Since good food (& drink) make for good dudes, my wife and I work with a food bank collective we've helped build. It's a loose group of people with an association to an official food bank* that pick up surplus food from grocery stores and other food banks 7 days a week and distribute it to other banks, shelters, and anyone who wants it, no questions asked.
If anyone is in our area (San Jose, California, USA, Earth, Sol) and would either like to help or has a need for some food, let me know (I assume private messages work here for us with few posts). You WILL need transportation to get to us/the stores.
* the letter from the official food bank opens a lot of doors and removes legal problems for the stores donating.
Quote from: jdurand on November 14, 2013, 01:22:10 PM
Since good food (& drink) make for good dudes, my wife and I work with a food bank collective we've helped build. It's a loose group of people with an association to an official food bank* that pick up surplus food from grocery stores and other food banks 7 days a week and distribute it to other banks, shelters, and anyone who wants it, no questions asked.
If anyone is in our area (San Jose, California, USA, Earth, Sol) and would either like to help or has a need for some food, let me know (I assume private messages work here for us with few posts). You WILL need transportation to get to us/the stores.
* the letter from the official food bank opens a lot of doors and removes legal problems for the stores donating.
Very dude-like. Your food bank is to be highly condemned, dude! A definite achievement!
I have a task that needs a Dude who's graphical in nature. While picking up food this morning I had another person without the official food bank laminated card so they could get in the store. Then it occurred to me, all these guys did was take a picture of their building and print it with an overlay of FOOD MINISTRY. How about a Dudeism Food Ministry Card for any of us helping out, especially for groups like ours that distribute food to a wide range of shelters, food banks, and individuals. The card I currently have is only from one that we asked for ID from.
So, who can whip up a card that could be laminated with a space to put in the person's name "Rand Um Person"? I could provide privately a picture of my badge as an example, but essentially something Dudely with FOOD MINISTRY on it.
Quote from: jdurand on December 14, 2013, 05:27:25 PM
I have a task that needs a Dude who's graphical in nature. While picking up food this morning I had another person without the official food bank laminated card so they could get in the store. Then it occurred to me, all these guys did was take a picture of their building and print it with an overlay of FOOD MINISTRY. How about a Dudeism Food Ministry Card for any of us helping out, especially for groups like ours that distribute food to a wide range of shelters, food banks, and individuals. The card I currently have is only from one that we asked for ID from.
So, who can whip up a card that could be laminated with a space to put in the person's name "Rand Um Person"? I could provide privately a picture of my badge as an example, but essentially something Dudely with FOOD MINISTRY on it.
This is our concern, dude; What exactly needs to be on the card, what text?
J, yeah we can help with that card idea. Give me a little bit to kick it around.
On a related note, I also see food as key to dudeism and civilization, thus I have joined forces with a food based charity, I am starting the process to have 10% of my gross retail sales go to No Kid Hungry. I have been known to help out Jeff's Zen group who are also involved with No Kid Hungry, last summer we put on a showing of A Place at the Table. And Ari, Bernie Glassman's student is now running their food bank, slightly different plan than the usual food bank, they run what are called All Eat Cafes. I wrote about them for the Dudes[paper last summer.
So yeah, today's goal is to get my ebay donation store up an running, get some of that right livelihood goin' on.
Quote from: revgms on December 15, 2013, 07:56:51 AM
J, yeah we can help with that card idea. Give me a little bit to kick it around.
On a related note, I also see food as key to dudeism and civilization, thus I have joined forces with a food based charity, I am starting the process to have 10% of my gross retail sales go to No Kid Hungry. I have been known to help out Jeff's Zen group who are also involved with No Kid Hungry, last summer we put on a showing of A Place at the Table. And Ari, Bernie Glassman's student is now running their food bank, slightly different plan than the usual food bank, they run what are called All Eat Cafes. I wrote about them for the Dudes[paper last summer.
So yeah, today's goal is to get my ebay donation store up an running, get some of that right livelihood goin' on.
(http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/7131/66421926facebooklike.jpg)
Launched. In between shoveling for Snow-maggedon up here in Maine.
First offerings are my new piece, The Dude's White Russian Glass.
(https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQCcsHlA2XXQhEXX&w=398&h=208&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgalleryplus.ebayimg.com%2Fws%2Fweb%2F251404487861_1_0_1%2F1000x1000.jpg&cfs=1&upscale)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/251404487861?roken=75Z9cD (http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/251404487861?roken=75Z9cD)
10% of sales go to No Kid Hungry. It is risky but I am hoping that it spurs enough additional business that the loss in profit wont be that bad. I am not raising prices, just cutting off a chunk to help out, I will still make full price on custom orders so it should be alright.
