How the recession is affecting Thanksgiving.
How the recession is affecting Thanksgiving.
While many Americans will be sitting down to a hearty Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, too many others will go hungry. With the current recession and increasing unemployment, the number of Americans who lacked enough food hit a record high in 2008, and charities can’t keep up. A look at what’s going on around the country:
– Phoenix: “Donations aren’t meeting demand this year” at St. Mary’s food bank. They’re hoping to receive 26,000 donated turkeys, but by Monday they were only halfway there. “A lot of people who used to give as donors are now coming to us and asking for food,” said St. Mary’s Jerry Brown. “These 3 days are going to be make-or-break whether or not we’re going to be able to feed everybody this year,” Brown added.
– Mississippi: The Mississippi Food Network, which supplies non-profits throughout the state, has decided that it cannot provide turkeys this year “for the first time ever.” It expects to feed nearly double the number of people as it did last year and the cost of turkey has gone up.
– Houston: Organizers are expecting 25,000 needy people to show up at the convention center on Thursday, but they are almost “in the panic mode” as “more than a dozen companies that financially supported the dinner in years past have pulled out, and 60 percent of the remaining donors have scaled back their donations.” As of Saturday, they had fewer than a third of the number of turkeys they need and lacked “the traditional Thanksgiving Day vegetables.”
– Boston: The Greater Boston Food Bank gave out 38,000 turkeys last year. This year, a ticker on their website shows they have collected just 4,200 so far.
Hunger relief agency Feeding America found that 99 percent of food banks reported increases in demand for emergency food aid. But due to weak donations, 78 percent have had to reduce the amount of food provided and 55 percent have had to turn people away.
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November 24th, 2009 at 3:44 pmmaybe cut n’ run palin can give another speech in front of turkeys getting slaughtered again this year. that should quell her supporter’s hunger when they get turned away from the food bank for lack of food.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:45 pmAs Republicans use God’s name and wave a cross God sees them for who they really are. We watched GOP stall unemployment for so long now those millions of families wont get a check before Thanksgiving. We have seen that many more sick Americans will not live to see Thanksgiving or Christmas. Yes the Republican Party takes pride in knowing as the GOP sit down with their families to have a big Turkey Dinner other Americans will have nothing. This is what Republicans call Republican Religious Values. The Churches were in the back pocket of the Bush Administration as Priest were buying BMW’s with taxpayers money. We are now see for who the US has become from the 8 year crime wave of the GOP. Not one GOP Law Maker gives a thought of the suffering of those who voted them in office.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:49 pmThis is interesting. Our church usually collects food to distribute, but this year they told people they did not need food because the pantry was full. I do not believe that for one moment. I think the church was looking for a way to take a cut in the cash. A good number of us took the food to the other organizations collecting food and the church got nothing.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:51 pmI call for a halt to any snarkiness or humor on this entry. It’s serious business regarding donations for food and clothing this year, and I encourage people to stop and think about those less fortunate this holiday season.
I intend to make a few donations to the local food bank and clothing drive for the Big Boston Warm-Up. I ask for other contributors to do the same.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:53 pmBreaking OT: Ky. census worker killed himself, police say
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34130128/ns/us_news-life/
November 24th, 2009 at 3:53 pm“A lot of people who used to give as donors are now coming to us and asking for food,”
To highlight what should be the obvious, even to trolls.
We’re not talking “welfare queens” out to bilk the system. We’re talking about people who until recently were working and even contributing part of their wages to help other people out.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:56 pmhungry
November 24th, 2009 at 3:57 pmPurple State says:
I call for a halt to any snarkiness or humor on this entry.
Agreed. We are in trouble as a country and we need to find a way to stand together to get through it.
Support your local food pantries, give from the heart to those less fortunate.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:01 pm.
… But there’s ALWAYS money for war!
.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:05 pmCheney: So?
Teabaggers: Not our problem.
Faux: Lazy homeless scum!
Glenda: ACORN!!!!!!!
