The Gum Drops Program

[Hamish]

Booliteers,

A very special woman that my wife and I got to church with was talking to one of our grade school teachers while she paid her water bill. The teacher related about a couple of kids who were going hungry on the weekends. You don't tell Amy about kids going hungry, somethings liable to get done about it.

That was 4 years ago, and we make up a little wal-mart sack of snacks and microwaveable food for well over 1,000 children, to tide them over the week-end, every week of the school year, in 35 schools over 6 counties. A child has to ask an adult to get into the program. (Mull that one over.) This is the real deal guy's.

http://gumdropkids.org/
http://gumdropkids.org/news

Thanks, @(:^]#>::: Hamish

[sav300]

Hamish. a little something on the way to help Amy and the kids.

[wgr]

thats way to cool

[Olevern]

Inspired program, could be duplicated anywhere.

[bbs70]

An outstanding idea, I love it.
I don't mean to sound like a butt hole.
But, I'm also wondering why children in this state ,with all the welfare programs, are going hungry.

[ErikO]

Much like on this side of the river, parents tend to make just enough that they fail to qualify for the overburdoned programs. When the middle class gets stepped on we end up the working poor. That is the group that most Politicians who crow on and on about those 'feeding at the government's teet' willfully ignore.

WIC guidelines have gotten tighter. If you have a job you get nothing.

Hamish, god bless you and your wife for finding room in both your hearts and pocket books to help your neighbors. May your work inspire others to do the same in their areas.

[bbs70]

Ericko, you are right.
Some people make just enough to keep them from qualifying for any sort of help.
They work their tails off and do the best they can, they pay taxes & etc like the rest of us.
But when it comes time when they might need a bit of help, they can't get it because they make a dollar or two more than they are allowed.

What I'm use to seeing in my area is welfare people who are on drugs, drunks, or just plain too lazy to work.
But they have plenty of food, they have clothes, vehicles, boats, government housing etc.
Their kids have cell phones, play stations, computers.

So sometimes it is hard for me to feel sorry for people after seeing all of this going on.
I have to stop and remind myself not everyone who needs help is lazy, they just need a bit of assistance to get back on their feet.

[ErikO]

Yeah, I've ridden public transportation with folks that live in my area and have better/newer phones than I do. Makes me wonder just how much they pay each month for phone service when they could ahve moved to a better area closer to where they work.

I also see a lot of new-looking cars in my neighborhood as well. Mine's 11 years old now, but it still looks new so I'm sure that there are several folks that see my car and wonder why I didn't just move somewhere nicer and go with a less expensive looking car. :)

We did have a few Section 8 houses on my block that were peopled with folks of questionable character. They have all been moved out and replaced by folks that don't seem to have as many friends on the police force or relatives with the US Marshall's office. ;)

[x101airborne]

God Bless you for doing your part.

And the thing about those with jobs cant get help, that just peeves me off. Shouldn't the working class be the ones we are helping? Now i understand the disabled being needy, but how many people on these programs are truly disabled? I would rather help someone working and paying taxes than a bunch of people living in govt housing without any income. And although we are still in or maybe starting out of a recession, I have never seen a McDonalds or a similar place not hiring.

[Hamish]

What's really cool is there is a volunteer art class that takes the fold over styroafoam "to go" dealies and little children send messages and drawings inside to the other kids. Honestly, it'll make you cry. It's a real turnon for folks to make up the bags, because it's a direct, visceral, hand to hand thing. It's awesome. And, OBTW, I'm just a cranky old fart in training, it's my wife that got me started dragging me to church. Downright amazing how she keeps the sharp edges stoned off my personality. (Mostly)

[CLAYPOOL]

In "My Little Town", there was a survey done and 78 % were below the line of Poverty. The problem is, those familys just keep on and are getting bigger with each generation. The kids carry their own "Link Card'....

[Alvarez Kelly]

Glad to help. Thanks for giving us the heads up.

[Hamish]

Reaaly appreciate it guy's. Prayers for Amy and her family as father's rapidly losing ground to mesothelioma would be good right about now.

[missionary5155]

Good morning Hamish
Tell Amy I will pray also. Compassion is makes all the difference.
Mike in Peru

[ErikO]

Meso sucks, sorry to hear about that. Adding you and yours to the prayer chain.

[Hamish]

School is coming up soon again folks, thought I might post the facebook link for GumDrop Kids,

https://www.facebook.com/gumdrop.kids.9

These types of programs are what direct involvement in giving is all about,,,,

[MtGun44]

Charity it wonderful, but I have trouble grasping that with the billions and billions
we spend on welfare and food stamps and free food giveaways, how is this possible
unless the parents are drinking or smoking up the welfare money?

Bill

[Hamish]

Almost forgot to post the site for direct giving:

http://www.gumdropkids.org/contact-us

[Hamish]

Charity it wonderful, but I have trouble grasping that with the billions and billions
we spend on welfare and food stamps and free food giveaways, how is this possible unless the parents are drinking or smoking up the welfare money?Bill

While all that is true, and anyone who has paid any attention to what I have posted in the Pit knows that you are preaching to the Pastor on that point.

But this isn't about the parents, this is about grade school kids getting a little extra to eat on the weekends, when many of them will not have much available to them.

And to be perfectly honest, this thread was not the place for your post, or any of the others preceding speaking in the same vein.

It's not the 8 year old childs fault if the parent is not keeping sufficient amounts of proper food in the house. That is what this thread is about, nothing more, nothing less.

As I stated in the OP, to be part of this program, A CHILD HAS TO ASK AN ADULT IN THE SCHOOL TO BE PUT ON THE LIST.

Think about that for a moment. A child has to admit to an adult in their school that they are going hungry on the weekend, and could they please be put on the list to receive a snack to tide them over.

Try that on for size.

[DHurtig]

Hamish, good on you for giving help where it was asked for and more likely to be appreciated.

We have similar programs in effect in the school system here. Needy children in elementary, middle and high school are given sacks or back packs full of food to take home. It is sad to see how much of this food turns up in trash cans, hallways, school grounds or lost and found. At lunch time I frequently see the "free" lunches dropped in the trash can and then the kid will return to the cafeteria to steal french fries or pizza from the a la cart area. I speak from experience as I am employed by the local school district as a member of the security staff at the largest high school in SD. Two evenings a week I work extra hours at an elementary school that also has a public library and free health clinic.

I guess these incidents bother me more because I am a text book example of the " working class poor ". Most of my clothing is bought at Walmart, yard sales and thrift stores. When we go grocery shopping I can not help but notice that more than half of the people with EBT cards " electronic food stamps " have about a thousand dollars worth of tattoos and are wearing Nikes or Air Jordans that are way out of my price range. The standard attire also includes NBA or NFL logo jerseys that I see priced at about $125 each. In the parking lot I can't help but notice that many of their vehicles are 6-8 years newer than mine. I've seen some of these peoples homes and they are living in new government subsidized houses that are costing them less than I pay for the insurance on my 55 year old home.

Perhaps some will think me bitter because I take offense at supporting people who have a higher standard of living than I do. So be it, it's the real world where I live.

I truly hope that those who benefit from your actions appreciate what you do for them and do not take for granted as I frequently see here.

[Bad Water Bill]

BTT For a good cause