#lunch fundraisers

[chase-prairie]

sometimes my job involves working with Important People and my anxiety takes it as a challenge to make me as fucked up as possible about it

[badolmen]

I’m actually so excited I’ve never commissioned art before but I saw this collective was doing a donation drive and the fundraiser I was donating to anyway was on their list so I said fuck it we ball and reached out to them and now there is a physical zine being made for my study insect which until this point has had one (1) line art drawing from 1988 to its name and I’m just so happy and excited I’m glad I reached out :]

[july-19th-club]

everything in the world is loud and itchy and freezing cold swear to god im gonna burn this whole building down

[wachi-delectrico]

Help me cover costs for ongoing health complications

Donations: https://ko-fi.com/valensart

(cw for mentions of sickness, weight loss, and emetophobia. Please reblog if you're able, thank you)

Hey, I know I don't have much of a following here but I really need financial help. I've been sick for over two months now, and the on-going tests and different medications have left me with no money at all. I haven't been able to work much due to the constant weakness and nausea, I have lost a lot of weight and have been in a very restrictive diet to try and mitigate the symptoms while we figure out what's going on. I had to go to the ER this morning because a med study I got done a couple days ago really damaged me and has made me basically unable to digest food or water, I've had to ask for money so I could buy more meds for this.

I really need money for more tests and meds, for my narcolepsy medication, my phone plan, transportation to and from doctors, and for my cats' care. I'm taking art commissions, but I also have a kofi for donations. Around ~US$120 would put me in an ok-ish spot financially, literally any little money you have would be so appreciated right now. I hate having to rely on other people so much but I just don't know what else to do.

Even if you can't donate, a reblog would mean volumes. I'm not really expecting this to reach a large audience but I'm just desperate.

Again, donations: https://ko-fi.com/valensart

[dionysus-complex]

the Erewhon in this neighborhood is truly such an experience

[carpthecarp]

Ap art was the biggest waste of time ever.

I’m gonna rant about my art department for a minute 😝

So I live in a town that’s very split when it comes to income, there’s a part of town that’s rich and a part of town that’s not “poor” but definitely not like well off, and I lived there for a while. Then there’s the middle of the two, so like well off but not rich, which is kinda where I’m at right now. Ok so, bc of that, our school system is rlly rlly split. I’m sure this is the same in many other towns but it’s like particularly bad here and I’m saying that with confidence bc I have pals in other school systems and my moms a principal. So the budgeting is weird, the rich part of town goes to one elementary school then the other part goes to another. I used to be in the richer area bc the richer areas kinda small so it shares a school with other areas. That school is BEAUTIFUL it’s so nice with updated tech and all kinds of shit and it’s the biggest school we have outside of the hs. Ok so you get what I’m saying. The wealthier the area the better the school. So the hs is very split and the town meetings are mostly run by these ppl with higher incomes. So the budgeting basically only goes to sports or like updated computers (this is a good thing). Recently they’ve been giving a bit more to the arts department but it’s basically just been going to the digital arts department. Our arts department isn’t underfunded tbh I wouldn’t call it that but it definitely could be better. We have a lack of classes for kids who are srs about art, and just a bunch of electives for kids who want to stack their schedules. There’s no color theory classes or history classes or stuff that’s going to help ppl who want to major in it. And yeah I get that you could consider those college classes but we have stuff like that for like every other type of major (music, business, English, etc.)

Ok so here’s my beef with the art department. I went in there. FRESHMAN YEAR. Saying I wanted to be an art major. This was Covid era so whatever not much happened. Then sophomore year I started doing real big girl art classes oooo. My teacher was chill at first but then she started to piss me off right. So like she very clearly had two favorites. Which was whatever, but the issue was I would ask to draw link or something and she would say no bc copyright, but then let this other kid do it. She like always targeted me with this shit it was so fucking annoying. She said it was bc I wanted to major in art, but I changed my mind and she kept doing this. I never submitted a portfolio so this was useless and just caused me useless stress. Also it was my art style that she hated, bc I couldn’t draw my ocs either. She said my art was too “anime” and made me do realism in her class. My digital art teacher sorta saved my life with this bc she let me do whatever in her class and gave me a place to actually have fun with art in school.

