Broke mom tries to pay for groceries for hungry kids with quarters. Store refused. [View All]

[Liberal_in_LA]

Mom Denied Groceries for 'Hungry Children' Because She Can Only Pay in Change

A mother, who's too embarrassed to release a photo of herself or her name, was denied at a grocery store when she tried to pay for her hungry family's food in loose change. The woman who's using the name "Jean" to get her story out said, "We had nothing to feed our children with. So we broke out the change."

Jean says that she brought $32 in quarters to the Save-a-Lot in Portland, and grabbed what she could afford from the store. When she got to the register, she told the clerk, "I have change. Sorry, it’s hard times right now." And he pretty much said, "Oh, hell no."

Actually, according to Jean, what he really said was, "Well, we can only accept $5." To which Jean responded, "It's money. Money's money." But he wouldn't budge. Jean was "mortified," so she went to another grocery store, where, at first, she was met with similar results.

The manager of the second store refused to accept her change as well, and instructed to her use to the change machine, which charges a 10 percent fee. Jean couldn't afford to lose the money, so she broke down and started crying in front of another customer. The stranger was moved by Jean's tears -- and disgusted with the store's policy -- so he told her he'd buy her change from her at no fee. After hearing that, the store agreed to just pay for the fee if she used the change machine.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/128227/mom_denied_groceries_for_hungry

"We apologize for the inconvenience the customer experienced at the store," said Fred Meyer Public Affairs Director Melinda Merrill. "Receiving change for a payment is a rare occurrence. Fred Meyer stores do accept change as payment and we will work with our store directors and management teams to ensure they know this."

•QFC would only accept $5 or $6 in loose change.
•Albertsons said they would only accept $5.
•WinCo and Safeway didn’t have a cutoff, but said they tell customers to use the change machine.
•Only Whole Foods and New Seasons were open to accepting change, no matter what the amount.



http://www.katu.com/news/local/133019318.html?hpt=us_bn7