Man denied food for his 4-year-old daughter at Food Bank

The line at the food bank on Friday was the longest I have seen yet, with an unprecedented 2-hour wait, outside. Despite the balmy temperatures in Vancouver, you get cold after a few hours. I felt badly for the many mothers with their children in tow. I also see many of the same people at the food bank as I do at the centre for people with disabilities, so what does that say about how our culture treats the helpless?

I passed the time chatting with the man behind me in the line. He recently moved to Vancouver from Montreal, and like myself, is facing his first financial crisis as a result of having a great deal of difficulty finding work in Vancouver. He is appalled at the high cost of rent in our not-so-fair city, recently proclaimed the most expensive city to live in, IN THE WORLD. He's shocked by the shortage of work, and remarked, "This is a new experience for me." I can relate completely. Unemployment rates aren't any higher in BC than the rest of Canada, so why does is just feel so much tougher here?

He was telling me about his 4-year-old daughter, who wasn't with him that day, thankfully, since the wait was so long. He had left her with a sitter while he went to the food bank. I would have done the same. Who would drag a tot along unless you had to, right? She's better off warm and waiting at home. WRONG.

Although his child was registered at the food bank, AND he presented all of her ID, he was denied the right to claim food for two people, instead he was only given the single person portion, the same as I receive. (See below). I can barely feed myself on food bank supplies, how is he going to manage to feed his daughter?

Readers, you know what a huge supporter I am of the food bank, I'm always praising them for what they do, but the scene that unfolded before my eyes was a heart breaker. According to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society website page on How to Access Food @ https://www.foodbank.bc.ca/main/?receivingFood, it says,

"There are no requirements to access one of the depots except that all recipients must bring a piece of ID for themselves and any immediate family members for whom they are picking up food."

It doesn't say your child must be physically present or that you have to bring your kids to qualify. The man looked scared. It was like the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, but for real. I almost gave him my own food, but then my survival instinct kicked in, and I didn't. I regret that now. I should have given him mine, despite the fact that it's all I have to live on. Even though I'm now on EI, I have just enough to cover my rent and bills for my RA medications. Plus, I forgot to mention this in earlier posts, I have to take (doctor's orders) three kinds of specific vitamin supplements to counteract the side effects of the medications. They cost a bundle too.

Here's what I received for one week of food. Imagine trying to feed yourself and your child on this:

1 can of tuna
1 large package of egg noodles
6 eggs
2 cans of pop
5 apples
1 package of pre-washed, ready-to-eat spinach
1 box of couscous
6 large carrots
1 box of cinnamon oatmeal granola snacks
3 potatoes
1 can of fruit cocktail

That's all. That's it. Of course he got upset, maybe even used the f-word, I was out of earshot. But I did hear one of the nice lady volunteers say, "I don't have to put up with that kind of language." Sure. Uh-huh. But can you blame him? How can the food bank people deny his child food like that? I'd like to see that lady's reaction if she was in his shoes. She probably goes home afterward to her big house and her full fridge and pantry, feeling good about herself that she volunteers to help the needy.

What do you think? I'd love to hear some opinions on this topic.