Giving to Go
So sometimes at my office, we order lunch as a group and everyone eats together, and as a thank you for working hard and making money, the company foots the bill. It becomes very apparent when the food arrives that no one held back when ordering, and the amount of food is significantly more abundant than it would have been had everyone been asked to pay for themselves. “Get an extra pizza, just in case” “Let’s get a couple orders of fries, you know, just for the table” “Eggrolls for everyone! We’re rich!” The result is a ridiculous amount of leftovers that eventually get thrown out.
The problem, is that I hate seeing perfectly good food go to waste. On previous occasions, I would combat this problem by eating myself into a food coma; unfortunately, putting your head down on your desk and napping for an hour isn’t as acceptable as it used to be in say, 2nd grade.
My next attempt to save waste was taking leftovers home and eating them for dinner with my boyfriend. There were many problems with this, however. First and most important, is that I ride a bike to and from work. Dangerous as it is riding in NYC, the danger increased ten-fold when I hung bags of pad thai and spring rolls from my handlebars and attempted to navigate through midtown. Also, everyone thought I was crazy. I became the office garbage disposal; I once came back from the restroom to find a half-eaten sandwich on my desk with a note: ‘I thought you might want this -xo’. No, I don’t want your soggy chips and pickles. Mission aborted.
Then I realized one day this past winter, while walking to the subway (I’m not THAT committed of a biker to ride in the cold) that each day, I pass at least one person begging for food and money. It’s a sad reality of living in NYC. So the next time everyone ordered lunch, I brought one meal with me for my walk home and not surprisingly, there was someone in the subway entrance asking for money. I asked him if he was hungry, and when he said yes, I asked if he liked chinese food. He laughed and said yes, so I gave him my General Tso’s Chicken with an egg roll on the side. After that day, I began packing bags of food each time we had leftovers, and handed them out on my way home. Between where I work and home, Herald Square and the 1/2/3 Stop at 72nd Street, I can usually unload 2 or 3 meals. If I can’t find anyone I wind up bringing it home, but I usually have no trouble finding someone hungry.
I’m not sure if this is okay-I know that it would be better to point these people in the direction of a shelter or somewhere to get a hot, free meal. And I have. Is it rude to give someone your leftovers? I don’t think so. They’re hungry. I have food. Seems okay to me. It’s not like I’m having dinner parties with friends and feeding them my co-worker’s scraps.
So maybe you want to try this yourself; here are some tips I can offer based solely on my own experiences:
-Put everything in a bag. I once gave a man an apple and bottle of water while he was begging for change; he thanked me and asked if I had a bag he could put it in-he couldn’t hold his change cup and the apple/water at the same time. It’s not like they can put it in the fridge for later, you know? Bag it.
-Don’t go on a 2am crusade through the park by yourself; be safe and smart about who you’re approaching and where. It may be a good idea to avoid the guy wearing wireless headphones who swears to himself and warns anyone within earshot about the impending doom of the Apocalypse.
-If you can, include a fork, knife, and some napkins. Just because they’re hungry doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to eat like a civilized human being.
- Giving them the original containers is best, as I’ve seen homeless people use tupperware and other recycled containers to gather water or other things that they can then save for later.
-Don’t just throw food at someone-ask first. Also, I tend to only approach people with signs or other things that clearly indicate they are in need; it’s probably pretty embarrassing to approach someone who turns out to just be tying their shoe on the ground.
-There are organizations who travel the city handing out food every day, like the Coalition for the Homeless, or the Bowery Mission. If you’re not comfortable doing this solo, get hooked up with one of these agencies and join their fleet.
Have you done this before? If so, what happened? Please feel free to post any questions or comments.
My hope is that my experiences will inspire others to share their own stories, ask questions, and, by taking away the unknown, encourage those who may be apprehensive about trying something new.
It’s truly amazing how much food we waste and discard on a daily basis. Now, more than ever, it’s important to be conscious and considerate of those who may or may not be homeless but are most definitely hungry. Every little bit helps.
Heather for Children’s Aid NYC
1I agree completely, Heather. I was recently told about a movement going on in San Francisco (I think-its kind of guerilla in style) that involves replating your food and putting it on top of garbage cans, where someone can then come and pick it up. I think this new involvement of the younger generations in the service movement going on right now, should prove to be invaluable, in cases such as this where social networking sites and the internet are being used to spread the word for great causes. Check it out: replate.org
2-Rachel, giveandgetnyc.com
I agree totally. Why waste food that someone else would appreciate? I like the tips you offer..esp the one about including a fork and a bag.
There is a certain homeless guy near the train station on my way home from work, and if there are leftovers that would taste better warm I pop them in the work microwave and later give him the bag.
I live in San Francisco and have seen examples of replating, but I myself do not like to do that unless I can’t find a person to receive it. And if I were to leave a half eaten burrito I would cut away the bite marks so it doesn’t look so “used.”
3Great article, & tips! I live in Atlanta, & one of the things I like to do to help out in my small way, is to keep at least a few restaurant gift cards with me. I hand these out, as needed.
4Good idea! I did that once when my mum slipped a random apple into my bag while I wasn’t looking even though I’d just eaten – except I was too shy to actually approach someone, but I saw somebody sleeping in a doorway so I just left it on their blanket…
5I agree about cleaning up the leftovers, Christine, to make them more appealing, less leftover-ry.. I’m not sure if I’m on board with Replate’s method, but I’ll support any person or group trying to make a difference… I just imagine there being a lot of leftover food going bad on garbage cans across San Francisco. Do the homeless know to take the food? I wonder..
Donna, thats a really generous offer, and great, because it gives them a chance to get inside and eat a real meal..
MK, it’s okay to be shy-I’ve left things for people sleeping before too. I bet its a nice surprise to wake up to. And if they don’t want it, they can throw it out-but at least they know someone cares..
6Love this article & the way it inspires people. Thanks for writing it.
Admin, as one who lives in downtown San Francisco (SOMA), I can tell you the homeless absolutely know to take the food left on top of the public garbage cans. The city garbage containers on the sidewalk here have a flat surface, & nothing stays there very long. There are a LOT of people on the streets here. If there’s nothing on top, people will dig their way to the bottom looking.
Obviously this depends somewhat on the neighborhood. There are not a lot a homeless folks in, say, Pacific Heights. But in SOMA, the Tenderloin, the Mission, etc., there is no shortage of people searching for something to eat.
7Yes! Thanks Rebecca for curing my curiosity about Replate! The website is pretty vague, though I guess its a simple concept that doesn’t need much explaining. In NYC, we have uncovered cans on most streets, so it wouldn’t really work here (at least that strategy-I’m sure some other form would flourish). I’m glad to hear that it’s successful in SF, though its disheartening to know how many homeless people are living in there. Thanks again! -Rachel
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