Tears this morning. I'm lucky. I've never had to use Meals on Wheels.

[hamsterjill]

Our local newspaper is reporting that Meals on Wheels is now affected by the cuts in funding for food insecurity. Three hundred and fifty seniors who are basically shut ins are affected. Doesn't affect me - at least not YET - but I found myself sobbing. Because I care.

One local business has agreed to fund the program for 90 days. It is a very muchly Republican leaning operation, but I'm thankful they have agreed to help. Then what? Is this the goal? To make local businesses and taxpayers fund these programs because we can't stand to see our neighbors starve?

Makes me so damn mad. What in the hell are we paying taxes for? I want my taxes to feed the hungry; not feed another freaking billionaire.

[leftstreet]

1. DURec

[Midnight Writer]

2. This may be a good place to remind readers to fund and support your local food banks.

There are a lot of desperate people among us who are about to become much more desperate.

I can't solve this problem, but at least I can help out the local food bank to hopefully get some food in folk's stomachs.

The GOP's vision for America seems to include people starving on the streets and in their homes, not being able to afford healthcare, not being able to afford a decent home, not having any job security, no limits on how employers use and abuse you, an economy that works for only a few.

Meanwhile, the billionaires will continue to rape our resources and people, all the while dancing in their billion-dollar ballrooms and cruising in their billion-dollar yachts.

[hamsterjill]

9. Very important!

This is obviously something proactive that we can and should do. Thank you for posting1

But I ask again, what am I paying taxes for? We must still continue to try to retake this democracy so that OUR money can go towards the causes that actually help people.

Please understand that I'm NOT arguing with your post. I appreciate your kindness in wanting to help others who are in need. I just wanted to reiterate the importance that we cannot give up in trying to change things - and I know you were not suggesting that we do.

[slightlv]

29. Our taxes are going for everything that we are fundamentally, 100% opposed to...

there is no other way to look at it. Everything that we built up in government for the good of the people is or has been torn down and demolished. Instead, we're now funding murders in the Caribbean. We're funding evangelical pogroms against POC, sexual diversity, and women. We're funding pure, unadulterated evil with our tax dollars.

[popsdenver]

49. My wife has already upped our

donations to Food Bank of the Rockies, and also to Meals on Wheels.................

PLEASE everyone, if you can, join us...............

[Skittles]

51. I agree

Last edited Fri Oct 24, 2025, 08:08 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm a longtime regular donor to my local food bank and will add some extra - the thought of people going hungry really bothers me. It should not be happening at all.

[JMCKUSICK]

58. Thank you for making this a local opportunity

Midnight Writer. That's ultimately what all of this is going to come back down to.
From the inside out, we need to protect and serve(sorry for the ironic pun) our neighbors, our neighborhoods, our communities, and out. That's the only way we keep our country.

[jmbar2]

3. Churches need to step up

Religious folk helped put this regime into power. Now they need to help with the consequences.

[quakerboy]

4. Some will

As long as people who come in for food bend the knee.

[AverageOldGuy]

5. My church's food bank

We are small food pantry, one of four operated by churches in our town. Local groceries donate food of all types that is about to expire; we pick up two days a week. Also get some USDA food -- beans, rice, oil, powdered milk, and the like.

We distribute each Saturday. Have gone for about 600 families per Saturday to almost 1,000 last Saturday and we all are dreading tomorrow.

Meanwhile, USDA shipments have dropped to half what they were.

I hate Trump and I hate Republicans. I know it did no good but I told a Republican acquaintance earlier this week about the food pantry load, his response was something about "Democrats caused it." I walked off, did not turn around in spite of his calling after me. Got home, blacked his number on cell phone and landline, blocked him on email, removed him from Facebook. I really do hate these fucking people. It may sound stupid but I'm am afraid of what I may do if confronted by another one. Going on 81, retired 30 years ago after 28 years in Army, Vietnam vet, Army Ranger, work out five days a week -- goddam but I am honestly afraid I will deck someone.

