NeoFeb 16, 2023
Cat

My kid is in a club at school, and they meet 4x a week for 4 hours. So all the parents chip in and stock a "snack cabinet" (granola bars, juice boxes, etc.) because teenagers are hungry goblins.
I went to fill the cabinet and noticed a padlock on it, apparently someone had been "stealing."
I admit, this triggered me.
I spoke to the coach and told him that perhaps he should talk to the kids and find out if one of them is food insecure instead of locking up some two dollar box of granola bars.
The look on his face, I could tell it kinda clicked, he didn't even think of that, just assumed it was some punk kid breaking rules.
People who grow up with wealth don't even realize that it changes the way they think. Luckily, he's a cool guy, and he was horrified that one of 'his kids' might be hungry at home. Sometimes it just takes one comment to open up someone's eyes to their privilege.

As I tell my own children: If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't.

Feb 11, 2023 at 9:33pmWeb
Show threadExtra_Special_CarbonFeb 11, 2023

@Cat_LeFey

I like this.

“If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't.”

Show threadMeg MacfarlaneFeb 12, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Good for you!
Show threadNoam writesFeb 12, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Is it OK to share this on ZuckerBook?
Show threadCatFeb 12, 2023
@noam Yeah, share away, thanks for the boost!
Show threadAllen StenhausFeb 14, 2023

@Cat_LeFey Even if it's not food, if someone is stealing something worth less than $100, I guarantee they either needed the item or the cash. Hell, even less than $500, there's a good chance that person was hard up & needed it.

Theft is a symptom of a failed social order.

Show threadCatFeb 14, 2023
@allenstenhaus Hard agree. Shop local, steal corporate!
Show threadGrumpy Penguin 🇦🇺 🇮🇱 🕯️Feb 15, 2023

@Cat_LeFey

Really valuable insight. And I shall take on board "if you see someone stealing food, No you didn't"

BTW, not sure what happens at uni's these days but back in the 90's when I my mum was a lecturer, her faculty organized a free BBQ once a week, so that they could be certain that their students were getting at least one hot protein meal per week...

Show threadBert LatamoreFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey I have been close to food insecurity a couple of times, but have always been fortunate that when I go hungry was by choice, not necessity.
Show threadQuick Weasel 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈Feb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Food is the one thing that if it's stolen, I just mind my own frickin business. Good on you for opening the coach's eyes to childhood hunger.
Show threadDr. Brad Rosenheim has moved!Feb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Great story, and I love the proverb you gave your kids to live by!
Show threadKathe O'ReillyFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey ❤️
Show threadAnnietimeFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Thank you for this. Just read the emergency increase in SNAP benefits due to the pandemic, expires as of March in 32 states. Millions will suddenly see a cut in their benefits. Food insecurity is already bad and I am so dismayed this benefit is disappearing !
Show threadRiver J. HopkinsFeb 16, 2023
@annietime Yeah, it's pretty awful. I forgot how crappy the benefits really were before COVID started. They got us used to being able to afford things, and now they're like, "Oh no, the pandemic is over; you don't need to eat anymore."
Show threadLisa HamiltonFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Thank you for reminding folks of this. It's heartbreakingly so true
Show threadAlexisFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey As someone who grew up with food insecurity, thank you for taking a stand against needless gatekeeping of survival needs. 💙
Show threadDavastewartFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey When I was a teacher, the kids who didn't drink their milk at lunch were told they had to throw it away. One kid (who had 9 siblings!) would collect a few cartons each day. He kept them hidden and snuck them into his backpack to take home for his brothers and sisters. One day a teacher tripped over his backpack while he was in the bus line and one of the cartons burst. She accused him of stealing and punished him (very publicly). He was SUCH a good kid. It was all horrible.
Show threadThe DoctorFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey If any of the kids feel a need to get into lock picking, I'd be happy to teach them. Just saying.
Show threadRev. Meghann RobernFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey I’m regularly appalled at how much extra things we’re asked to pay for that all the kids are just expected to be able to afford to participate in a regular school day. When we have extra financial flexibility I tell the teacher we can help cover kids anonymously whom she thinks/knows don’t have the funds. And when there’s outside field trip lunches I always give my kids extra cash and tell them to make sure no one goes hungry.
Show threadBlackDutchSnarkFeb 15, 2023
@hopepunk @Cat_LeFey I did the same with my kids all through school, & as a teacher, I would pay for lunches if someone “left their money at home” or I knew they just didn’t have a lot of money whether field trips or not. I always kept granola bars, soup, crackers, peanut butter & crackers, cheesy mac bowls, pop tarts & stuff in a closet in my classroom. I would just go to Sams once in a while to stock up. My kids knew all they had to do was ask. I worry about my kids now.
Show threadWoodchazFeb 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey
Food or baby formula.
Show threadPatty Bluebird 🦩Feb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey You are so right. We tend to forget about hungry kids if we aren't hungry. Glad you spoke up.
Show threadDiane MagrasFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey It's so wonderful that you spoke to him, but also that he was receptive. And your rule for when anyone sees someone stealing food is spot-on.
Show threadIndie 🏳️‍🌈🤱💜🕊📚Feb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Someone stole diapers and spare change from my government office. Security just said "guess she needed it."
Show threadMadHatterMommyFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey your thought process is inspiring
Show threadmatFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey this is a wonderful thing to hear.
Show threadDj PadzenskyFeb 16, 2023

@Cat_LeFey "As I tell my own children: If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't."