Flash forward to senior year, she leaves bc she gets sick. We get a sub who I love love love loved she was the absolute best. I would have dropped AP art if it wasn’t for her, she was the best art teacher I’ve had, I adore her all good things. However. My digital art teacher started going crazy (no hate to her I love her she just stressed me out a lot) and would make me redo projects like 50 times but it was just me she was targeting. She would make me do competitions when I didn’t want to and entered stuff I begged her to not use and it was a whole thing. There was the big senior showcase drama at the end of the year it was just a lot. All of this combined over the span of 4 years just like killed my love for art so I refused to apply to art school which is now a big regret of mine bc I prob could have gotten a scholarship tbh 😝 it was rough. And then at the end of the year at our senior showcases our old art teacher came and looked at every showcase but walked by mine and refused to look. So! Hs art killed my love for art and now it’s coming back bc I met my college professors and they seem awesome. Anyways here’s some of the stuff I did in hs that got me shit and what I would have used for a portfolio but couldn’t use. Also my counselor wouldn’t help me make a portfolio which is another reason why I couldn’t apply to art school, bc I literally didn’t know how to and had no art teacher!!!

Whatever tho, I don’t need to be happy who cares right.

OH so ap art was the biggest waste btw bc i did t learn shit in hs art like I mean I was never taught anything I’m completely self taught I never watched videos or anything I just learned by copying photos. And I got a 4 on the exam and it did t get me out of intro to drawing classes in college, so yeah,

[wausaupilot]

Wausau man raises $26K to pay off students’ school lunch debts

HE DID IT!!!!

By Rob Mentzer | Wisconsin Public Radio A Wausau-area pastor raised $26,000 in less than a week to pay off students’ school lunch debts in two central Wisconsin school districts. The Rev. Yauo Yang is an Iraq War veteran and the pastor for The Cross Church in Schofield. He launched a GoFundMe fundraiser on April 10 and publicized it with posts on social media. The goal was to raise $20,000, the…

[lurkiestvoid]

it's 3 4 a.m. and I'm hungry and we're perpetually (very) poor so bc I can't help it here is a list of some foods I dearly desperately miss:

- COFFEE.

- almost every fast food. just, hot multi-ingredient satisfying meals acquired in under 10 minutes that require no prep, cooking, or cleanup (quality can vary drastically ofc but idgaf at this point)

- more specifically: giant fucking cheeseburgers, hot and juicy, fully dressed. Taco Bell. and Chinese food. And good pizza that doesn't come from dollar store freezers. And biiig thicc sandwiches from subway or similar

- boneless garlic parmesan chicken wings

- Arby's. Roast beef, curly fries.

- French fries in general

- Zaxby's/Panera salads

- only had it a couple times but chipotle/qdoba burritos or bowls

- restaurants. haven't been out to eat since before the pandemic but just, big complicated filling meals cooked by someone else

- more specifically: warm rolls with honey butter, chicken tenders and fries, enchiladas, chicken fried steak, a good hearty chili, fettuccini alfredo with broccoli and chicken, lasagna, fully loaded potato soup, loaded nachos, a good baked spaghetti and meatballs ...

- fried pickles

- homemade comfort food, like, a full "Sunday dinner" spread. Meatloaf, or pot roast with veggies, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked mac n cheese, sweet cornbread, green beans with bacon, deviled eggs, a giant deluxe salad...

- SALADS. BIG FRESH CRISP SALADS WITH ALL THE TOPPINGS AND VARIETY

- a full breakfast spread. hash browns, pancakes, lots of eggs with onions and peppers, juice, sausages, biscuits and gravy, etc

- orange juice

- a wholeass veggie or fruit tray. mostly the carrots, or cantaloupe/strawberries/apples but give me the whole tray and leave me alone

- my "safe" foods

- banana nut bread 😭

- from-scratch home baked goods, more than just the $1-box-cake-and-$1-frosting every few months. All The Bars, All The Cookies, pies, the decadent brownies

- fucking. CHOCOLATE.

- snacks in general. Just, having them, and the ability to grab a handful between meals if needed or desired

- the delicious but "expensive" (>$5) grocery shit we can't splurge on. there's this amazing cranberry almond chicken salad...

