I was watching that MTV performance for Katrina victims last night and one of the scrolling messages was that by donating 100$ to the salvation army, you could feed a family of 4 for 2 days.

2 days!!!!????

okay, I know there are major transportation issues, etc, but still. I would certainly think that they could do a little better than 2 days.

I box enriched cereal and 1 gallon milk (or box of powdered milk and gallon of water)=$6

4 gallons water=8$

2 loaf of bread=3

Jar peanut butter=2
jar jelly=2

bag of apples=3

2 boxes granola bars=4$

bag of tortillas=2
2 large cans refried beans=4
2 lbs cheese=5.

there, I just fed a family of 4 for 2 days for $39 and I Don't even get discounts at the grocery store. That is paying retail prices. True, they had to eat the same thing for 2 days, but .....I'm sure I could have come up with 2 different menus for about the same price if I spend more than 2 minutes on it.

I should think that with a little creativity, 100$ coudl feed a family of 4 for about a week.

So maybe I'm just being idiotic, and not realizing how much money it takes to get the supplies together and distribute them etc. IT just looked depressing when I read it on the screen. There are so many needy families, and if i stretched my pocket books and donated $100, all it would be doing is feeding 1 family for 2 days... doesn't seem like much in the grand scheme of things.

Totally agree with you Already in Love. A $100 to feed a family of 4 for two days is insane. And to think some people are shocked when they hear that there's a high rate of Americans that are obese right now.

You mean it doesn't cost $1500 a month to feed 4 people?

It does if you factor in the money spent on gas getting to the grocery store.

Walk you fatass. And get your fatass kids walking too.


Seriously, I agree with AIL. $100?!?! What exactly are they getting for this $100?

SHUT UP AND GET ME SOME DEVIL DOGS JACKASS!!

Prime Rib.

I can live comfortably only spending $100/month. For 4 people, that should last... let's see... a week?

could it possibly be the differences in prices across the country? i can get water for $.59 a gallon, a loaf of bread for $.69, but the apples i eat are $6 a bag. but i also assume that there would be some sort of buy down power that the salvation army has. they're not buying one loaf of bread. they're buying one hundred.

are they trying to make meals according to some food pyramid? i noticed that the menu you prepared had no meat and few fruits and vegetables. perhaps they're including in a dinner like meats, vegetables and rolls?

i agree, though. this does seem a bit excessive. it would certainly seem as though $100 would go a lot further than two days.

Wait a second. You guys can feed yourselves for a month on a hundred bucks? What's rent cost down in NO in the poor area's. Can't imagine too very much. Yet, nobody can afford a car. And nobody could afford a bus ticket.

They sure can afford to get their hair cut and buy designer clothing though. These poor people in NO are good at that.

LittleWing, are all the soldiers you're stationed with as heroically compassionate as you are?

Where is the transportation costs?

How about refrigeration costs or the milk & cheese will spoil by tomorrow?

maybe it was "feed and house" but because mtv feared our attention spans were too short, they left off the "and house"

What about utensils and plates, bowls, etc???

I would guess their serving mostly, if not all, non-perishable stuff. Cost of 8 paper plate, 8 paper bowls, 8 plastic spoons, & 8 plastic forks? I don't think we're at 100 bucks yet.

I agree with knuckles, there are some costs in there that they're just not telling you.

Transportation costs. They aren't going to the Supermarket to get this stuff.

I don't care what kind of additional costs you tack on, there's still no way $100 can only feed four people for 2 days. That's a ludicrous amount.

Especially since Congress voided Davis-Bacon, and you no longer have to pay New Orleans workers a fair wage.

What's that?

EDIT: The Davis-Bacon act required that contractors pay workers whatever the prevailing wage in the area was before the disaster. I say "required" because that has been suspended indefinitely.