I love this.

Show threadelizabeth veldonFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey no one steels food, they take what they need to survive.
Show threadmareike*mFeb 16, 2023

@Cat_LeFey
Thank you for this story - it helps me to be more aware of this privilege.

We live in a neighborhood with big differences in income and my family has "enough money" for our everyday needs and some extra wishes.

It makes so many situations easier to handle. And it can make very ignorant in regard to others.

So, thanks for sharing!

Show threadapgarciaFeb 16, 2023

@Cat_LeFey that's awesome. reminds me of les miserables. instead of the priest turning in jean valjean for stealing his silverware, this happens:

“Ah! here you are!” he exclaimed, looking at Jean Valjean. “I am glad to see you. Well, but how is this? I gave you the candlesticks too, which are of silver like the rest, and for which you can certainly get two hundred francs. Why did you not carry them away with your forks and spoons?”

Show threadT Y BeaulieuFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey
I am sure I like you
Thank you
Show threadlolonurseFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey
How nice that the interaction was positive!!
Show threadMikeZilla Minus OneFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey
you definitely sould have said something - my wife was in charge of the high school scholars program and there was a scholars room and she would often go to costco and buy probably the same boxes of individually wrapped snack portions and there was never a problem with theft - and if there was, my wife would not have locked the cabinet
good for you
Show threadPixiePancakeFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey When I was a child, we often experienced food insecurity. I remember one horribly painful moment when a friend offered me a bowl of cereal. (I was starving.) I said no because I didn’t want anyone to know that we didn’t have food. I still wish I had eaten that cereal. I was ten.
Show threadBootFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey agreed. If you're stealing a TV or a Car you're a criminal if you're stealing cheese or bread you're desperate.
Show threadAllison OFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey brilliant.
Show threadMistial DeveloperFeb 16, 2023

@Cat_LeFey

"If you see someone stealing food, no you didn't."

Having a roommate/significant other who had experienced food insecurity was an eye-opening experience, and it led to changes in the household to help address the childhood trauma.

With regards to theft of food in particular, it will vary from situation to situation but in some cases it might be worth addressing the scarcity directly. Theft of food is still risky legally, so direct help is better when appropriate/acceptable.

Show threadKendra Preston LeonardFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey You go! I’m so sick of the attitudes of adults that kids are always bad.
Show threadDavid W. JonesFeb 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Reminds me of Les Miserables (the original story, not the musical).
Show threadcrusom Feb 17, 2023
@Cat_LeFey well, maybe one of the kids is maniacally overeating, that was my first thought, because bulimia and other eating disorders are a thing :/
Show threadRaj 🇬🇧🇪🇺💻🖥(🌻🇺🇦;🇵🇸)Feb 17, 2023

@Cat_LeFey Completely agree with you in principle, but not always practice. We had a local shoplifter who was regularly stealing high value meat products to resell to feed a drug habit.

She had problems, certainly, but it wasn't anything anyone could simply solve. Eventually it got too hot for her and she's since targeted other shopping zones.

But yes, if someone is stealing to eat then something is badly at fault. The least you can do is turn a blind eye. But really, that is the very least.

Show threadToon DoctorFeb 17, 2023
@Cat_LeFey whoever took the snacks needed them.
Show threadWillFeb 18, 2023

@Cat_LeFey thanks for your story and actions!

And what if one of the kids is diabetic and has a bloodsugar emergency and life-or-death-NEEDS that snack! (Which for me, would also mean that in my hypoglycemic cognitive impairment and emotional dysregulation, I'd have a really hard time asking for help!)

(Sorry for the drama, but 30% of the children born in the Us today are going to be diabetic, so, maybe everyone should learn about it)

#HashtagsAtTheEnd #diabetes #t1d #juvenileOnsetDiabetes

Show threadRenFeb 18, 2023
@Cat_LeFey Can we please have more parents like you?
Show threadsomethingx3Feb 18, 2023
@Cat_LeFey I'm a teenager living in a wealthy suburban area. Some people (teenagers) around me who I know for a fact have more than enough resources at home, and decide to steal anyway. They steal snacks from everywhere, even lollipops from teachers' desks. I don't know how it is in your area, but I know firsthand that it's possible for kids to steal without being hungry. That being said, if you feel the risk of someone starving is high, then your philosophy definitely applies.
Show threadKara GoldfinchApr 15, 2023
@Cat_LeFey @EJGilbert I’ll give it a proper listen later but yeah it seems good.
Show threadKara GoldfinchApr 16, 2023
@Cat_LeFey @EJGilbert Just realised I replied to the wrong post.
Show threadDamiApr 16, 2023

@Cat_LeFey Yeah, if a kid is taking food, it's because they're hungry. It's as simple as that.

Food insecurity is *rampant*. Anyone should be assuming that 30% of the people they know are food-insecure; more if their community involves marginalized groups.

Show threadAviva GaryAug 3, 2024
@Cat_LeFey this ^