- quiche

- hamburger helper

- polish sausage fried with peppers and onions and sauerkraut

- potato salad

- deli pepperturkey

- non-american cheese

- butterscotch pudding

- chili cheese tater tots

- pizza rolls

- donuts

- granola bars. trail mix

- yogurt with or without granola topping

- really anything that isn't plain rice and beans, bologna/cheese/PB&J sandwiches, ramen, hot dogs, oatmeal, toast, canned mixed veggies, generic boxed mac n cheese, butter noodles, and frozen waffles

- i have to stop now. if u read this far, thanks! pls go indulge in ur favorite foods and take your time to deeply savor them

[familygazaamal]

The only thing I have left is my children

After losing everything and the people dearest to me, I didn't know what to do but think about saving my children's lives and getting them out of the war zone. Providing them with the simplest necessities of life. Please donate or share the link.

Magdy is a very diligent student. His life was regular and routine. Since the morning he was preparing to go to school with all his love and passion for studying and meeting his friends. He would come back from school, change his clothes, eat lunch, and rest a little. Then he starts writing his homework and reading his lessons, then he plays a little with his brothers, then he sits with his father in the evening. But his father has now been away from him since before the war, and he misses him very much. Majid has a cat that he loves very much and is very attached to. But the war turned his life upside down

Walid, 8 years old. He loves football very much and loves Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. A year of his life has passed, and another year may pass due to the war. Walid hopes to return to his life, see his friends, and return to playing football and watching football matches. Please support Walid to return to his normal life.

Abdul Rahim is 7 years old. He loves drawing, coloring, and all kinds of arts. He always finds room in paintings to show his talent, and he also loves mathematical problems. He is a diligent and diligent student in school and a top student, but he has been out of school for a long time and no longer has any colors or sketchbook. He sees children dying around him every day, and he's so afraid he'll be next.

My daughter Amal, this little girl who turned one year old two months ago, this little girl who did not see her father because he traveled when she was forty days old, the little girl who did not live her childhood like other children in the world. In the world, Amal is always exposed to diseases due to immune deficiency and because of food and water contamination. Amal misses her father every day and grows up without seeing her father, all because of this war.

@fancysmudges @brokenbackmountain @ot3 @mothblossoms @aleciosun @fluoresensitive

@khizuo @transmutationisms @schoolhater @timogsilangan @appsa @buttercuparry

@sayruq @malcriada @palestinegenocide @sar-soor @akajustmerry @feluka @nabulsi

@a-shade-of-blue @tortiefrancis @tsaricides @flower-tea-fairies @riding-with-the-wild-hunt

@visenyasdragons @belleandsaintsebastian @ear-motif @kordeliiius @brutaliakhoa @raelyn-dreams @troythecatfish @theropoda

@4ft10tvlandfangirl @queerstudiesnatural @northgazaupdates2 @skatezophrenic @sygol

@awetistic-things @baby-girl-aaron-dessner @junglejim4233 @heritageposts @pcktknife @chososhairbuns @dlxxv-vetted-donations

@illuminated-runas @imjustheretotrytohelp @magnus-rhymes-with-swagness

[sp0o0kylights]

Steve Harrington was wearing a Hellfire t-shirt.

It was far too tight on him, the name of the club stretched wide over his chest. The sleeves dug into his biceps, making them pop even more than they usually did, and that was before he crossed his arms. 

Worse?

It was short.

Which meant the damn shirt was constantly riding up to give everyone a nice show of the smattering of hair that trailed down past the band of Harrington's jeans. 

The same hair that Eddie was determinedly not looking at. 

“Henderson, a moment?” He crooked a finger, a smile on his face that was more feral than welcoming. 

Rather than cower or even acknowledge that Eddie was two seconds away from murder, Dustin just gave him a gummy grin, all too pleased with himself and his scheme. 

“Sure Eddie. Steve, don't just stand there, go help set the booth up!” Dustin gestured to Hellfire’s sad little table, crammed all the way in the back of the gym. 

Jeff and Gareth both reacted to the suggestion like a rabid squirrel had been set upon them, nervously inching towards the other side of the booth as Harrington sighed and--shockingly--did as he was told.

