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Another side to the Food Bank story

Every person who goes to the Food Bank has a reason for going there.

Editor: I am writing in response to the letter from Elaine Bartels in The Times (Dec. 6), “Rejected by Food Bank.”

I was waiting in the line-up during Bartels’ visit to the local Food Bank and while I feel sorry for Bartels, her letter is not the full story.

During her visit, I witnessed her yelling and belittling those who volunteer and work at the Food Bank, as well as the other people who were at the Food Bank for food. She made a statement to the effect that most of us are on welfare and not working.

I am already feeling embarrassed and bad about having to attend the Food Bank for food,  but I was very offended by what Bartels said.  She proceeded to yell that she would be writing to the newspaper and tell others “how un-Christian at Christmas the Food Bank employees were.”

Every person who goes to the Food Bank has a reason for asking for help, and no one is better than anyone else, or has a right to belittle the other people there.

I am a single mother of one child, and like Bartels, I lost my job at the beginning of November of this year. Added to that, I have a growing child who needs winter clothing, and her birthday is this week.

It is financially extremely hard for many people. Without the Food Bank, many of us would not be able to feed our families. The people who volunteer there have been nothing but kind to me, and the numerous others who depend on their services for food each week.

They have hundreds of families coming in and try their best to help all those in the community. Due to the number of people they help on an ongoing basis. they have to have rules and regulations in place so that the service they provide to our community can continue. Please withhold my last name for the sake of my child.

Danielle A.,

Langley