch Bill Maher (I don't have an HBO subscription, but even if I did, I would still avoid it like the plague!), but I will admit to checking out the listing every week because I find it amusing to see which awful guests he's booked. Which of these shows, from the current season, is the worst? I can't decide!
a) Louis C.K., Van Jones, Thomas Friedman
b) Thomas Chatterton Williams, Molly Jong-Fast, Walter Kirn
c) George Will, Phil McGraw, Stephen A. Smith
d) Steve Bannon, Piers Morgan, Josh Rogin (VERY strong contender here)
As a palate cleanser, may I recommend this delightful interview from last night's episode of "The Daily Show" featuring Jon Stewart and Zohran Mamdami? https://youtu.be/p2_cRrKScvE?si=pHMARK_JCclW64tU
The title of this piece has put “We take care of each other” by Daniel Tiger into my head on loop. I’m not complaining though; it’s a powerful reminder that if kids can learn about the power of community, so too can adults.
Beautiful, sitting here with tears in my eyes.
You might enjoy this story, which is also about feeding each other.
https://open.substack.com/pub/elizabethlukehart/p/living-the-gift-economy-part-1
You know we all want to see the cheese curd pic, right? :-)
Seriously, though - thank you. Your words helped me to find clarity today.
You did it, Garrett. You finally got me to upgrade my subscription 😛
Seriously— this one had so many things that hit. Thanks for your writing and your work and your humanity that inspires all the rest of us out here just trying to love each other well.