‘What,’ Eddie thought angrily, ‘in the everloving fuck.’

“Do you guys mind if I set this down on the table?” Eddie heard Harrington ask as he stormed away, Dustin on his heel. 

They wandered just around the corner, out of sight and hopefully, out of the fallen king’s hearing range.

Eddie wasn't sure if Harrington would try and white knight the very much deserved dressing down he was about to give. 

Didn’t want to chance it, considering the downright weird relationship he had with Hellfire's freshmen.

(While he’d heard many a tale at his table regarding King Steve since the newest recruits had joined Hellfire, most of them dissolved into arguments without ever really going anywhere.

 Best anyone could figure out was that Dustin and Lucas had a bad case of hero worship, while Mike owned a begrudging amount of respect that hailed from a series of misadventures. 

The very same misadventures that, despite all protests to the contrary, was clearly some sort of babysitting gig for Harrington.) 

Either way, plenty of the King’s court would have loved to take this opportunity to fuck with Hellfire.

Given that Henderson was absolutely too old to require a babysitter at fourteen, Eddie would bet his lunch money that was what Steve was here to do.

Something the club couldn’t afford since they were forever and always two seconds away from being stripped of club status and banned from school grounds. 

“I would love to know what went through that all A’s brain of yours when I said,” Eddie whirled on Dustin when they were firmly in the clear, voice low and furious.  “no Henderson, do not invite King Steve to help, he is an invading force and would ruin our peaceful kingdom!?”

He clasped his hands behind his back before leaning into Dustin’s face. “Because clearly whatever you heard wasn’t that.” 

To Eddie’s continued frustration and confusion, Dustin did not treat this like the threat it was. 

None of the freshmen had ever truly treated Eddie like a threat--had somehow skipped that part of the usual onboarding ritual entirely.

Eddie, town freak and drug dealer, who had cultivated his looks and craziness to such a degree that most everyone steered clear, wasn’t used to it. 

Everyone had been afraid of him at some point in this shitty school. Jeff, Gareth, hell even half the staff--and that the dorky trio of fourteen year old's clearly thought this all was play-acting made his eye twitch.

Even if it was--maybe, sometimes--welcome. 

“I know what you said, but I’m telling you I’m right.” Dustin argued immediately, and oh God, he was using that tone again. 

A hand went up into the space between them and Eddie groaned aloud, knowing what was coming.

“First,” Dustin ticked a finger up, “Hellfire really needs the money. Even thirty dollars would get us new figures, but more than that, if we don’t fundraise, we can’t go to Gen Con!” 

Dustin's eyes bored into Eddie’s, full of fire and conviction

“Yes,” Eddie said through gritted teeth, “but--”

“Second!” Dustin cut him off, and God the little shit even threw him a look while he did it, like Eddie was the one being ridiculous here!

“We had to fight just to get our table! Principal Higgins was in algebra today practically begging the mathletes to show up, but then tried to tell us we couldn't be here? That’s messed up!” 

As if denying them a spot to fundraise was the worst thing that asshole had ever done.

Eddie sighed, breath blasting out of his mouth like a dragon’s. 

“Because people think we’re freaks and satanists, Henderson. You don’t typically invite freaks and satanists to the school’s annual Holiday Bazaar. Especially not when all the local moms are paying to hawk their bullshit crafts and tupperware!” 

It was more than that of course. The Hawkins High Holiday Bazaar was a tradition spanning several years now. Starting in the gym and spilling clear into the parking lot, everyone from local artists to even some local shops came to host a small table for the day, thus growing the event from a small school fundraiser to a Hawkins' “must-do.” 

Half the fucking town was here to sell, and the other half was here to shop, which meant Principle Higgins had wanted Hellfire banned from the fucking premise. 

Eddie had been forced to pull out one of his trump cards he’d been saving--blackmail on Higgins that related to the man’s not--so--legal addiction to Percocet that he relied on Reefer Rick for. 

(And bless Rick, that hadn’t been the only tidbit he’d shared with Eddie about Higgins. That information, however, Eddie needed just so the asshat wouldn’t give him the boot from school entirely.) 

The only reason Eddie had pulled it out to secure their rightful spot, was because of Gen Con. 

