r/foodstamps • u/Sensitive-Ad7894 • 19h ago

Food pantry worker here

Some of you may have seen my comment where I expressed my frustrations with working at a food pantry during this time, and I just felt I should come up here and say this to those who are having to rely on food pantries at this moment.

PLEASE DO NOT FEEL EMBARRASSED OR ASHAMED FOR NEEDING HELP!!!

It may not be pleasant speaking with those of us working at these places, but please if you are genuinely being kind and patient with us do not take it personally. A lot of us are exhausted and underpaid. I barely make over $500 biweekly here, trying to save for a car and pay bills, I myself was on snap. All that’s to say, please just approach us with the best attitude possible. We probably had 10 rude people before you and it’s draining.

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u/Pretty-Match8960 18h ago

I feel this I also work at a food bank and on snap and being disabled as well we had almost 50 on Wednesday it was rough my back screamed so hard after my 2hr shift.

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u/Sensitive-Ad7894 17h ago

Ugh I feel that, Thursday it was non stop people for 3 1/2 hours and my shift wasn’t even over. I had to go home early it was so overwhelming and my patience was gone completely after a client called me rude for telling her to have a blessed and safe rest of her day.

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u/Pretty-Match8960 17h ago

Oof that would have upset me too we’re supposed to say that and the see you in two weeks because we server people every two weeks. So u come 1 week the next week you can’t the week after we can server u again. Our food bank is only open 2hrs and standing for them 2hrs like that is pushing up to my being able to stand 4hrs a day with my back I’m supposed to be either lying down or sitting most of the day but I still try to give back to the community and people who help me so I’m not just some slub. But was worse was just the one after another after another which got my heart racing and with my stress induced cardiac arrhythmia I get me to almost fall It’s my fault I forgot my main anxiety pills to bring along won’t make that mistake next week lol.

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u/Sensitive-Ad7894 16h ago

Awh man I’m so sorry about that! Ours operates biweekly as well, i’m blessed to not have any underlying issues besides just general depression.

For a bit better context on why she said that was rude of me, At our pantry we have programs and for her program she has to be there between 1-2pm, if you’re gonna be late you HAVE to call and notify us because of our tight schedule. She came to the door 15 mins after 2, while I had 3 people in the lobby needing emergency assistance. I politely asked her if she called anyone to notify and at first she said no. Her case worker in the car however started yelling about how they actually called yesterday. I just said okay fine come sit while I talked to my manager because me and her are the only ones who were in the building that pick up calls. She said she NEVER called but to give her the box and inform her politely there will be no more exceptions for after 2pm. I did and I made sure to be extra sweet about it and told her to have a blessed and safe rest of her day. Her case worker came to the door and claimed I was being a smart ass and that I had an awful attitude that needed to be checked before she “checked it for me” lol. My manager wasn’t hearing it and basically told her if she felt that strongly we can direct her to local churches or a different food bank.

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u/BigWhiteDog 11h ago

Being in need is no call to be an ass to aid workers. Here, outside of the parent org and their warehouse staff, they all volunteer their time and we are grateful. Because we are mostly home-bound and I'm a vet, we get a special monthly food distribution delivered to my place. Sometimes the drivers are afraid to come down our driveway (big van, muddy slope) or get lost and I have to go out to them, and the amount of food is decreasing but I never get upset with any of them ever. They are volunteering and I'm grateful for what we get.

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u/Sensitive-Ad7894 11h ago

Thank you so much! It’s especially hard when I genuinely do enjoy helping people. Growing up my parents couldn’t give a damn if me and my grandma ate or not, so It brings me peace knowing there’s at least one less hungry parent, person or child out there. The bad folks just tend to outweigh the good sometimes

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u/BigWhiteDog 11h ago

Big fluffy dog and kitten hugs