They say no good deed goes unpunished. But when the universe is being particularly kind, the person who receives the punishment actually deserves it.
One former employee of a pizza joint recently shared on Reddit how he was once scolded for attempting to buy a homeless man dinner. Thankfully, however, a brilliant customer came up with the perfect way to ensure that the man got to eat plenty of delicious pizzas free of charge. Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as some of the replies amused readers shared.
This former employee of a pizza place was once berated for buying a homeless man dinner
Image credits: Artranq (not the actual photo)
So another customer came up with a brilliant plan to ensure that he didn’t go hungry again
Image credits: halfpoint (not the actual photo)
Image credits: rawf8 (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Huge_Buddy_2216
Later, the man responded to several readers and shared additional details on the situation
There are currently over half a million unhoused individuals living in the United States
It can be easy to forget about the homelessness crisis when you have a warm, cozy bed to sleep in every night, but the painful reality is that in the United States, there are currently about 582,000 unhoused individuals. This includes sheltered and unsheltered residents, meaning those who have the opportunity to temporarily stay in safe havens, motels, domestic violence shelters, with friends for a couple of weeks, as well as those who are left to seek shelter on the streets, in abandoned buildings, in cars and in other places not intended to house humans. 60% of unhoused individuals in the US are men, and veterans experience homelessness at slightly higher rates than the overall population.
Contrary to what some privileged people might assume, it’s actually dangerously easy to become homeless and much harder to get back on your feet following a bout of being unhoused. Some of the factors contributing to the homelessness crisis are exorbitant living costs, low-incomes, health issues, having nowhere to go when escaping domestic violence, and racial disparities. In the US today, 11 million households living in poverty pay at least half of their income towards housing, meaning that they are at high risk of becoming homeless if their source of income is suddenly reduced or cut off.
Finding food can be extremely difficult when homeless, despite the fact that restaurants throw away nearly all of their leftovers each day
When it comes to health issues, people residing in shelters are more than twice as likely to have a disability than the rest of the population. Over one fifth of unhoused individuals report having serious mental health illnesses, and 16% struggle with chronic substance abuse. And while Black Americans make up only 13% of the country’s population, they account for a startling 37% of homeless individuals and half of all homeless families with kids. Considering that there are so many individuals on the streets and in shelters who clearly need assistance, it’s heartbreaking to hear that restaurants in the United States continue to throw away 94% of their excess food. Many have policies against employees taking home food or donating what’s left at the end of a shift, despite there being 38 million food insecure Americans.
If you’re wondering how you can help get food into the hands and stomachs of those who desperately need it, donating to food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens is a great place to start. There are also often volunteer programs where individuals can take donated food out onto the streets and bring it to those who are hungry but unable to access the facilities. You can even start a food drive in your own community to gather as much as you can to help those around you. And, of course, you can create your own care packages to pass out to whomever you encounter on the streets in your own city. According to Our Father’s House Soup Kitchen, the best non-perishables to give to unhoused individuals are anything that lasts for days, doesn’t require utensils to eat and is preferably quite filling.
Without relying on the kindness of strangers, many would have no access to food at all
Some of the foods they recommend are canned stews, bottled water, cereal bars, gum or mints, canned beans or tuna, peanut butter, pre-packed cheese, tuna or chicken salad snack packs, cup noodles, cracker packs, fruit snacks, pudding cups, apple sauce, jelly and trail mix. It’s also recommended to avoid any foods that will be too hard on a person’s teeth, as they likely don’t have access to dental services. Foods that are easy to chew are ideal. And if you’re on a tight budget yourself, don’t hesitate to ask friends and or family members to help donate as well. If everyone pitches in a small amount of perishable foods and hygiene products, you might be able to put together a care package that will make someone else’s life much easier, even if for only a week.
Despite the fact that many people are homeless due to factors outside of their own control and having a lack of resources, there is unfortunately still a stigma associated with being unhoused. Thankfully, the man in this story, along with the help of Henry, was able to keep one person from going hungry for a few months, but business owners should never look down on their employees for trying to help another human being out. We would love to hear your thoughts on this wholesome act of petty revenge in the comments below, pandas. Have you ever been in a similar situation with an employer? Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article discussing the homelessness crisis in the US, we recommend reading this piece next.
Some readers were less than impressed with the man’s generosity
Others, however, applauded the employee for ensuring that one less person went hungry
The post Worker Scolded For Trying To Buy A Homeless Man Pizza, Customer Finds A Brilliant Loophole first appeared on Bored Panda.
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