It was Hellfire's White Whale, their grand adventure, and this was going to be his year to take his friends on one last epic quest to make memories of a lifetime surrounded by people who understood them.

Come hell or high water, Eddie was going to Gen Con--but being able to fundraise by selling wares and baked goods at the stupid Holiday Bazaar would go a long way to help.

Even if he had to listen to the band repeatedly play ear-bleeding renditions of Christmas songs.

“All the clubs get to have a table, and we’re a club!” Dustin continued, like it was that simple. “But you know, I get it. We look scary.” 

He gestured down to his own Hellfire shirt, before gesturing towards Eddie’s entire outfit.

Like Eddie didn't know what he looked like, let alone that he'd made this outfit specifically to scare people away from him.

(And maybe add some rockstar flair to this dinky little hick town.)

“You know who doesn’t look scary?”

Dustin held out his hands and swiveled his body like he was presenting a prize instead of gesturing in the vague direction of; 

“Steve!”

Eddie’s left eye twitched.

‘You can't kill him, you need his character for the campaign.’ He told himself firmly, even if he envisioned strangling Dustin like a chicken.

Cartoon squawking and all. 

“The King isn’t going to help us fundraise, Dustin.” Eddie said, in an effort to break down why Harrington couldn't be here. “He's just going to cause us problems that we can’t afford to have.” 

So many problems, half of which Eddie couldn't think of because if he did, he'd start spiraling.

“Really? Because as you keep saying, Steve used to be the King. People love him, Eddie! Mom’s love him.”

Eddie had pulled himself back up to his proper height a while ago, and now rocked back on his heels while he ran a hand down his face.

There was no getting through to Henderson when he was like this. 

Not unless Eddie really lost it, and it was practically club lore that he only lost it when someone missed an important game. 

One cannot keep a herd of sheep if their flock is terrified of them, after all. 

(“Perhaps you’re just a giant fucking softie.” Tiff, one of Hellfire’s graduating members, told him once. “Honestly dude, I bet you throw up stuffing.”

“Shut up Tiffany, your choker is on backwards again.” He'd spat back, completely offended and not at all trying to distract from how true that was.) 

“We can’t be satanic if Steve’s the one selling cookies!” Dustin finished doggedly. 

“We’re not even selling cookies--that’s not the point!”” Eddie shook his head, hair flying. He was not going to be sidetracked, he wasn’t!

 “Harrington is going to end up siding with all the moms about how we’re all wasting time with D&D, if he even spends the whole time at the table. Is that what you want?” 

He stuck out a ringed finger, poking at Dustin’s chest.

“Every single person who comes by our table has to be convinced D&D is a writing and math based game. Good for the mind and souls of growing, impressionable children. A game that got a bad rep because of  a few silly images.” 

A pitch he and Tiff had come up with during the third or fourth time they had to convince an adult that no, just because their shirts had a dragon on it, didn’t mean they were summoning demons in the drama room. 

“Harrington can’t do that because Harrington doesn’t even know how to play!” 

This Eddie punctuated by throwing his hands in the air. 

Given the startled look of the mother-daughter duo passing him by, clearly was louder than he’d intended--but screw it!

He was right!

Hellfire was in a precarious position to both fundraise and do a little damage control among the slightly smarter members of this shithole small town, and Harrington rolling his eyes and gossiping about how stupid it was would hinder that.

“Okay, first of all, Steve’s played D&D with me and he didn’t even kill his character.” Dustin said it like he was unveiling a smoking gun and not lying through his ass--which Eddie would absolutely be calling him on the second he was done talking. 

Because King Steve? Play D&D?

'Ha!'

“And he’s not gonna say shit because we--me, and Lucas and even Mike!--asked him to help, and he helps when its serious. I know you have some weird grudge with him, but I’m telling you Eddie he’s our golden ticket to Gen Con!” 

“You’re killing me. You are standing here, acting as a friend, when you are bringing a-- a dark force into the midst our of mission--” Eddie hissed, because he was losing the fucking fight and he knew it.

Dustin Henderson was not a man easily swayed. 

Had never been, even when the odds were stacked against him (and Grant and Gareth were howling in his ear.) 