November 24th, 2009 at 4:10 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Greedy Wall Street bankers and executives are going to receive “billion dollar, tax payer funded bonuses” within the next few weeks. They stole that money from all of us and they’re laughing about it.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:12 pmI called Ed Schultz last year the day before Thanksgiving.
He was giving a free turkey to the first predetermined number of callers.
When he asked me to hold so his assistant could get my address, I said, ‘Ed, I want this turkey to go to a soup kitchen for the homeless’.
*Silence*
I must have surprised him, but he agreed. The next caller said, ‘Ed, I want to what that other caller just did’.
Now we were beginning to roll!
By day’s end, I had sparked over a 100 other callers to mimic my request, and, given that each turkey can feed about 10 people I figured I had played a part in about a thousand hungry mouths eating that day.
I’ll do the same this year, & Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:14 pmHi conservative guy.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:16 pmWe should really get together. I have so much I can teach you….
don’t lie, cancervative guy,
November 24th, 2009 at 4:16 pmyou’re favorite “charity” is the local crackwhore named charity who you pay to polish your knob since no one else will, shitstain.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
whether food, goods, or services, consider freeganism…
November 24th, 2009 at 4:21 pmYou think it’s total BS? Where have you been for the past eight years – or should I say the past 30? The regressive right has been the dominant force in our politics (except for the smushiness of Clinton), and Jackie is right. This is wholly-owned by the Republicans. And if you can find it in your heart to stop politicking, why doncha donate a turkey to somebody?
November 24th, 2009 at 4:21 pmmr puke@#17,
November 24th, 2009 at 4:21 pmprove it
Blow yourself, c.g., you grinch.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:22 pmThis illustrates how our priorities are so out of whack in our Country. My tax dollars go to fund the bonuses of the Wall Street and Banking Industry Vampires, yet we have Food Pantries that are running out of funds to feed the umemployed and families that are homeless or at best, hanging on by a thread.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:22 pmThen we have Canservitive Putz who couldn’t give a flying fcuk about it.
A pox upon your house, jerk!
Mr. Duke, please donate to a food bank or charity.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:23 pmWow. Even the topic of hunger doesn’t stop the trolls from being snraky or downright heartless.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:24 pmP.D. says,
Amazing, isn’t it? No heart, no soul, no hope, no compassion.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:27 pmWell…I guess conservative guy has a point…charity begins at home. The problem is, it shouldn’t stay there, and it shouldn’t involve one’s own person.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:28 pmI think the Muslims are on to something with their Ramadan Holiday.
Going Hungry during the Day, every day for a month, can’t help but make people SENSITIVE to the PLIGHT of the less fortunate.
And more Thankful for what they do have.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:31 pmJim@25, Just like yesterday when the thread was about that family who lost their Daughter-in-Law and infant grandchild. The trolls posts ran from the perspective that she should have had her own insurance to tough crap. Now THAT is heartless.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:34 pmI volunteered at our VFW foodbank this morning. This is the 1st year I can remember some people turning down the turkeys, they have no place to cook them!
Thursday we are doing the full dinner for the ones in need.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:38 pmI was following that thread yesterday P.D. I was going to chime in but I got so angry I couldn’t think straight enough to write.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:43 pm“How the recession is affecting Thanksgiving.”
Real sad. This will be the GOP’s legacy for allowing this country to be a carboned copy of a third world country. Heckava job, lawmakers, who stalled and voted no on the unemployment extension bill that passed which people are still waiting for a check.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:44 pmI’m sure all the people going to the food banks are liberals.
/snark
November 24th, 2009 at 4:48 pmThis is the 1st year I can remember some people turning down the turkeys, they have no place to cook them!
Kinda should make you think a little, shouldn’t it, beef?
November 24th, 2009 at 4:58 pmThis is the 1st year I can remember some people turning down the turkeys, they have no place to cook them!
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November 24th, 2009 at 5:04 pmHave there never been homeless in your area before? Just curious that’s all…
So who’s still stoked for Reaganomics????
