How can I get better food shelf supplies in my area?

This is great timing for your question because the week before Thanksgiving week is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

First understand that most food pantries (what you call food shelf) have food that comes from a nearby foodbank or donations from people or groups in the community. For more info on foodbanks see http://www.feedingamerica.org./ Generally foodbanks have 2 typed of food. What is called USDA or SNAP (federal or state nutrition assistance) which is in date normal size cans mainly vegetables, dried beans, rice, and sometimes tuna, soups, some cereals. And "salvage" bent cans, close to out of date, did not sell well type things. There are cumbersome requirements on the federal and state products - who can get it, how many cans they can get, and sometimes no choice about giving each household the same things, and a good bit of paperwork involved. "Salvage" has fewer requirements and in general is brands you are used to seeing in stores, and a lot less paperwork. Therefore some food pantries choose to carry only salvage foods.

Also understand that the reason you may not recognize brands is that when major food processors have extra that they are going to donate or when USDA has produce canned it is going to carry a different label even if canned by the same company from the same sources. Different people have different food preferences. You complain about small serving cans and maybe don't understand that when something is free it is not all that much work to open a 2nd or 3rd can. A senior citizen living alone or a mom with one small child may prefer the small can that can be used in one meal especially if they have no way to refrigerate the leftovers. Amazingly I have even had people specifically ask for spam (why I can't imagine). Some people have no way t9o cook, some have no homes and food pantries try to help them too.

Now how to make things better. Get permission from your school and /or church to put boxes in the lobby for people to donate nonperishable food. Get a couple of buddies to volunteer with you to get permission from local stores to set up and man food collection stands there one Saturday a month or a quarter. Do not just leave collection boxes at stores. Stuff gets gone and the box becomes a garbage can. Sad but true. Put up signs suggesting helpful products to donate - canned meals like spaghetti, , tuna, canned chicken, stew, pizza kits, just add water mixes, spaghetti sauce, complete meal boxes, cereals, also TP, soap, etc. You'll still get green beans a plenty and whatever is 3 of 5 for $1 and buy one get one free, but some people will get what you suggest. Learn food and hunger facts (see feedingamerica) especially local info. Write letters to the editor of the paper, ask to talk with local radio and TV people. Keep making people aware. They get into their own lives and forget.

Find some people who do work with Food Security in the Farming community near you. You could volunteer to work for food or they may have a program that is there to help your family already.

You are in high school and if your family is in need it may be time for you to get a part time job so you can help feed the family. I did it at 15, sadly, but the truth is you have to be willing to help yourself.

Another place to check are local religious places (Churches, Mosques, Synagogues) They often have programs to help, especially around holiday times. Or, your local Community Services.

Where do you live (generally, not specifically)? I'm happy to help point you in the right direction for some help. DM

We feed the Canidae.. stay in a small city and could locate it 3 places regionally.. we've chanced on it greater low-fee on the interior of sight feed save.. large dogs nutrition, dogs like it, do o.k. on it.. we've tried almost each and every thing obtainable over the years.. The Canidae is the single we stayed with.. marvelous coats, yeasty ear venture long gone, not greater nutrition allergy, effective poop, quite some power.. i won't be able to say adequate approximately it. I rather have a male who not at all eats whilst the ladies are in warmth. we are continually attempting to make sure a thank you to get him ingesting.. The Canidae.. the ladies may be in warmth and he would not supply up ingesting. This recommend to me that he likes the nutrition so properly that even females in warmth are not going to resign him from having dinner!

It is admirable that you want to make a difference. The best thing you can do is arm yourself with some supplies that you would want, and going down there, helping to clean up, etc. A case of canned goods and an hour or two of your time every few weeks does make a difference.