Until recently, I felt good about giving to
food banks. Then I read the article, Savour the pleasure of cup
of cocoa, in Northern Life. A Cambrian College financial aid
officer encouraged students on a budget to use the food banks
to save money.
I was shocked, and the more I think about it,
the more disgusted I am. Food banks are not a cheaper
alternative to grocery stores. They are a helping hand, a last
resort, for hungry people.
I expect some abuse of this system, as with
any other, but I have always felt that this charity does much
good for people who need it. Now, however, my vague mental
picture of a poor family or person (perhaps a student) enjoying
a nice Christmas dinner has been replaced by one of a student
choosing the food bank over the grocery store so as to have
more money to buy beer. I'm afraid that they may be denying a
service to people who really need it.
Students should not use the food bank unless
they really need it. For my part, I'm going to try to forget
that I ever read that article.
Christina Visser
Lively