November 24th, 2009 at 5:46 pmIt saddnes me that the US has endless BILLIONS to waste in IRaq and other countries they have no business in yet their own sheeple are going hungry. It just doesnt make sense.
Jess
November 24th, 2009 at 5:56 pmWhos watching you??
I have a no flagging policy. Can anyone help me out with this Privacy Center problem? Seems d ouche is a bigger deal than spamming….
November 24th, 2009 at 6:17 pmThen there are those of us who weigh having a free dinner with family against how much gas is in the car and what it would take to fill it enough to attend the festivities.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:32 pmtombaker says:
So who’s still stoked for Reaganomics????
Before Reagan there were few panhandlers in Chicago. After Reagan and the Republican Congress, you can’t walk anywhere in the business districts of major cities without see groups of homeless. That is the Republican contribution to society.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:33 pm“Donations aren’t meeting demand this year at St. Mary’s food bank”
The less religious Americans as a group are the less donations will be made to food banks.
And if you think I’m wrong can you really picture Palin’s supporters donating food for any reason other than religion?
November 24th, 2009 at 6:41 pmOT
BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina is being investigated by the state’s attorney general for a recent mailer and spate of robo-calls in opposition to the public option, according to a company spokesman.
American Future Fund (AFF), the shadowy conservative advocacy group that’s working to undermine state laws against robo-calling, has ties to DCI Group, a Republican lobbying firm with a reputation for dirty tricks and shady clients. And a closer look at AFF suggests the group has been designed to carry out political attacks while escaping scrutiny from the press and public.
So jobs are hard to find – health costs are skyrocketing – people are desperate; their numbers are overwhelming charities. And we have the rich bastards of the nation, the insurance companies, the politicians, and the chambers of commerce employing these tactics to sway votes in their favor.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:42 pmApparently the sight of desperate Americans doesn’t move them.
I am currently unemployed and have plenty of time on my hands therefore I have had plenty of time for hunting. After filling my own freezer I have donated two deer to Harvest for Hunger and it is not even gun season yet. I have three more deer tags and if I am fortunate enough to fill them then there will be three more deer donated to Harvest for Hunger. This year is on pace to double last years donations and I suggest that any hunters try it as it only costs the hunter a deer permit.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:52 pm#21, I could care less what you think.
Stagoculus, I admire your donating deer meat to feed the hungry. As a hunter myself I also give my meat to people.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:26 pmKeep the taxes coming and Charities suffer!
November 24th, 2009 at 11:11 pm#3 Jackie says:
Total, Total BS.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:12 pmPS.
Our office (90% conservative) are having our annual auction right now with proceeds going to our local food pantry. We raised $10K for the ‘Home for out Troops’ program this summer.
http://www.homesforourtroops.org/site/PageServer
Are you Progressives actual doing anything for the poor, food pantry or charity or just giving lip service?
November 24th, 2009 at 11:29 pmAre you Progressives actual doing anything for the poor, food pantry or charity or just giving lip service?
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November 24th, 2009 at 11:58 pmFunny you should ask Kenneth. I was just announcing my war on christmas challenge. I assume you will want in…
Between now and the new year we can make a difference….
November 25th, 2009 at 12:10 amThe challenge is easy…
conservative guy says:
#21, I could care less what you think.
Well, I think you’re totally deluding yourself.
You totally DO care what I think.
See, if I agreed with you, you wouldn’t be getting the pleasure of seeing someone anonymous and unconnected from you going apeshit over comments.
But if someone disagrees with you? Hoo, that’s pure adrenaline, isn’t it? Nothing like making someone you don’t know angry.
I encourage you donate anyways. It’s the right thing to do.
Scrooge. Go humbug yourself.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:10 amKenneth says:
Are you Progressives actual doing anything for the poor, food pantry or charity or just giving lip service?
$100 worth of groceries to the Greater Boston Food Bank.
Match my contribution.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:15 amPeople don’t have enough money to donate to food banks, but the government thinks we can afford to make forced payments to insurance companies?
Brilliant!
November 26th, 2009 at 3:09 pm