[hamsterjill]

12. I understand the anger.

I feel the same way. Many comments on the newspaper article that I reference in the OP were like "they need to get a job". Seriously? How damn ugly can one person be? No heart. No soul. And certainly NO empathy.

We have one church in our area that has a food pantry every Monday. They are well stocked. There are no questions and no qualifications. Anyone who needs food is welcome. I love this approach.

But how long can they operate when word and need spreads so that everyone who's hungry is coming to that location? They won't be able to keep up forever. The private sector cannot take care of the masses.

That's why we pay taxes!!!!

[llmart]

17. Well, maybe our next "protest" is for doing what trump does.

This next tax year in April we should all (approx. 8 million who marched) just refuse to file a return (well, except for those of us expecting a refund). He's probably gutted the IRS, so they won't have the resources to come after all of us. What can they do to us?

[BlueKota]

27. The private sector couldn't handle it after the great depression

That's why FDR start building the safety net. What some of these Magats are too dumb to realize is it just won't be Democrats getting hurt. It will be some of them and their family and friends too.

[slightlv]

32. Yes, but the Magats are already getting hurt

and still way too many support him and what he's doing... they do some kind of mumbo-jumbo cognitive dissonance to get around the words in their heads, but as long as they can say it's hurting those "others" they're okay with it. And that's the extent of their critical thinking -- own the libs. No matter who else has to hurt or die in the process. And no matter that the libs only tried to make things better for everyone.

[Diamond_Dog]

53. That's the MAGA answer to people losing SNAP .... "Get a job".

Homeless veterans, military families, working poor and their children, the frail elderly ….. all have to starve so the King can build his golden palace and ICE Goon Barbie can have two brand new Gulfstreams. How on earth does any American find this acceptable?

[Keepthesoulalive]

13. You are so cool

[BlueKota]

30. I have a hard time not saying to Republicans I know

"Right to life my fucking ass. You're willing to let people including children die of starvation in the U.S and around the world. The reason you are against abortion is not a religious one. You're just scared that there are not enough white male babies being born."

[Permanut]

55. Righteous post, AverageOldGuy..

You've shown once again that you're actually NotAverageOldGuy.. Navy vet here, going on 80, can't bench 180 now like I did 50 years ago.

Still 6'2 and 250 though, ready and willing to take on my share of the MAGAT pissants.

We can dream.

[twodogsbarking]

6. Housing is so expensive it is out of reach to many. Health care is so expensive it is out of reach to many.

Food is so expensive it is out of reach to many. Education is so expensive it is out of reach for many. Automobiles are so expensive they are out of reach for many. Ballrooms are so expensive but are more important.

[ShazzieB]

18. Housing is completely ludicrous,

Our rent just went up $200 when we renewed our lease this fall. TWO HUNDRED FREAKING DOLLARS!!! We like it here but we are going to HAVE to move when this year's lease expires. Probably to something way too small that we don't like as much, and that's assuming we can find something halfway decent for what we can pay!

Of course, this apartment complex is owned by a big rich corporation, which means profits are the only thing that matters! When can you tell that capitalism is out of control? When regular folks have to suffer so that bilionaires can get richer and richer, that's when!

[Farmer-Rick]

7. Most our food banks are run by religious organizations

You got to bow down to an imaginary being before they feed you. I guess it's no worse than bowing down to pedo Trump.

Around here the conspiracy is Texas bussed their homeless to our small East Tennessee town, because of the huge increase in homelessness in the county. They can't admit that the homeless increase is local and due to government policies by Pedo Trump and the Republicons whom they voted for.

I remember when we only had one homeless guy who rode around on a bike, lived in the woods and everybody knew him. We all gave him money at one time or another. He had psychological issues and couldn't afford to be treated.

We didn't have any Food banks until after the Bush crash of 2008.

[Hekate]

11. I'm sorry to hear that. My local Food Bank has no ties to religion that I know of, but solicits broadly in the community

They have changed their name to show a national affiliation & I have to go look that up to see what that means locally.

