Every once in a while, a great big Monty Python foot comes down on your head and squashes your life. Well, at least it might feel that way. One terrible day, not long ago, just as a friend was worrying about paying a big dental bill, he discovered his fridge had stopped working. Then leaving for the ferry for a medical appointment in Victoria, his car wouldn’t start!
Why, you wonder, is this a subject for a TOPS article?
TOPS stresses eating wholesome, nutritious food that doesn’t add unnecessary pounds but gives you strength and sustains your energy. While my friend studied his bank statement and wondered whether to pay his dental bill, get his car fixed, or save for a new fridge, he knew he couldn’t do it all. So, hungry, he boiled up macaroni, added ketchup, and drank a cup of coffee, not a healthy meal that TOPS would recommend, but affordable, as he struggled to pay his bills.
This man could have eaten a balanced, healthy meal if he had visited the Community Pantry at the Mayne Island Food Bank Society. Why didn’t he?
I talked with Lindsay Woods recently, the Executive Director of the Food Bank. She told me many things about the Community Pantry I didn’t know. Did you know that the Community Pantry relies on volunteers to stay operational, and can always use more of them? Did you know that if you go there and put together a food hamper, but you can’t carry it home, they will deliver it to you? Did you know the Food Bank offers foods you might never have tried but might enjoy? (TOPS members like to share recipes for all kinds of unusual foods. And you can go to tinyurl.com/bdf5tzfj for more.)
I hear so many snooty attitudes, such as anyone who uses the Food Bank is a lazy, freeloading, moocher. But my friend isn’t any of those things. His bank account just can’t stretch to cover all his expenses this month, something that can happen to anyone, even you or someone you love. Was it pride or shame that kept my friend from visiting this community resource? Or was he just uninformed? At TOPS we encourage everyone to eat nourishing food. And if you can’t afford to buy nutritious food this week or this month, give the Community Pantry a try. They are there to serve the whole community, and to provide food to anyone whose grocery needs are not easily met. So if you’re struggling to eat well in a time of difficulty, know that there is an answer. By picking up a food hamper twice a month, you do not have to go hungry or compromise your health.
Whatever your reasons, TOPS membership is a great option, especially for keeping your focus, and carrying on when you occasionally want to give up. Please join us at TOPS on Wednesday mornings at the Community Centre, from 9:00 to 10:00. Our meetings are informative, encouraging, and friendly. We’re a low-cost, international self-help program that welcomes everyone. Check out our website at www.tops.org. (Your first visit is free.) If you want to join us, please call .
Submitted by Amber Harvey
References:
tinyurl.com/5fbwhape, tinyurl.com/33z5wuwu, tinyurl.com/yznzheu9
tinyurl.com/bdf5tzfj, tinyurl.com/27dsax47