The card I have has a picture of the food bank building and:
[Name of organization]
FOOD MINISTRY
[my name]
Quote from: jdurand on December 15, 2013, 01:30:36 PM
The card I have has a picture of the food bank building and:
[Name of organization]
FOOD MINISTRY
[my name]
Got your message, jdurand dude. Is revgms going to handle it? 8)
He was going to think about it. He may run off screaming, fix a large drink, soak in a tub, and/or work on the card.
Quote from: jdurand on December 16, 2013, 12:32:47 PM
He was going to think about it. He may run off screaming, fix a large drink, soak in a tub, and/or work on the card.
How about this?........
Name in white box upper left hand corner, Food ministry name in white box below.
(http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/293/a04d.jpg)
That's a possibility. Why didn't *I* think of the store scene? Duh... Now if there was a scene with him getting 20 cases (40 pounds each) of bananas that would have been us this last weekend...
My wife just suggested changing the upper left box to Dudeism or Dudeist and just having a box for the person's name.
Quote from: jdurand on December 16, 2013, 01:53:10 PM
My wife just suggested changing the upper left box to Dudeism or Dudeist and just having a box for the person's name.
Like this? 8)
(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/2361/tyjk.jpg)
I'll run it past my boss, she's currently cooking up some game bits for the chickens.
Wife says yes. So, we have a badge. Go forth my children and proceed to laminate and spread spare food throughout the world with no questions asked, anyone who wants food gets food.
Far fuckin' out, man. This is a righteous thing.
It's amazing at how fast people want to start setting rules. "Does that person REALLY need free food?" Have to stomp that out quickly like a lit ash on the rug.
Could I trouble you for one more version? I've been asked to remove the white box, the name will be printed in bold over the image.
Thanks.
The badge abides.............
(http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3641/rlj5.jpg)
Thank you oh grand poobah of the digital realm. Hopefully I'll quit bothering you now. Actually bedtime, have a day job to do between food bank duties.
Quote from: jdurand on December 18, 2013, 01:16:51 AM
Thank you oh grand poobah of the digital realm. Hopefully I'll quit bothering you now. Actually bedtime, have a day job to do between food bank duties.
No problemo, Man. Hope it helps. 8)
By the way, here's the finished badge. It's on Google but you shouldn't have to log in or anything to see it. I've had some people say they can only download images, can't view them on the web. Others have no problem. ??
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3z7JJjmkXckOUYxRG9UQm9lZTA/edit?usp=sharing
Anyway, if anyone would like one of these, I've decided to print and laminate for a nominal fee. $5 postage paid for one badge, lanyard NOT included but the hole punched (unless you ask for no hole).
Since we handle a lot of food and the badges get abused, I included a piece of stainless wire in ours to reinforce the hole. This makes the badge a bit lumpier and not as slick looking, but it will last longer. Let me know if you want that.
The image is the same, front and back.
Contact me for more details.
Looks great, man! A worthy achievement!
Quote from: jdurand on February 09, 2014, 05:38:22 PM
By the way, here's the finished badge. It's on Google but you shouldn't have to log in or anything to see it. I've had some people say they can only download images, can't view them on the web. Others have no problem. ??
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3z7JJjmkXckOUYxRG9UQm9lZTA/edit?usp=sharing
Anyway, if anyone would like one of these, I've decided to print and laminate for a nominal fee. $5 postage paid for one badge, lanyard NOT included but the hole punched (unless you ask for no hole).
Since we handle a lot of food and the badges get abused, I included a piece of stainless wire in ours to reinforce the hole. This makes the badge a bit lumpier and not as slick looking, but it will last longer. Let me know if you want that.
The image is the same, front and back.
Contact me for more details.
My only concern/suggestion would be to blur out the Ralph's logo in the background, since it's a real store. If you're a small operation it's a long shot, but you may get into some sort of hot water with their legal department.
Good thought, too late on these badges but I can do it in the file for the next printing.
Quote from: DigitalBuddha on December 18, 2013, 12:59:47 AM
The badge abides.............
(http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3641/rlj5.jpg)
Wow! That is groovy ass shit dude. Seriously dig that.
We used the new badges today, nobody noticed (as expected). I pointed it out to the head guy and he thought it was humorous. I reminded him that I'm an actual minister, but I don't think he's one who considers us real.
This is awesome stuff dude. Too bad you werent a little more inland. May have to look into this sorta thing here in the valley
Quote from: DriftinDude on February 15, 2014, 02:09:27 AM
This is awesome stuff dude. Too bad you werent a little more inland. May have to look into this sorta thing here in the valley
Technically you must have the blessing of a registered charitable food bank, everything you pick up has to go to the charity for distribution. Any food past the sell by or open containers is trash. Only employees of the food bank may hand out food from an inspected facility.