Ah, religion. I definitely know people who volunteer through their churches and synagogues, taking turns at the Food Bank and homeless shelters, donating personal time and money. I call that a blessing.

BUT — none of them that I know of ever make their giving conditional. That’s just wrong.

[questionseverything]

14. The Catholic Church runs a huge food bank and gives out bags of food twice a week

The only questions are, your name and number of family members living in the house 🏡

On the other hand, Salvation Army does require bible study and if you live there, chores

[ShazzieB]

21. The religious indoctrination is one reason why I never donate to the Salvation Army.

The SA does charitable works not for their own sake, but for the purpose of religious indoctrination. That doesn't sit right with me.

Other reasons I don't give to them are their reputation of LGBTQ+ discrimination and their anti-abortion stance. (They're not as rabidly anti-choice as some Christian denominations, but I don't want my limited funds going to any organization that opposes reproductive freedom even a little bit).

As you pointed out, not every charity associated with a church is in it for the purpose of religious indoctrination, and I applaud them for that!

[ananda]

50. My mother ran a Catholic charity for years and

anyone who came for help got it immediately,
no questions asked.

She didn't believe in poor shaming.

[Farmer-Rick]

60. Yeah, some churches want to help

But they all get some kind of religious corroboration from it. We don't need churches, religion or gods to feed the hungry. We can do it all by ourselves without some religious organization taking credit for it.

But religions got everyone convinced they are the arbitrators of charity and welfare for the people. Providing for the welfare of the people is in the US Constitution. Which, of course, is totally ignored by Republicons and the current Nazis in charge of our federal government.

[obamanut2012]

16. That is absolutely not true

The Salvataion Army and a few crackpot sects do, but most religious food pantries, etc. do not make anyone in need attend services, pray, etc. Here in Sacramento, we have a wonderful coalition of churches of all flavors in Midtown and Downtown in Sacramento who not only give food, showers, clothing, and other material to those in need, they provide a place to chill, charge phones, get a haircut, help with social welfare benefits, resumes, etc. Our church (Episcopal) is part of this coalition, and nothing is asked of anyone, only open arms and support.

[ShazzieB]

22. This is 100% correct!

I hate to see all churches and religious organizations lumped together like they're all the same, because I know from first hand experience that that's not the case!

[slightlv]

33. It used to be a normal aspect of church's giving to the people....

then when enough people said "Enough!" (and there was democratic support in all three branches), a law was created that stopped that kind of thing. After that, giving was to be unconditional. The churches couldn't demand that you first sit through a service, or need to make any promises, etc. before or after you were fed. I honestly don't believe churches abided by this "law" all of the time. Church power is too strong, in this country and others. There's a whole history of the Church being the power behind the throne in all kinds of ways. And, if that law still exists, I expect to see it dismantled before too much more time has passed.

[iluvtennis]

8. It's good to see private businesses and churches step up to help out, BUT we pay federal and state taxes to support

programs like Meals on Wheels, SNAP, ACA tax subsidies, PBS, NPR, Fish and Game life, National Parks, etc, etc., etc.

Our tax money should not be going to give the wealthy and corporations tax breaks.

[hamsterjill]

10. Thank you.

You understood my point! It's great and it's absolutely needed and desired that we help those in need. But we've still GOT to exert change. I don't want people starving when the Elon Musks' and Jeff Bezos' of the world have money for utter STUPID stuff while people - mainly little children and elderly people - are starving and dying.

Many of the comments on the local newspaper story were Repukes saying "people need to get a job". I'd like to know how in the hell they expect an 80-year old paraplegic to get a job. I'd really like to know that. When you ask them - crickets, of course.

It all breaks my old and tired heart!

[iluvtennis]

24. Ding, ding, ding! Great example with 80 y/o paralpegic. n/t

[AllaN01Bear]

15. our meals on wheels has several fund raising events a year because of prior budget cuts , etc

they are a great .org out there and i provide weather forecasting for them esp during during winter months . i was also a client at one time untill someone tampered with my meals .

