I have been out of town for a few days and away from my
\ncomputer.\u00a0 I THOUGHT I knew what I wanted
\nto sit down and write about this evening now that I am home.\u00a0 But then I met someone at the Little Yellow Free
\nPantry who inspired me to tell you something else tonight, something more
\nimportant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There is a meme that has been circulating for a couple That premise bothers me.\u00a0 But some of the guests who come to the Little Yellow Free Tonight when we got home, I filled up the pantry.\u00a0 <\/span>Some amazing volunteers filled it while we were A guest saw me under the light of the porch and said \u201cOh, yes ma\u2019am, there is food in here,\u201d they assured me I didn\u2019t think I had met this person before (but I admittedly \u201cOh, oh no. \u00a0<\/span>There Ahhhhhhhhh.\u00a0 <\/span> The flip top. That short sentence \u2013 it needs to have a flip top \u2013 says so Oh, how I wished I could pop downstairs to the storage area I was happy to see that they had waited for me.\u00a0 <\/span>They took a few things (the pre-cooked rice \u201cThat is plenty, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 I ran inside to grab them a bag since their backpack was When I went back outside with the bag, they asked my \u201cI am re-joining the military,\u201d they said. \u201cAhhhh, this is a scary time to be doing that\u2026\u201d I said \u201cYes ma\u2019am, but it is necessary,\u201d they told me. I looked them in the eyes and said, \u201cCome back anytime.\u00a0 <\/span>You are welcome here.\u00a0 <\/span>And THANKS.\u00a0 And just like that, they walked off into the night.\u00a0 <\/span> Thank you for the reminder, kind stranger, that flip tops Because given the choice of singling people out for needing \u00a0<\/p>\n And to whoever raised this child:\u00a0 <\/span>I wish I could meet you.\u00a0 <\/span>I wish I could tell you that you did a good They are well. And if we can help them even in the slightest, we Because whether it is a flip top can, a can opener, or a Thank you for the reminder, solider.\u00a0 <\/span>Thank you for your service. If you are able to help us keep the Little Yellow Free –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This is our Amazon wish list, items ordered here ship \u00a0Little Yellow Free Pantry Wish List<\/a><\/p>\n If you prefer to shop somewhere else and need a shipping
\nyears talking about what you \u201cshould and shouldn\u2019t\u201d donate to food pantries. \u00a0<\/span>To be honest, it has always bothered me.\u00a0 <\/span>One of the things it emphasizes is that you \u201cmust<\/u>\u201d
\ngive canned goods that have flip-tops, because \u201cwhat good is a can of food if
\nthe person cannot open it?\u201d.
\n<\/span>I had a hard time putting my finger on WHY, but I think it is because it
\ndehumanizes people experiencing food insecurity.\u00a0 <\/span>It assumes that they all live on the streets,
\nor in tents, or other places with no access to can openers, let alone kitchens.\u00a0 <\/span>But the reality is \u2013 many, many people who
\nare food insecure have housing.\u00a0 <\/span>They have
\njobs.\u00a0 <\/span>They have kitchens<\/i>.\u00a0 <\/span>They just do not have enough food<\/b>.\u00a0 <\/span>If they can get help in securing food, they
\ncan survive and often thrive.
\nPantry are<\/i> experiencing homelessness.\u00a0
\n<\/span>They do not have access to refrigerators or stoves or, like the meme
\ninfers, they don\u2019t even have access to can openers.\u00a0 <\/span>And they are the reason that we always try to
\nhave can openers in stock, so that when we see a need, we can hand one out.
\naway, but it felt good to be back to select the items to put in and to set them
\ncarefully on the shelves.\u00a0 <\/span>Guests started
\ncoming as soon as it was filled, and at one point I was stepping out onto the
\nback porch so that I could pop out to the pantry to see what had been taken and
\nneeded to be replaced.
\nhello.\u00a0 <\/span>I walked over to greet them and
\nask if there was enough food inside.
