What I Learned After Taking a Homeless Mother Grocery Shopping [View all]

[one_voice]

Driving by these women, I can’t help but see my own story in theirs. I unexpectedly found myself a single mom a few years ago, so I am keenly aware that the only thing keeping my kids off the streets is … me. If I were to lose one of my precious jobs, I would be just like these women. It’s not hard to imagine. I wish I had a nest egg, a trust fund, a wealthy parent as a safety net. But I don’t. So while today I am fortunate enough to pay the bills, that all could change in an instant.

That’s why seeing these women gave me the urge to do something. I arranged to volunteer at my local homeless shelter that Sunday and met mothers as they dropped their babies off for two precious hours of playtime. One in particular stood out.

*snip*


Low-income Americans are traditionally stuck in a deeply unfortunate food cycle. With meager funds, they rely on the cheapest food sources, which are those being subsidized by the government: soy, corn, and wheat. These inexpensive crops are turned into inexpensive foods, mixed with sugars and highly processed, leading to chronic health concerns like obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

Going into this situation, I expected to see the cycle of poverty in action.

I expected to see $50 stretched, each dollar poured into inexpensive packages of processed products. Because that would be the proper thing to do, wouldn’t it? When a woman hands you $50 and tells you to go grocery shopping, you take that cash and make it stretch.

Except: That’s what this mom was always doing. So when I handed her that $50, I hadn’t handed her money for food. I handed her freedom. Fifty unbudgeted bills to spend on whatever she wanted.

*snip*

As we shopped, we talked about how she ended up at the homeless shelter. She wasn’t angry or ungrateful. She wasn’t hopeful. She wasn’t asking for handouts.

She was just a mom.

We stopped mid-aisle after 15 minutes. She looked at the contents of her cart and stated, “This is probably about $50. Should we go check out?”

*snip*

2014-07 Single Mom5SMBW
What She Bought:

Goldfish Crackers - $1.00
Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Peaches & Cream – $2.99
Marachaun Cup, Beef (x2) – $0.78
Marachaun Cup, Pork – $0.39
Cherries – $6.38
Applesauce – $2.29
Apples – $11.45
Nissin Chow Mein – $2.00
Tostitos Scoops – $2.50
Kraft Easy Mac – $3.89
Fruit Snacks – $1.49
Harmon B-T White – $1.69
Quaker Chewy Choc Chip Granola Bars – $5.00
Chef Boyardee Ravioli – $1.00
Western Family Spaghetti Rings – $0.89
Taco Bell Refried Beans – $0.69
Gold Bell Pepper – $1.79
Peaches – $1.25
Mission 10-Count Soft Tortillas – $2.99
Herdez Salsa – $2.49
GM Cocoa Puffs – $4.49
GM Bonus CTC – $2.50
Western Family Pear Slices – $0.99
Libby Vienna Sausages – $1.38
Blueberries – $3.98
http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/what-i-learned-after-taking-a-homeless-mother-grocery-shopping/

This is a really good article and worth the few minutes to read.