Child Hunger Ends Here – Let Me Tell You What I Saw
A few weeks ago I went to lunch with my friend Erika. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and we decided to go somewhere local to have a healthy meal. It was one of those places where you head on up to the counter and order your meal, pay for it and you’re given a number so an employee can find your table and bring it to you.
I ordered a grilled chicken salad with honey mustard dressing. Pretty basic right? Apparently not. FOURTY FIVE MINUTES. I waited forty five minutes for my salad to be brought out and ultimately it was the girl who was delivering our food who made it.
For the first little bit Erika and I didn’t think much. We had some fun stuff to talk about but she had her salad in front of her and it looked good. After about ten minutes we start looking down at it then up around the room. I told her to go ahead and eat without me but we were having lunch together and she wanted to wait.
Then we noticed people getting angry. We were getting angry. It was closing in on thirty minutes now. Customers everywhere were demanding their money back and leaving the restaurant. While I planned on staying to eat my meal, I did get my money back.
Our tearful server came to return the money and we asked her what was going on. She said they weren’t staffed for a heavy crowd (HELLO! Warm sunny day in SC in February! DUR!) and they couldn’t get the food made and delivered fast enough. Erika asked where the manager was and we were told she was washing dishes. When Erika asked where the dishwasher was we were told they “Don’t have one”.
WHEW! You should have seen Erika go! We were in a seat that allowed us a view into the kitchen. You would not believe what we saw. Plate after plate of freshly prepared food going into the garbage. Customers were leaving and the manager was just dumping all of it out. She was yelling at the employees and we watched three quit, one included our waitress (we gave her $10 as a tip even though we didn’t pay – it wasn’t her fault).
My food finally came and as Erika and I are eating we’re watching the chaos around us and as we see more food get dumped in the trash Erika started getting really steamed up. I mean like watch out! I was so impressed with her drive and motivation. Seeing the manager at the cashiers station Erika asked what the problem was. She asked where the food was going and was lied to (I believe they said they were saving it) and Erika called them out. She pointed out the number of hungry people that food could feed and said if the restaurant itself won’t box that food up to feed the hungry, let us box it up and we’ll deliver it ourselves.
Nope. Never happened. We each complained to the company (she went above and beyond) but I’m not sure what the results were because we never heard back. Now I’ve gotten the opportunity to partner up with ConAgra Foods as they issue a call-to-action for people to get involved to help end child hunger in the U.S.. There are so many ways we can help and get involved in this campaign and it starts now. Here’s how you can help -
- Go Grocery Shopping – From March through May 2011, ConAgra Foods will embark on its largest branded initiative to fight child hunger in the United States. Consumers can purchase select ConAgra Foods brands and, when they enter their code online, the company will donate one meal to Feeding America – up to 2.5 million meals this during the time period.* Visit www.childhungerendshere.com and enter the eight-digit purchase code found on specially marked packages. Participating brands include: Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Healthy Choice, Fresh Mixers, Kid Cuisine, Marie Callender’s and Peter Pan. Every code entered is another meal that ConAgra Foods will enable Feeding America to secure through local food banks. Codes on specially marked packages can be redeemed through August 2011.
- Text to Donate – Consumers can make a financial contribution to Feeding America through a mobile giving campaign. Simply text “FEEDKIDS” to 50555 to make a $10 donation directly to Feeding America through June 30, 2011.
- Watch the Special – On March 19 in select markets**, “Child Hunger Ends Here: A Special Report,” a 30-minute special hosted by Al Roker with Natalie Morales, will premiere on NBC highlighting the personal stories of families struggling with hunger and showcasing how Americans can work together to tackle this issue. Check local listings for viewing times. During the special, viewers can also participate in an online event that will shed additional light on the child hunger issue. By following #ChildHungerEndsHere on Twitter during the broadcast, participants can ask questions from an expert panel, as well as learn about ways to get involved. In addition, a series of PSAs will run in select markets highlighting key child hunger issues and the text to donate program.
- Spread the Word – Individuals can get more information on the child hunger issue by following ConAgra Foods on Facebook and Twitter. When you become a fan at facebook.com/ConAgraFoods, you can see how your donations are making a difference and share your own photos and stories. You can also follow the issue and get the latest information at twitter.com/ConAgraFoods.