\npolitely.
\nhave a bad memory).\u00a0 <\/span>I asked if there was
\nanything special they would like or needed.
\nis food here.\u00a0 <\/span>I will take some of this,\u201d
\nthey said sweetly, sounding like so many others who come for help \u2013 thankful and
\nnot wanting to be a bother.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026\u00a0 <\/span>It needs to have a flip top.\u201d
\nmuch, doesn\u2019t it?\u00a0 <\/span>It says, basically, I am
\nhungry.\u00a0 <\/span>I do not have food.\u00a0 <\/span>I likely do not have housing.\u00a0 <\/span>And, of course, I do not have a can opener.
\nand bring up a can opener like I normally do, but I had given away the last one
\na week ago.\u00a0 <\/span>But I convinced the guest to
\nstay while I ran down and brought up some other items for them to choose
\nfrom.\u00a0 <\/span>I brought up:\u00a0 <\/span>pre-cooked cups of rice that can be eaten cold
\nor heated, pre-cooked pasta and pre-cooked meatballs and sauce that come in
\npouches, a cup of soup that is ready to heat and eat (or eat cold).\u00a0 <\/span>Toothpaste and a toothbrush.\u00a0 <\/span>A Pop-Tart. Spam.\u00a0 <\/span>Tuna.\u00a0 <\/span>Fruit
\ncocktail.\u00a0 <\/span>Peas \u2013 all cans with flip
\ntops.\u00a0 <\/span>And a few other items for them to look
\nover.
\nand meatballs were new to them and I think they were excited to try them).\u00a0 <\/span>
\n<\/span>I do not want to take too much.\u201d
\nalready heavy and full.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nname.\u00a0 <\/span>I told them, and they told me
\ntheirs.\u00a0 <\/span>The explained that they had just
\nspent their money to go visit their birth state (I am guessing family) and
\nthings were very tight right now.
\nout-loud what I probably should have kept to myself.
\n<\/span>Thank you for being willing to serve our country\u201d.
\nare important for some.\u00a0 <\/span>And the reminder
\nthat we need more can openers.\u00a0 <\/span>
\nflip tops, or equaling the playing field even a tiny bit by making sure those
\nwho need them get can openers<\/i>, I choose the can openers every time.![](\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjRS3vCeTYCoR_X23kCXWeMepd6RZpUHzro88smeWqhLVlYkzXlOd1mGiuEBJRvkr4nyGWp1-ck-P1Sn8lZHBiGlo-5wkydjJimuu40YOonSYqpQGVY35zsHOIERCMjIq0w0fi-FrkHXkOdXIg0uaW7s5RtY5ZwluBcmJrYyYER30m0s3jabMJ2_Jh32Ted\/s5184\/DSC06413.JPG\")
<\/a><\/div>\n
\njob.\u00a0 <\/span>Your child is kind and polite and
\ncaring.\u00a0 <\/span>They are careful to share with
\nothers.\u00a0 <\/span>They are working hard to find
\ntheir path.
\nwill.\u00a0 <\/span>
\ngenuine conversation, we will give what we can.\u00a0
\n<\/span>
\nPantry (based in South Arlington, Virginia) filled, currently most needed are:
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Manual can openers of any sort (we are out)
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Heat and eat soup in cups (like Campbell\u2019s
\nChunky Bowls or Sipping Cups) (we have 4 left)
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Cans of ravioli or spaghetti and meatballs
\n(those also do not need to be cooked) (almost out)
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Gatorade (any flavor\/size) (almost out)
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Chef Boyardee cups of heat and eat pasta dishes
\n(we are out of these)
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Cans of Vienna Sausages (we are out)
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Cans of salmon
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Cans of corned beef
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Flip top cans of corn
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Pre-cooked pasta in pouches
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Canned tomatoes of any kind
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Canned potatoes of any kind
\ndirectly to us:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\naddress, please email us at:\u00a0 <\/span>KindnessActivist@gmail.com<\/a> .