For those of us selling “wants” not “needs” and perhaps seeing slower sales.
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Americans are perpetually “falling behind on their bills”.
Americans spend more than Americans make whether it is boom or bust times.
There are a lot more grasshoppers than ants these days.
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I guess I need something to blame it on.
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We sure do like to waste money. Was dating my wife and bought her flowers. She pointed out that true love, is me getting up in the middle of the night when I hear the cat yacking from eating the 50$ soon-to-be-dead plants, in a vase on the dining room table.
'Tis me. I also paid close attention to the Home Depot news going around - definitely feeling the burn right now as people stick to essential needs. 
There is a Samoan Church down the street from one of our buildings, every wednesday they have free food pickup in a car line that weaves down the streets. I have a very hard time being concerned for someone picking up free food in a new Tundra, Model S, and other cars over $60K.
Grifters everywhere, taking from the hands of the truly needy.
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There has been a significant proliferation of Food Banks, etc. recently. It has lead me to conclude that first and foremost Americans in general are too damned generous. Secondly, that the State and Federal safety net or welfare system is an utter failure and likely needs overhauled and privatized (charity should probably begin at home, not the Infernal Revenue Service). And finally, yes
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Disagree. If those inclined to help their fellow human beings as their religious/moral/personal mandate demands, those government programs would be unnecessary in the first place. There is nothing stopping those organizations from falling on their self made swords in an attempt to meet those goals, but I assert they will not make a dent in the core issue of high costs of living for people like the elderly or infirm and they are too busy lining their own pockets.
Joel Osteen or Kenneth Copeland could feed a lot of Texans if he wanted to simply sell the jet(s).
Secondly, many of our food banks are taking advantage of the massive amount of wasted food. I don’t see an issue with stores giving food away that is near the end of it’s shelf life, or when a farmer decides its not profitable that season to harvest.
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Also, a significant number of these church groups have shifted priorities from helping the needy to trying to ban books and preventing teenagers from being taught sex-ed, among other things.
There’s one church near me that consistently helps people week after week with their food pantry, but at the same time, there’s several I’m aware of that have members picking fights with school boards and libraries. 
I’m pulling back to not do the political thing on this forum. I just want to see waste and greed diverted to those truly in need.
The logistics side of this conversation is what I think is a great learning tool for business.
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Nor do I. It’s the failures of government I object to.
The history of American governments nationalization of charity is far too politic to evade @papy 's censorship. But one could easily conclude they were indeed unnecessary in the first place.
Please… it’s just like Tom Keifer sang in the old days
To look into the cabinet, it takes more than a key
Just like Jimmy’s skeletons and his ministry…Some people wave the Bible, 'cause it’s giving them a thrill
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We could slippery slope this to Amazon and point out the high cost of goods on the platform, is exacerbated by the generous return policies, because Amazon does not eat the cost and passes it along to sellers.
I could feed a family or two, a very basic food staple for an entire year, if buyers were required to pay when they return open items due to their ignorance.
The return logistics costs alone are in the $10-15K range for only one of our 3 business’ but not all of those are buyer faulted.
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@SawleMill @VTR When the government has become involved, it is impossible to prove whether government involvement was a cause or an effect of private efforts being inadequate.
In our area the local food bank Gather has grown into a major company whether one wishes to think of it as so or not. But this is New Hampshire, where the state government is constrained by both Yankee Thrift and a tax structure which constrains spending.
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Not really. Most lawmakers don’t sit around and make laws for non threats to their elections for the most part. Occasionally, you will get a legislature that makes a law that bans whaling, when they are landlocked from any ocean by at least 3 states. That is just posturing with paper that all states do.
States without homeless issues are not wasting legislative time making homeless laws.
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Prosperity Gospel 
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Cough… Cough… Ensign Peak Adivsors… Cough… 
When I was younger I always thought the LDS was LSD
And I like psychedelics 
Yes, that is exactly what they do. And come around every four years telling you how hard they work for you. Quantity over quality, since the majority of Americans are politically apathetic (probably in part to having their own lives to be about living) you get a great deal of “I introduced 2,000 pages of legislation”, “I brought $16 billion back to the state”, worst of all sometimes to one group they can honestly say, “I introduced a bill that…, sadly it went nowhere” then twenty minutes later tell another group that is 100% opposed to the first, “I introduced a bill that…, sadly it went nowhere”.
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While all this is true, I think VTR’s point was without vested interest, which is the primary driver for all humans but that arbitrary line get’s grotesque when it contradicts welfare of the people and the polity when their sworn oaths are precisely to protect both of those.
Its akin to Prosperity preachers coming up with their outlandish theologies and their entire system (or lack thereof)/narrative- It’s very Bizarro Superman.
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“Brothers and Sisters, I want you today to reach deep into your hearts and pocket books…”
“Please, give unto me the weight of the root of all evil. Let me bear it for you, out of love”