[BeerBarrelPolka]

36. .

Someone tampered with your meals? I'd be interested in reading about that if you wish to discuss it. That's definitely a criminal offense.

[AllaN01Bear]

40. howdi

one day i found some strange meals in my bag. told the director about it and for saftey concerns the director decided to suspend service . not a loss though. this was a long time ago.

[BeerBarrelPolka]

41. Crazy

I wonder if you were targeted or was it widespread? Sorry it happened to you. I'm on Meals on Wheels again starting next week.

[AllaN01Bear]

43. was a single person. i agree, nuts . i do love your screen nick :)

[BeerBarrelPolka]

45. Thanks

[FakeNoose]

19. Some states will be able to cover the loss of federal funds, but most won't

I think Pennsylvania can keep it going for a limited time, for now. You're absolutely correct that private charities and churches will be overwhelmed with all the desperate people who have no other resources. This is a very sad time in America.

[SammyWinstonJack]

20. Tax the rich to feed the poor until there are no rich no more

Sounds like the thing to do.

[Evolve Dammit]

23. Thank you. Feel the same. Mom used them for number of years and it was a meal and social contact

[slightlv]

34. Yes! The Social Contact is every bit as important as the food, IMO.

These seniors are shut-ins for many different reasons. Sometimes, the only main contact they have with the world around them are the people who deliver their meals. And social contact is just as important for seniors, if not more so, than for other age groups. It can actually determine life expectancy.

[Evolve Dammit]

44. And the EMT's with whom she became quite familiar...Sad but true. Lifeline was huge.

[slightlv]

46. While living with us, my Mom got well acquainted with the EMTs, too...

Surprised the heck out of me, one time. I was headed for bed, dressed only in a long t-shirt, and went to see if she was ready for me to help her to bed (she was in the front room). I found the front room full of EMTs and police! A little concerning; a little embarrassing. She'd had one of her famous chest pains for which no reason could be found again. It became a problem when we got a note from Medicare that she'd gone through her yearly allotment of these types of emergency calls for the year... and it wasn't even summer yet. But Mom had one big issue... she *liked* being in the hospital. She treated it almost like a hotel with people there constantly to wait on her. (sigh) Strange thing is, when the EMTs were at the house, she was rude as hell to them. She was a narcissistic personality type and I had a long, strange childhood with her... I understood a lot of what she did and why, but there are some things that will always keep me in mystery.

[Evolve Dammit]

47. My mom could be mystery at times too. She once admitted : "I'm not a nice person"

I of course disagreed, but in retrospect she divulged the truth in an apparent moment of honesty. Took care of her for last 20 years and think she appreciated most of it.

[BarbD]

54. MOW is more than delivering meals.

They provide a check-in five days a week to people who are housebound.

[slightlv]

62. Yes, this is what we're saying...

the social contact, the conversations, the caring, the check-ins... AND the meals. It's all so important to the elderly. Some of these younger people don't even think about because it's not in their life experience yet. The rich... well, what do they need of MOW? It's just taking money out of their own pockets as far as they're concerned.

And now, as I've reached the age where cooking is sometimes more than I can handle and hubby and I go for weeks with no one but each other, MOW disappears. Thank goodness for DU. There are times I think I'd lose my sanity if it weren't for this place!

[electric_blue68]

64. You two stay safe!

[Hope22]

25. Add this to the grandparents and parents

Who are already feeding and housing their extended families. Maybe the churches can kick it up a notch! This entire thing is a manufactured disaster.

[Scalded Nun]

26. The goal is to aid in getting MoW recipients to die off more quickly that they are now.Takes you right back to the Nazis

If you need assistance, are old, are disabled, are the wrong color, the wrong gender identity, wrong religion, or wrong whatever the fuck they come up with for a new 'wrong', then you are pretty much useless except for maybe fertilizer.

And they want you to live in fear until they do come for you.

[slightlv]

35. Soylent Green! n/t

[Klarkashton]

28. That local right wing business knows deep down

That it's Trump's fault, so they want to do what they can to bail him out.