The set of his shoulders and the glint of the little shithead’s eye meant Eddie wouldn’t be able to use him to oust Harrington--if he even could get him out without the dick causing a massive scene anyway. 

As always when outgunned, Eddie flipped to dramatics.

“Betrayed! By my own chosen heir no less!” He moaned, pressing the back of his hand over his eyes as Dustin scoffed.

"Don’t be so dramatic! Steve will help, I promise! Just don’t be a dick to him.” 

 Conversation apparently over, Dustin turned around to head back to the table

Snidely, he added over his shoulder: “Plus we’ve all caught on to the heir thing Eddie. You tell everyone that so they do what you want.” 

The dick.

“You’re too fucking smart for your own good. I’m gonna start feeding you paint chips to bring that IQ down.” Eddie muttered angrily as Dustin went back to their little table.

He gave himself a moment to get his shit together and stomp a foot like a child when Dustin was around the corner and thus couldn’t witness it, before following his wayward sheep back.

Could only pray to any deity listening that Henderson’s meddling didn’t blow up in Hellfire’s face.

[foldingfittedsheets]

Hands down one of my worst experiences in high school was when the seniors decided to extort the entire school by using tactics that were banned by the UN to get them to pay for the senior party! If that sounds like a wild sentiment stay tuned because this shit got crazy.

I was living in Arizona at the time and I was a freshman. Our campus was largely open air, with walks between class room buildings and some covered outdoor tables. Our event began with a morning announcement. The seniors were collecting donations for the senior party, and when they reached their goal, their fundraising method would stop.

Their fundraising method:

To pipe the entire schools speakers with "If You're Happy and You Know It" on loop. To this day, I cannot hear this song without experiencing a degree of rage and madness that is frankly alarming. One of the worst parts of the entire thing was that the recording they chose had the female singer do a little clap and say "Yay-ha-hey," at the end. So it wasn't just the song, it was this awful little cooldown stinger at the end.

If this sounds a lot like psychological torture you'd be extremely correct! This practice has been banned in some countries, but the good old US hasn't ruled it a human rights violation, and what a fun silly way to raise money, that definitely wasn't damaging to adolescent psyches!

Every morning for 15 minutes before school began, every passing period, every lunch, and after school for another 15 minutes they blasted that fucking song on unceasing repeat through every speaker in the school. Everyone found different ways of coping with this and mine was to observe my classmates descent into madness and categorize the stages.

The first stage was almost completely consistent, and it was a smug almost exasperated eye rolling phase. Often accompanied by derisive comments about the song or the tactic, this phase was extremely mildly annoyed. Most people figured it would blow over soon, and no one anticipated this continuing for a week and a half, creating a miasma of fraught tension.

The second phase was elevated annoyance, starting to snap and be less amused characterized this level of irritation. People would try to cover their ears or put on headphones, humming aggressively to block out the syrupy repulsive children's performer with her loathsome little clap. This phase had people picking their absolute least favorite part of the song. Her inflection on certain words, her timing between verses. I think it's pretty clear already which part I hated most.

The next phase was a bounce back out to absurdity. It became funny how annoying it was and people would sing along as if to challenge the song's authority over their psyche. This paired exceptionally poorly with people in phase two as they'd often lash out at the people giving more voice to their hell.

The fourth phase was a dead-eyed madness. People would stare straight ahead and their lips would silently mouth the familiar words. The song had pounded its way into their very soul and was inextricably linked to auditory output. They often didn't even realize if they began chanting along.

The fifth and final phase was pure uncut pubescent rage. Kids would scream, attack each other, and in a truly epic end to the event hurl a cafeteria chair with such force at the speaker in the cafeteria to irreparably damage the sound system.

The seniors got funding for a party, but some of it had to go to repair the damages, which were substantial.

[sailoreuterpe]

A friend of mine is trying to clear out the lunch debt of students at his old middle school. As someone who was on Free and Reduced lunch for most of their schooling, this issue is very dear to my heart. We shouldn't even have "lunch debt." Food is a human right! What is wrong with this country?

