Three of Chicago’s largest homeless shelters have banished bologna in favor of seared steak, za’atar chicken and perhaps, an extra helping of dignity.
The shelters, which traditionally serve a hot sit-down dinner and breakfast, often handed a peanut butter sandwich or other brown-bag lunch fare to visitors as they left each morning. But now, a partnership with Starbucks through Feeding America and the Greater Chicago Food Depository means that homeless Chicagoans get an upgrade to that critical daytime meal. The partnership potentially will expand to other U.S. cities as Starbucks’ lunch offerings grow.
This is a measure of how survival and economy are off of our cognitive radar, and everything revolves around social status. Even the rabbits running these shelters feel bad about giving out anything less than high-status food that the homeless can show off to other people and feel proud of.
Its nice if resources are free enough that you can do it. But I keep thinking like a K-strategist, and thinking they should be giving out the PB&Js, selling the Starbucks somewhere, and banking the excess money from those Starbucks meals in an index fund, to help cover more PB&Js when the bottom drops out and there is nothing for anyone.
But rabbits never think in terms of the long term. As far as any of them are concerned, the free resource buffet is never going to run out, and everyone can have Starbucks, caviar, and bone-in rib-eyes forever.
That in itself is the surest sign that it is all going to come down. Because if it wasn’t, that kind of wasteful psychology will surely make it happen at some point.
Spread r/K Theory, because there will not be enough Starbucks for everyone forever
[…] Homeless Shelters Begin Serving Starbucks, Because Of Dignity […]
Another form of virtue signalling…that comes with a hefty price tag. Stupid beyond belief.
Speaking of Starbucks: “Starbucks, Caffe Nero and Costa Have Fecal Bacteria in Their Iced Drinks” http://www.newsweek.com/starbucks-costa-cofee-cafe-nero-human-faeces-629554?utm_campaign=NewsweekTwitter&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social
So, it looks like there’s nothing to be proud of in getting a Starbucks drink because it may come with nasty repercussions.
Hmmm, I think you’re overreaching here. They’re getting donated unsalable food from SBUX, not buying it.
Either it is consumable, or it isn’t. If it is consumable, it could be sold somewhere, and the difference pocketed.
I’m not sure they could do that legally though. I highly doubt it.
I was surprised at first that rabbits would be working/volunteering at a homeless shelter. Then I saw the article. It’s the executive director that wants to do this. He probably barely interacts with the homeless. I would suspect an ulterior motive on his part. If he can demand more funds for “dignity”, he can probably siphon more money from the charity in the form of his salary. A homeless shelter needs an “executive director” and multiple managers? How many full time jobs is that for people who are probably just sitting in a back office on the city’s (rapidly depleting) dime? We would just need people to handout simple food like PB&Js and orange juice. Maybe apples and raisins too. If people won’t eat that then they don’t need the shelter.