Help The Homeless On A Budget: Bulk Food For The Needy

Just because times are rough doesn’t mean we should stop helping those in need. While you may be struggling to pay your Internet bill, there are more and more people everyday struggling to feed themselves and find a place to sleep. With just $10 dollars you can feed up to 60 people. Continue reading to learn how.

A few weeks ago in the early morning I saw a homeless girl, in her early 20’s begging for change on the side of the road. She seemed incredibly sad and miserable, almost as if she were holding back tears. Her cardboard sign read “HOMELESS. ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED. ANY JOB IS APPRECIATED. GOD BLESS”. While I felt pity for her, I did nothing and simply drove off once the light turned green. I drove by again midday and saw her standing in a different spot talking to some other homeless people. Since the day had gotten hotter she’d removed her coat, and I saw that she was pregnant! I instantly felt like crap for not having helped her earlier in the day. Having done nothing but stare and feel pity for her. Pity never helped anyone, you must take action!

I drove down the street to the nearest fast food joint, a Burger King, and purchased two burgers, some fries, an apple pie, and an orange juice. All for $5 dollars off the $1 dollar menu. Not the most nutritionally balanced meal, I know, but beggars can’t be choosers. I’ll take some fast food before starving any day. She gratefully took the food and shared with her friends as I drove away.

I usually justify not giving money to the homeless by telling myself that I don’t know if the money will be used for food and other necessities, or a pack of smokes, drugs, and alcohol. Yet I do feel guilty when I see them standing out in the cold, begging for change, while I speed off in my safe and toasty car, impervious to the elements.

Addiction and homelessness are often intertwined, joined at the hip. With the addiction often being the cause of homelessness. So it’s not uncommon for homeless people to be alcoholics and junkies. I don't care much for the tobacco, alcohol, and drug industries, so the last thing I want to do is support them financially by proxy with my hard earned cash. While I want to help the homeless, I just don’t see giving them money as an option. There are plenty of people who share this view.

To solve this problem I’ve come up with a simple and obvious solution. I purchase long shelf life foods such as nutrition bars, crackers, and drinks in bulk, at low prices, and keep them in my car at all times. When I see a person asking for change, I simply reach into the “food box” and give away food instead of cash.

I bought all these items at BJ’s Wholesale Club. BJ’s is great for all kinds of bulk purchases, such as batteries and toilet paper, and other essentials.

Nutri-Grain 48 pack $10.99 @ $0.22 each

Quaker Oats 48 pack $7.59 @ $0.16 each

Nature Valley 60 pack $8.39 @ $0.14 each

Austin Peanut Butter crackers 45 pack $5.69 @ $0.13 each

Austin Variety Pack 45 pack $6.99 @ $0.16 each (Next time I’ll stick to the peanut butter pack. It’s cheaper and healthier.)

Minute Maid Juice 40 pack $9.69 @ $0.24 each

ALL THIS FOR A TOTAL OF $49.34!

Sold individually, these snacks sell for an average of $0.60 at convenience stores. $0.40 for a drink and snack for every homeless person I encounter is something anybody can afford.

I have found that I save a lot of money doing this instead of giving a dollar away here and there, or buying some fast food for those cases that really tug away at my heartstrings. I now give to all homeless people who come across my way, not just the really bad cases, without worrying about my charity being squandered on tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.

I grew up poor. Not homeless poor, but pretty poor. Some days were worse than others. These were the days when complete strangers would lend a helping hand, usually by helping my family out with food. Now that I’m doing better off financially (I’ve gone up from low lower class to upper lower class!), I’m happy to be the random stranger helping somebody down on their luck.

Try it out. This way you can avoid having to pretend there isn’t a miserable, down on his luck guy begging for change right outside your window. Feels nice too.

Some Suggestions

*Be sure to keep track of expiration dates.  For example, I give away the Nutri-Grain first since it has the shortest shelf life. 

*Don’t leave the food too long in the car in hot weather, it will go bad quicker. Just carry less when the weather is hot.