**Markets include Chicago, Dallas, Hartford, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Omaha, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Join me on Twitter @Momspective this Saturday for the live event held on March 19 from 7-8 p.m. ET with the hashtag #childhungerendshere and stay tuned in (I’ve always wanted to say that, sorry) over the next few weeks to read up on what I’m learning and what I’ve seen. Together we can all make a difference.
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me and I am being compensated by ConAgra foods for my work on this campaign. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. Even though I receive compensation for some of our posts or advertisements, I always give my honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.
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The waste when so many are in need is disgusting. When my middle worked in the deli dept of the mega mart here (AR) she would be in tears at the absolute ridiculousness. She asked her managers more than once if she could deliver it to the local soup kitchen or whatever.
It was things like if the chicken went one second over the couple hours sitting under lights it was tossed, if there were ends on the deli that were too small to cut, tossed.
She was told that the reason was if someone got sick the could be sued. She said I’ll sign a waiver and use it myself to feed friends who skip meals due to lack of finances or eat it myself or make sure only animals get it, I’ll deliver it to the aspca, I don’t care, just don’t toss it but was refused at every turn.
Our priorities are out of whack here, that’s for sure. Sorry, but really? Do those not sound like the dumbest excuses you have ever heard?
Wake up, America, get your heads out of your asses and notice how little it would take to make a difference.
dddiva´s last [type] ..WE GIVE A DAMN GIVEAWAY – Win Linkin Park T and Lady Gaga bracelet to aid Japan!
Please help spread the word on the work Blessings in a Backpack is doing to feed hungry American school children. Every dollar donated goes directly to food for weekend backpacks.
About Blessings in a Backpack
Blessings in a Backpack is a results oriented program. This unique program is designed to feed elementary school children whose families qualify for the federally funded Free/Reduced Price Meal program and have little or no food on the weekends. Better test scores, improved reading skills, positive behavior, improved health and increased attendance have all been attributed to the success of this program. It costs $80 to feed one American school child in our program for an entire 38 week school year. Blessings in a Backpack is currently feeding over 37,600 children in 216 schools across 32 U.S. states and three countries. We are Feeding the Future of America® – one school at a time.
http://www.blessingsinabackpack.org
There is definitely too much food going to waste in the USA! Sad story, Julie!
Barb´s last [type] ..Ferris Buellers Twist And Shout Scene-definitely a favorite of mine! Such a sophomoric movie- but fun!
Lie and sweetly just tell them you’re with the Food Bank, and you’d be happy to take any excess food off their hands, for which they’ll get a charitable tax deduction. Then find a Food Bank. Problem solved. You’re welcome.
Dr. B.´s last [type] ..WORLD CANNOT BELIEVE GADHAFI HASNT FUCKING LEFT YET
LOVE THIS!! Back when I started my consulting job, my company had a big recruiting event at a pizza place in Chicago. There had to be about 15+ pies left over. My friend and I asked what they were going to do with them and were told (no surprise) they were all going in the garbage. So we asked them to box them up and we walked back to the hotel we were staying at, and gave away pizzas to every homeless person we found. At one point, we ended up in a not so safe neighborhood, and a police car stopped and asked us what we were doing. He helped us give out the last of the pies and then gave us a ride back to the hotel. Should have seen the look on the faces of the people I worked with, when the police car pulled up outside the hotel and we got out of the back seat. Never did tell them exactly what we had been up to…
Stefanie´s last [type] ..You Have Better Things to Do Than Wait in Line
Good for you for standing up and saying something!
I’ve worked in so many restuarants I don’t think I have enough fingers and toes to count them all. There is a TON of waste (probably because America thinks portion sizes need to be that of what a horse would eat). This is one of those “out of site out of mind” things – we all need to do what we can to put it back in “site” so it’s not so easy for everyone to push it out of their minds.
Jennie @ Modern Mamaz´s last [type] ..50 Giveaway to Daily Deals Site Flipanincom
It’s pitiful that we live on one of the richest countries in the world and people here are going hungry. Great post, thanks for the info!
Raven´s last [type] ..Raise Your Hand if You Have a Dead Mouse in Your Purse
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