#MiddleburyCT #FoodBank
A few months ago, I escorted three very nervous elderly ladies to the food bank. By “escorted,” I mean I had to scout out the situation in advance, come back with a report (no, the food bank staff wouldn’t ask embarrassing questions about finances) and then actually take the ladies to the food bank in my car to pick up their groceries. Fast forward a few months, and I’ve just learned that said ladies actually went to the food bank by themselves today … and had a wonderful time.
You wouldn’t think that “wonderful time” would be an apt description of a trip to a food bank, but they were delighted by the whole experience. For this pickup, the food bank did things a different way: Having received an abundance of donations from various places, this time they invited their “guests” into the storage area and allowed them to pick out exactly what they wanted for their holiday meals.
One of the ladies chose a small turkey, another a turkey breast to be made into sandwiches and pot pies, and the third a ham for future casseroles, knowing that they were going to split the bounty when they had holiday meals together. They negotiated their way up and down the storage area aisles, accompanied by a friendly staffer, chatting about potential recipes and collecting a wider variety of foods than each would get individually during a typical food pick-up.
I’m told I will be a recipient as well: I am invited to share their meals when they carve the turkey, make the sandwiches and turn the ham into delicious casseroles as my reward for having introduced them to the joys of the food bank.
The food bank is to be lauded for their largess this holiday season. They might never know just how happy they made those three ladies.
© 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
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