Sharing Food

[JohnWayne]

Homeless thread got me thinking. I travel pretty light and generally pack only enough food for myself and don't have a heap leftover if any. Now I would give a few bucks to anyone, but having a hard time wrapping my head around sharing my food if asked by homeless staying in shelter when I'm on my thru in 2014. I don't have a problem with homeless with the thought that it could be any one of us. How do the rest of you with limited supplies handle it?

[WingedMonkey]

I have shared food with other hikers, more of a trade kinda thing of a "here try this, OK you try this". I've never given the food I've carried away...I eat it.

[Hairbear]

ive watered down a rice meal and made soup to share, but i wouldnt want to do this often on a long journey for fear of becoming weak ,and possibly sick.

[Lone Wolf]

hell no. i do not share food

[Pedaling Fool]

I'll share food with anyone that removes all the rocks from the AT.

[Papa D]

I don't understand Lone Wolf. Why wouldn't you share food (especially if you had something extra)? I thought you were affiliated with a church in Damascus for God's sake - - I'm not a church-goer but don't you think that Jesus would have given his last Cliff Bar away?

Maybe you were just being funny.

I always enjoy sharing. A couple of weeks ago, a man, his son and their dog got caught out on Moosilauke without any supplies and had to bivy at Beaver Brook. I was on a long hike with limited re-supply but I gave the dog half a block of cheese and made these people a pot full of two pasta sides to get them through the night. Glad they didn't run into a stingy old know it all too set in his ways to help others.

[Lone Wolf]

I don't understand Lone Wolf. Why wouldn't you share food (especially if you had something extra)? I thought you were affiliated with a church in Damascus for God's sake - - I'm not a church-goer but don't you think that Jesus would have given his last Cliff Bar away?

Maybe you were just being funny.

I always enjoy sharing. A couple of weeks ago, a man, his son and their dog got caught out on Moosilauke without any supplies and had to bivy at Beaver Brook. I was on a long hike with limited re-supply but I gave the dog half a block of cheese and made these people a pot full of two pasta sides to get them through the night. Glad they didn't run into a stingy old know it all too set in his ways to help others.

oh puh-leese

[perrymk]

hell no. i do not share food

[Malto]

Whether you share food or not is the last thing that should be on your mind as you prepare for your trip. There are a thousand more important things.....

I will gladly share any food that I don't want to et or carry, that's generally not that common but it has happened. I would also donate food to someone that is in "trouble" such as injury etc. but giving food to someone so they don't have to get off the trail to buy it or due to piss poor planning, highly unlikely.

[Deadeye]

Whether you share food or not is the last thing that should be on your mind as you prepare for your trip. There are a thousand more important things.....

I will gladly share any food that I don't want to et or carry, that's generally not that common but it has happened. I would also donate food to someone that is in "trouble" such as injury etc. but giving food to someone so they don't have to get off the trail to buy it or due to piss poor planning, highly unlikely.

Ditto. I'll share what I can, when I can, and I"ll go way out of my way to help an injured hiker, but I'm not going to screw up my plans because someone else screwed up their plans... or their life.

[MuddyWaters]

Helping others isnt always so simple a decision.
When I pull up to a traffic light and someones holding a sign, begging for money, I am conflicted.
Part of me would give every one of them $20 if I knew it would make a difference to them. The other part wont give them a dime as many of them would just spend it on booze.
Some have chosen to make it their lifestyle, and arent neccessarilly there by chance.
There are services (missions, etc) to help homeless people. Many require no drinking, no smoking, limited stays, and that you look for work actively. A lot of homeless would rather be on the street than put up with their rules.

To me the bottom line is that any homeless person out in the woods is there by choice, not by chance.
Hard to convince myself to encourage them to stay by giving handouts. Kind of like feeding a stray cat, they will stay near the source. If you want them to go away, you cannot do it.
If someone was starving, sure I would give them food, even though I carry just enough to get to my destination myself.
If they are within walking distance of a road to town, etc, Nope. They need to be elsewhere where they can get assistance to get their lives on track. Staying on the trail isnt doing them any good.

