GIVING

It is Better to Give Than Receive

In a farewell speech to the elders at Ephesus, Paul attributed the quote “it is more blessed to give than receive” to Jesus.

There is truth in the saying. SNAP benefits ended for some 42 million food insecure individuals on November 1. The issue has been the subject of numerous discussions between Jodie and I—about the tragedy inherent in this human caused situation.

I know a thing or two about food insecurity. Although SNAP has been in place since the 1930s, I never heard of it as a kid in the small northeastern town of Rayville, Louisiana, where I was born and was living as a kid in the 1950s. We did not get food stamps or welfare. But each month we could go to a local warehouse to pick up “government commodities”—canned meats, butter, cheese, dried eggs and milk to supplement our food sources. It was hard for my single mom, raising five kids on an $18 a week income with a $35 a month house payment.

Us poor folks, mostly Blacks and a fewer “white trash” whites, braved the community disgrace by picking up “those commodities.” But those commodities, especially the block cheese and bread (a nickel a loaf then), often quieted the “growling” in our small hungry stomachs.

There are nearly 2,000 SNAP recipients in Bandera Country. Some have kids who are hungry as I write this. On Tuesday Jodie and I went through all our food cabinets, putting together a number of boxes of canned food and packaged meals—most coming out of my secret utility room pantry where I store my “good food stuff” that Jodie does not really eat.

We took the food items to Silver Sage—a local nonprofit that helps feed the needy (meals-on-wheels, etc.)—a great group of people. The group’s representative said 7 families had been in the day before seeking food, so what we donated was not going to last long. He was so grateful for our donation.

Yesterday we went to the local Lowe’s grocery and bought nearly $100 in food—the kind Silver Sage likes—the packaged soups and canned goods that make for “easy to fix” meals. We also picked up loaves of bread and sacks of potatoes. All the staple kind of stuff. We’ll do it again this weekend.

Silver Sage was so happy with the donations because they really needed them. As I watched Silver Sage unload the car, I knew that some skinny kid who resembled me picking up those “government commodities” would not go to sleep this night with a growling stomach.

You know, I got two dogs and we feed them well. I also feed the deer every day just as Jodie feeds the birds. We can at least help feed some hungry children. We all can, and we all should. That’s a moral obligation we share with the family of man.

And there was a moment of levity. As we unloaded our grocery basket onto the grocery checkout counter, a much younger rural couple was standing behind us in line. The look they shared between them was like, “what the fuck are those old people going to do with all those cans of beans, corn, and Ramen noodle soups?” They turned and went to another checkout line.

I felt good. You can have the same feeling by simply spending a few dollars for groceries to feed hungry kids or by dropping your check off at the local food bank.

We can’t save every child. Those rich billionaires like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel won’t let us. They want to spend $300 million to build a ballroom next to The Peoples’ House where they can Epstein wine and dine. That’s the world we have – and it’s pretty much been that way since the monkey decided to stand up and walk.

But we can make a small difference.