Non-technically, you do what you can and it's better to ask forgiveness later than trying to get permission up front. But, a letter from a recognized brick and mortar church in your area would probably help open the doors.
Oh, also, take everything they give you even if the oranges are green and fuzzy. You can NOT pick and choose at the store, that's for paying customers, sort later. Be prepared to deal with large quantities of food (10-15 shopping carts full at some stores), some needs refrigeration or freezing. Home Depot sells some nice chest freezers cheap. Thank them when you talk to them. Don't miss a pickup schedule, have people ready to fill in if you can't make it. You may get calls when it's not your day to pick up if the other guys didn't show up, be ready to have someone get stuff any day of the week. After a while you'll find they might save more stuff for you because you show up on time and are pleasant to deal with. One store gives us lots of meats (we got three tote bins full tonight) because they don't like the people who pick up on Saturday morning.
This is an awesome idea, dudes!
My wife belongs to a local art group, and a few times a year I help out with their food drive/fund raiser for our local food bank, The Help Center. We call it "Starving Artists Feed the Hungry," and we have young artists come auction off their work (a portion goes to the Help Center), we have live bands play, free cocktails and food for the adults, and folks come in and drop off food and cash donations. Between our last two events we've collected over 1,300 pounds of food and nearly $3,000!
The next event is comin' up in May, and I think I'll be printing up one of these badges to wear. Nice job, dudes!
Be sure to blur brand names in the badge, we missed that on the first pass.
Quote from: jdurand on February 15, 2014, 12:58:51 PM
Be sure to blur brand names in the badge, we missed that on the first pass.
Will do, dude. Thankie for the heads up.
Quote from: revgms on December 15, 2013, 11:10:04 AM
(https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQCcsHlA2XXQhEXX&w=398&h=208&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgalleryplus.ebayimg.com%2Fws%2Fweb%2F251404487861_1_0_1%2F1000x1000.jpg&cfs=1&upscale)
Now THAT is worthy of a vigorous golf clap - both for execution and charitable intent. Sir E of the Bay confirms I shall enjoy my beverage of choice from these majestic chalices sometime between Friday, Feb. 21 and Monday, Feb. 24.
One of people who used to help with pickups for our food ministry group has decided to start helping out again. He showed up today at the store loading dock and after a while he did a double take and leaned close to my badge. So, I got to explain Dudeism to him. He thought that was cool/kewl. I wonder if any of the other drivers have noticed it.
The loading docks have a generally friendly bunch of guys (mostly male, few women) once they figure out you're one of them.
Quote from: jgiffin on February 16, 2014, 04:53:56 PM
Quote from: revgms on December 15, 2013, 11:10:04 AM
(https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQCcsHlA2XXQhEXX&w=398&h=208&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgalleryplus.ebayimg.com%2Fws%2Fweb%2F251404487861_1_0_1%2F1000x1000.jpg&cfs=1&upscale)
Now THAT is worthy of a vigorous golf clap - both for execution and charitable intent. Sir E of the Bay confirms I shall enjoy my beverage of choice from these majestic chalices sometime between Friday, Feb. 21 and Monday, Feb. 24.
Just checking in to confirm I received the glasses yesterday. Excellent, indeed. I plan to christen them with an intoxicating libation tonight! Thanks, much, Rev.
In today's food pickup was what looked like a candy bar. My wife picked it up and read the label, handed to me, I read it, handed it to a third person who read it and put it back in the cart to go to the food bank.
What sort of bar was it? beef-habanero-cherry
At the food bank pickup a guy saw my wife carrying a big bag of bread and said "let me help you!" and took the bag from her. The next thing he said is "Ooof, that's heavy!"
She's stronger than she looks. :)
Well Dudes, I'm currently out of the food bank (and any other business). We're moving out of the USA to a new place 11 time zones to the East where we have all new people to give a hard time to. :) :)
Sorry I haven't been on here for a while, it's been...hectic.
And now with the virus panic we can't cross the border so here we sit looking at pictures of our new house and thinking how nice the place is.
Once we move I'll see if there's any Dudes local to our new digs.
Best of luck in your new digs and your new adventure, Dude. My special lady friend and I are constantly talking about relocating. We're US/Canadian folks but were thinking of crossing the pond. While we both speak English and French (her French is WAAAAY better than mine), I think that we could learn Portugese or Spanish or Italian or Greek...you know, just to abide somewhere less maddening and much warmer. Anyways, best of luck to you and yours and the internet keeps us all connected.