[perrymk]

Helping others isnt always so simple a decision.
When I pull up to a traffic light and someones holding a sign, begging for money, I am conflicted.

I give food. I keep sack lunches in my car for such situations.

Some people are genuinely down on their luck, some may be lazy. Many likely have substance abuse problems. There are as many stories as there are people. I figure money is best given to agencies that can pool it with other monies to offer more meaningful help. But one on one, I feel compelled to give a meal to satisfy the immediate need. I am not looking for kudos and I am not suggesting anyone else do the same. I only offer it as a suggestion for those wanting to do something but are not sure what to do.

[Papa D]

Helping others isnt always so simple a decision.
When I pull up to a traffic light and someones holding a sign, begging for money, I am conflicted.
Part of me would give every one of them $20 if I knew it would make a difference to them. The other part wont give them a dime as many of them would just spend it on booze.
Some have chosen to make it their lifestyle, and arent neccessarilly there by chance.
There are services (missions, etc) to help homeless people. Many require no drinking, no smoking, limited stays, and that you look for work actively. A lot of homeless would rather be on the street than put up with their rules.

To me the bottom line is that any homeless person out in the woods is there by choice, not by chance.
Hard to convince myself to encourage them to stay by giving handouts. Kind of like feeding a stray cat, they will stay near the source. If you want them to go away, you cannot do it.
If someone was starving, sure I would give them food, even though I carry just enough to get to my destination myself.
If they are within walking distance of a road to town, etc, Nope. They need to be elsewhere where they can get assistance to get their lives on track. Staying on the trail isnt doing them any good.

I hear what you are saying but I think all of this is "judging" - - if I can, I just give - - yep, the "will work for food guy" is probably scamming me and the homeless guy on the trail might be too. Sorry, it makes me feel good to give a little - - if I'm a sucker, so be it.

[Pioneer Spirit]

Here is the answer: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...ail&FORM=VIRE2

[Old Boots]

Hikers are usually generous people --- check out the hiker boxes all along the trail. To panhandle food while on the trail is rude because we generally carry only what we need. Trading is certainly acceptable and if someone shares with you be very grateful.

[jakedatc]

trading can be fun and/or useful. a kid i was hiking the LT with had a ton of dinners but not much lunch food and an AT nobo had lots of snacks and not many dinners left so they worked out a trade so they would both be set for a few days. plus it is fun to try other things you didn't think to pack and can remember for next trip/resupply.

have given and recieved stuff this trip too

[Hikes in Rain]

As a section hiker who doesn't get to hike near as much as I'd like, I inevitably overpack food, even when I take into account my tendancy to lose my appitite the first few days due to the unaccustomed excersize and such. I've given meals to folks who don't even ask, to save them a little on the next resupply, or maybe I noticed they seem short, or just announce I have extra so I don't have to carry the darned stuff. Some clearly needed it, others just as clearly really didn't, but all were welcome to it.

[kayak karl]

i don't share food. if an individual begs, i move on. this also goes for begging hikers that want to use my map, phone, lighter, guide, TP, water treatment, compass... etc.

[Lone Wolf]

hell no. i do not share food

meaning i don't share food that i'm fixin' to cook or already eating. i don't share beers either that i pack into camp. i used to make jiffy pop a lot and hikers were always tryin' to mooch it.

[Lone Wolf]

I don't understand Lone Wolf. Why wouldn't you share food (especially if you had something extra)? I thought you were affiliated with a church in Damascus for God's sake - - I'm not a church-goer but don't you think that Jesus would have given his last Cliff Bar away?

i help the caretaker of "The Place" hostel. i do the dirty work of enforcing rules. i never said i was a christian. never met jesus so i have no clue if he woulda given up his last bit of chow. if someone were truly hungry of course i would feed them. don't be so pompous