I sometimes feel bad when I arrive home, having forked-out additional monies on things we don't need in the way of grocery goods.
So many have to budget themselves right down to the last penny, and I just can't imagine how defeating that must be.
[/QUOTE]This! This is why every time--every time--every time--I go to Aldi, I pick up a gift card for $15 and tuck the receipt into the envelope provided with the card. I leave it with the cashier to give to the next person who comes through the line using EBT or fishing through a little coin purse for enough change to pay for their purchase.
The receipt is so that the person who gets the card knows it's not a scam. It doesn't matter how broke I am. I do it every time. $15 isn't a lot, but EBT recipients can only use benefits for edibles. That is, no soap, no paper products, no personal products. That $15 is sometimes a stretch for me, but it's $15 that could make a world of difference to the person who gets the card...maybe it makes it possible to buy ingredients for a child's birthday cake or a special holiday meal. Or toothpaste or toilet paper. I'll never know.
What I do know is that hard times don't just happen to other people. We don't know when we might be "other people."
How do I know that the cashier doesn't just keep the card? The same employees have been at the Aldi where I shop since forever, and they tell me about the reactions of the customers who get a card. We can't see what the cashier sees on their terminal, but it shows who's using EBT and sorts so that the customer's food purchases are tallied separately from products that aren't eligible.
What got me started doing this a couple of years ago, was that there was a lady in front of me with three toddlers and a lot of groceries. Her total was obviously more than what was available on her EBT, so she started sorting through what she had and took out a jar of instant coffee. All I could think was that here's a mom who for whatever reason can't work, gets EBT, and can't even have a cup of coffee. I took the jar and paid for it with my groceries and as I walked by her when she was bagging her own groceries, handed her the coffee and told her to enjoy it. She said "For me? Really?" and thanked me. I made a hasty exit because it looked like she was going to cry.
Could I donate $15 a couple of times a month to a charity? Sure. But that $15 twice a month helps somebody right now without having to explain or fill out a form or be embarrassed because they're reduced to asking for charity. It's just given, no questions asked. And unlike a charity, there's no overhead, no employees, just the whole $15 going to somebody all at once.
I'm not telling on myself for kudos, just that maybe somebody else will read this who would do it, too. Your usual store, a cashier who "knows" you, et voila! We can't save the world, but we can do a kindness one person at a time. $5? $10? Whatever we can squeeze out. Even just a little is more than nothing.
[/QUOTE]It's those like yourself, Georgia, that renew my faith in humanity. (((Hugs to you)))
When things got better she helped others in the check out line.
