The Tragic Stigma of Help

How we perpetuate a myth that keeps so many of us poor, overwhelmed, depressed, and alone.

A few years ago, I was a member of a leadership development group in the not-so-prosperous post-industrial Midwestern town where I live. Every other Friday, the group — made up of mid-level management people at local firms — would get together at a different location to learn about the local economy. We learned about business development in the area, about leadership qualities, education, non-profits, and civic involvement.

On one occasion, we visited a food bank that serves about 15 counties in the area — meaning somewhere over 1 million people. The person representing the food bank revealed to us something that I found stunning and counter-intuitive. He said that where the food bank falls short is not where most people think it does.

The food bank — like most other food banks around the country — has plenty of food — plenty. In fact, each year, they throw away tons (literally, tons) of food that goes unclaimed. They also have plenty of volunteers to help process the food — during most times of the year. In short, supply — be it food or labor power — is not the most pressing issue. The most pressing issue is demand.