Franklin Food Bank — Local services in Franklin Township

I'm gonna share my feelings which I share off social media. I made an appointment almost. A week ago because I am in a position taking care of my grandson. So I have more only home on Thursday and Friday and I just moved into a new apartment in the Somerset area. I didn't have an ID with the sum of the address. But I made an appointment and when I came from my appointment, she said, breathe. Bring your lease anything with your address. And that's what I did. Never thought I would get turned away with an empty bag. It's bad enough when you have to go to and get help it's worked all my life. I'm in between social security and retirement and things that getting a little rough because my insurance won't pay for certain vacations. So it's kind of tight, hoping that my friendly food bank would help me fill up my life pantry so I can be a little comfortable because I am over 60. And I am on different kind of medications, so I have to eat rice. Explain it to the director and she was very nice and she made an appointment for me. She told me, bring everything you could. You can bring it and most likely we will see you, but we will not let you walk away. I went there today, the sister. 6 February, explain everything to them. My point was at 3, we went there 230. We waited till 3, then they said, oh no, your appointments at 330I said oh no I know I made my appointment at 3 o'clock here. It is on my phone oh no, it says 330I heard her, okay, I'm not gonna argue. I'm already getting treated like I don't belong in here. I just felt like for me to ask for help. I had to bow down for my dignity to be put on display, there was no privacy, everybody's talking. Among each other, even people coming in. Listening to your business. Well, who cares you're there for help? Okay? Then he said we can't help you. We can't give you anything. I've been there 2 hours, and you can't help me come back. I'm not going register to the motor vehicle. Get my license change and throw a new address. You know how long it's going to take for the call me to mail but I also have another life too. I paid my taxes. This is my hometown. I came back to retire and I need help. And I was turned down and on your website, you clearly state that you have dignity. And respect for an individual that didn't happen today, for me, the staff treated me as if no one wanted to get involved. No one to give me a clear answer. No one wanted to help me. They were running me back-and-forth. I went. From our office to the other, they never give me an opportunity to fill out no paperwork. Cause as soon as they told me they couldn't do nothing because they told me that they'd been dealing with a lot of fraud. What does that have to do with me? How many days a human be? I'm older than everybody in the place. Down there when I went back to ask for some names and office card so I can find out who I can talk to about this matter. I was approached by one of your staff members. It wasn't very nice. You definitely did not give me any dignity. Or respect You didn't even give me the opportunity to fill a register myself south so I can come back with the proper paperwork. I was treated as if I didn't help along there. And that's not the way things are supposed to go. When you are a full non-profit organization, you're supposed to care enough, not less a person leave even if I walked in there with no shoes and I was homeless. Would you have helped me? I don't think so. It's very sad that I come back to my community after I grew up in this town, and this is how A person who lives here is being treated. No one seemed to understand what to do, how to do it, or even have any dignity and respect by explaining it to me. They kept walking away. Oh, I'll tell you this. I will never come back there again if you're the last place on earth. I would go in my backyard and eat rocks first. She'll take it for me. Make sure you hold your head down and act like a good person. When you go in there, go in there with no common sense and let someone lead you and direct you and treat you as if you...

I just don’t get it. Are the people working at the front desk there to help you or there to bash you and judge you..

No respect, no phone calls answered. When there’s a misunderstanding at the front desk the workers catch an attitude and say “I told you this I told you that” instead of explaining the process. That day we walked out with no food and will have no food until mid next month. Had an appointment May, 29th. Walked out with no food due to miscommunication and no clear answers or explanations . Simply got straight attitude from both male and female working that day May 29th.

Never felt welcome. Feels like we don't belong, like we are begging for support with no resolution or results. Like when there’s a misunderstanding - we missed our chance and now have to wait until next month, when we are already there in urgent need. Asked to take something small was refused that too. As if we shall be punished for misunderstanding and we shouldn’t be explained things fully and kindly. We get aggression and attitude. Not peaceful or respectful enviorment to...

This is the local Food Bamk. I think most communities have them. They provide food and some other necessities - toiletries, cleaning supplies, infant supplies - to people in need. I am not a customer, but one of the volunteers that help the program survive. I have been to the warehouse a couple times with co-workers, sorting donated canned goods, etc into categories and checking for expired goods. The operation seems well run, and I appreciate the opportunity to do some honest labor in service to those who have ...