[markodochartaigh]

31. So many reich-wing religious people, and even libertarians

believe that all relief can be provided through churches. But when you show them the numbers, the amount of SNAP, WIC, etc. benefits compared to the amount of support provided by religious organizations the numbers prove that the same level of support would be impossible. Sometimes they say that if people didn't have pay such high taxes they would give more to churches, or if poor people would get all of their aid through churches they would attend the church, magically become better people, and find jobs. Really it is like everything else in the reich-wing believe-o-verse, based on belief and not fact.

[Wounded Bear]

37. Empathy - It's a Democratic curse...

Feeling others' pain with little or nothing to be done to alleviate it.

Repubs, for the most part, have none so are not affected by others' pain.

[Irish_Dem]

38. Kristi Noem needs more jets. Trump needs a tarted up WH ballroom.

People can eat cake.

[Clouds Passing]

39. Megachurches have plenty of money to pitch in. Get on it. They contributed majorly to this problem,

they can contribute majorly to feeding the seniors!

[Evolve Dammit]

48. That would be a Jesus-like thing to do, huh?

[Clouds Passing]

59. Jesus is too woke

[Trueblue Texan]

42. For now, it seems we pay taxes to make Dump more powerful and impress his sociopathic friends.

If we want people to be cared for, we have pay for it ourselves, AGAIN.

[yellow dahlia]

52. So damn mad!

[samplegirl]

56. This is so sad

Most likely the same thing will happen here soon in Ohio.
Maybe the morons who voted Trump can fund their parent or their grandparents food and cook it too.
Doubtful though.

How horrible!!!!!!


Project 2025 is moving quick.

[hamsterjill]

63. I always say that Texas is ground zero.

The Repukes try things here and if it works, they expand the idea. So it will be coming to a municipality near everyone soon I’m afraid.

[Vinca]

57. This morning when I watched some coverage about this on CNN, it struck me that now is the time for Democrats to

make some kind of deal with the GOP about proceeding to ACA negotiations and open the government. We can't let people starve. Just get the GOP to agree to immediate action on healthcare and to get the new member sworn in. After things progress, use release of the Epstein files as a threat to get the ACA subsidies extended. At that point we'll have enough votes and people will be receiving their new bills for insurance coverage. I don't think nonprofits will have enough funding to provide food to 46 million people. We will still be in a good position with the majority of votes to hang Epstein over Saint Mike. The GOP will also have the MAGA nuts upset because nothing is happening with Epstein.

[dugog55]

61. How is this any different?

Local businesses and concerned Americans providing money and/or food for for food insecure people. We have been doing this for years for military veterans. There are dozens of organizations that raise money to help out needy vets. Why? The US government sent them into wars, mostly with lies, but always for big business interests. Yet, when they come back damaged mentally or physically, they are cast aside. This leaves Americans that already have 70% of their taxes used to fund the military that is causing this problem. The government should be covering all costs and doing all they can to help these vets that they have put in harms way.

[Heftylefty]

65. Meals on Wheels

I live in senior housing with 100 other people, many of whom use Meals on Wheels and receive food stamps. We're all on Social Security, some receiving as little as $600/month. The average monthly food cost for a single adult in my state is $400. Many of us have dietary restrictions because of diabetes, IBS, celiac disease or other chronic conditions, and a limited diet is even more expensive. Local food banks are already empty and begging for donations. This next month will be hell, deliberately inflicted by those in power. They know "the peasants have no bread" and cavalierly reply "Let them eat cake!" How'd that work out for the French? "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -George Santayana

[hamsterjill]

66. I am so very sorry.

May I ask where generally you are located? There are DU'ers all over.

I'm in Texas and our local HEB food chain has donated $6 million toward food insecurity. That's in addition to the 90-day funding or Meals on Wheels that I referred to in my original post. But even that does not solve the problem because this is a government problem.

I totally agree that it is going to be hell for many, many and that literally hurts my heart. It's so stupid and it's definitely manipulated.