Earlier this week a semi-truck filled with Little Debbie snacks turned over on an Oregon freeway, spilling its contents onto the road. Even though Little Debbie snacks are individually packaged, then in a box, which is then in yet another box, (whew!) the entire load was sent to a landfill. This was despite the Oregon Food Bank’s efforts to glean the truck’s contents for Oregon’s hungry, (who need a delicious treat now and then!)
Here is a piece on wastedfood.com that outlines what happened.
So I figured let’s get The Non-Consumer Advocate community working to request the folks over at Little Debbie to make a sizable donation to The Oregon Food Bank.
Click here for the compliments form to make the request. I chose the compliments form because I have found that the old “you catch more flies with honey than vinegar” adage rings true time and again.
So forward this post to your friends and family, let’s see what we can accomplish as a team!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
How disheartening! I’ve collected three bags of canned and boxed food from moving that I’m having difficulty donating to a food bank: I don’t have a car and the bags are really heavy, so even the place 20 blocks away is difficult to access (Fish, on Hawthorne). Plus, the that bank closes at 2:30, well before my roommate with a car has gotten home from work. I haven’t found a place that does pickups. It shouldn’t be this hard to donate to a food bank. You’d think that with three grocery stores nearby, one would have a food drop box. But nope.
Right now the food is in my old house’s garage, waiting for a time when I can at least convince a friend to help me schlep it to my new place.
Do you know of a Portland area food bank that does pickup?
Jess,
Have you called the Oregon Food Bank? They might know of a food drive in your area. Maybe even call a school nearby to see if they have a food drop box?
Keep trying, you’ll be glad you did.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
The Non-Consumer Advocate
Think of all the wedding, banquet and funerals and all the food that gets thrown in the garbage. I was at a banquet a few years ago and watched as the threw literally hundreds of dollars of fresh fruit, vegetables and deli meats into the trash. What is wrong with our society?
What is wrong is that the need for volunteers with cars isn’t being filled. I had done the same thing with a celebration we had and was on the phone with so many organizations, but no one was able to pick up. and my food was perishable :<(
The idea of writing complimentary posts to Little Debbie is praiseworthy, BUT
wouldn't it be much better for those who have no food to at least be eating food that has real value for the body??!!!! Wouldn't it be better to be going to the farmers and asking them rather than throw out fruits and vegetables (or not pick them, and ask for volunteers) to be directing them to those who need nutritious food?
I like your idea of framing it positively. Here is my comment (which I have already submitted to Little Debbie):
“I would be delighted if you would use the recent fiasco (of the truckload of snacks sent to a landfill instead of the hungry) as a learning opportunity. How wonderful if you would demonstrate that you understand how wrong it is to waste food when there are so many hungry people. Please make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank, and pledge to do all you can to fight hunger.”
Ugh – I hate hearing about things like this. It is really disgusting to see all the waste. Even at the hospital where I work – we see so much wasted food (ok the food isn’t that great to begin with, but I’m sure someone hungry would really appreciate it.)
Before we had kids and actually used to go out to eat downtown, I would always box up our leftovers to give to one of the many homeless people we’d encounter on our way to the car.
Speaking from the point of view of the company, I can totally see where they would not want to donate those items. There will be some crazy person that swears they got sick off those cakes that were donated. It makes more fiscal sense to just get rid of them, and forgo the future lawsuits.
I mean, think about it. You hardly want to buy foodstuff that’s expired. Why would anyone want to consume a food item that has been scattered all over a highway? I sure wouldn’t. And that would be regardless of the packaging. The elements that the food was exposed to along with the length of time would be a huge turn off as well.
That is too bad. I am sure some children would have really enjoyed those treats!