[galina]

I've been a homebody lately, but I'm content. Cooking dahls, soups, stews, reading on the sofa, lying in bed talking about films and art and things we want to do tomorrow. I sign the petition, donate to the fundraiser, put another protest in my diary. It's quiet but tangible. Last week we made a mess trying to pipe cream into brandy snaps and we laughed so hard that when we kissed the cream got on my nose and cheek. I sit at the desk writing, J texts me from the next room: lunch? I smile because there's just enough good ingredients in the fridge, I have a new commission to work on, and everything is just right.

[mortalityplays]

remember, what you do today will always be what you did during this holocaust. it is as urgent to extend people life and love now as it has been every hour since the genocide began.

would you spot a friend $5 to get lunch when they were hungry? $10 when they couldn't afford groceries, $20 for gas so they could visit a sick family member? pick a fundraiser and call that person your friend today.

[chronicallycouchbound]

Let People On Food Stamps Eat Hot Meals

Particularly on cold, rainy days (like today), while unhoused, sometimes all I want is a hot meal but it’s so difficult (if not impossible) to cook outside in the rain.

On top of this, I’m physically disabled and chronically ill. Medically, I’m supposed to have assistance with making meals as part of in home care. But I can’t get in home care without a home.

I just finished making dinner for my partner and I, it took 2 hours (3 if you include clean up). My knees are burning, my back is aching in it’s core, I feel like I’m about to faint, and all my joints are screaming. But it’s the only way we could have a hot meal today and get some protein, which is vital for our health conditions.

People judge us for using what little funds we have on McDonald’s some days. Because sometimes, it’s the only hot meal we’ve had in days. And sometimes I’m physically unable to stand, move, and do all the actions needed to cook. Or I faint while cooking. Or the rain doesn’t let up. Or we don’t have access to a kitchen for the day. Or the fire danger outside is too high. The list goes on.

Without my own kitchen to use, I don’t get to sit down while I cook (right now, everything is wet from the rain), I can’t meal prep, I can’t stock up on freezer meals, I can’t use an oven or a microwave to reheat leftovers, I can’t just reach across the kitchen for a fridge item (we have a small amount of fridge space friends let us use), everything about cooking is exponentially harder.

And even if I had 24/7 access to an accessible, full kitchen, it’s not even physically safe to cook my own meals. Even then, having a pre-made, hot, ready-to-eat meal could keep me safe and give me independance.

And all the safety needs for hot meals aside, emotionally, hot meals are also life saving and comfort. Meals are a part of community, culture, love and art.

So many gatherings we have as communities center around food. Most people in the United States would think of ones that often hold great value to Western culture. Mother’s Day breakfast. Spaghetti fundraisers. Wedding cakes. Birthday dinners. Bake sales. Carnival treats. BBQs on weekends. Holiday roasts. Lunches with friends. Casseroles brought to grieving neighbors.

Our world revolves around food.

I firmly believe that no poor person could ever “take advantage” of a system designed to feed us by using food stamps on hot food. This restrictive rule serves no purpose but to punish the most vulnerable of poor people— unhoused, disabled, and those of us living in unsafe conditions.

It also serves to restrict our access to joy and comfort. The joy can sometimes come from the food itself, but also the joy from having shared experiences solidified by the sounds of laughter and forks clinking on plates. The comfort can sometimes also be from the food itself, but also the experience of being loved and cared for while your close friend brings you pizza from your favorite restaurant because you lost your drive to eat three weeks ago and they worry about you. They know you. Those slices of pizza bring color back into your world.

Poor people deserve to be able to have the comfort, joy, and care that goes into a hot meal. We deserve the autonomy to choose foods that are best for us ourselves. We deserve to be able to eat in ways that are accessible to us.

Above all, we deserve access to hot meals.

Originally posted to my blog on 6.3.22

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Wausau-area man nears goal to erase local student lunch debt

A Wausau-area man is edging closer to his goal of paying off student debt for kids in the Wausau and D.C. Everest School District, through a crowdsourced fundraising effort.

Wausau Pilot & Review A Wausau-area man is edging closer to his goal of paying off student debt for kids in the Wausau and D.C. Everest School District, through a crowdsourced fundraising effort. Yauo Yang is a pastor who was born in a Thailand refugee camp and moved to Wausau in the 1980s with his family. The Wisconsin National Guard veteran has been active in serving the community for years.…