Angel Food Ministries

Different people try to address the middle class crunch.  Some try to convert middle class into poor people by giving them government help.  Others, just try to help them get more value for their dollars: like the Angel Food Ministries.  A friend of ours referred us to them, and now I reffer them to you.

The concept is simple:  these guys buy brand-name, quality food in bulk and distributes them to families for a very low fee.  No advertising fees, little or no employees, no real estate, and no profit to any investors:  just straight to your table.  To make it simpler, they prepare boxes of food that you buy for $30.  The food probably feeds a family of four for a week, and costs $30.  For an additional fee you can add other boxes to your order, like 3.75 lbs. of T-Bone for $21.  You can buy as many boxes as you like:  you just have to bring your own box to pick the food, since they do not want to spend money on packaging either.

No catch.  No minimum or maximum income level.  You can go in a Mercedes to order and pick your food.  There is the inconvenience of having to order it in person, and of picking it up a month later (in person as well, there is no delivery).  Just that simple.

The price beats supermarkets, and so far the food quality is the same.  Most of the food comes in the same brand packaging that you get at your local MegaMart.

Why we are using the program?  Sure, we do not need any help from anyone:  we can probably buy food from Whole Foods or eat in fancy restaurants every day if we wanted to.  But there are reasons to participate, even if you do not have financial need:

• Broader perspective: It helps you understand what struggling families go through in this middle class crunch.  It is easy to talk about social policy from a mansion, but it is even better to do so from the middle of the action.
• A sense of community: People like to help and to be helped.  Far beyond the pure nutritional need, there is the need of feeling connected building something together.  You can volunteer to be one of the food distributors as well - but although we have time to pick up the food, we have not made the time to help right now.
• The more the merrier / Economies of Scale: The more people participating, the lower the food costs.  By purchasing these boxes you are lowering the cost of food for low income people.
• Prove the Point: Poverty is a state of mind for most of the ‘poor people’.  There are ways to make the ends meet without struggling.  Some people just make it easier.  Check them out.