We are not an organization, and we are not a nonprofit. We are neighbors. We don’t have a lot of time, and our budgets are nearly maxed. But we see our neighbors’ daily struggles and feel called to do something in a way that reflects our shared values—compassion, generosity, and trust.
LFP is for those who want and/or need to give. LFP is for those not easily able to meet everyday food and personal needs. LFP is for a hungry kid after school or a home cook who forgot to buy an onion. LFP is for everyone.
The LFP is small, limiting its quantity and variety. Bricks-and-mortar food pantries are better at meeting pervasive need. But some fall through the cracks. The LFP is a safety net. 29% of those experiencing food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition programs.
For example, many bricks-and-mortar food pantries require an application. Most have hours of operation. Anyone may access the LFP at any time.
Additionally, bricks-and-mortar food pantries are service providers, those who use them, “clients.” LFP dissolves that professional boundary. Whether giving or taking, everyone approaches the LFP the same way, mediating the shame that accompanies need.
LFP is a centrally-located reminder of our neighbors’ need that creates neighborhood space for exercising compassion, trust, and mutual aid.
Some useful suggestions for bloggers who are also politically or socially active, i.e., a likely target of (secret) police because of their opinions or social connections. In short, develop a contingency plan in the event that you are captured, hospitalized, or killed that lets trusted associates act in your stead on your website. I've looked over this article and they recommend a large number of things that I also have built into my dead man's switches, so I recommend it.
A Perl script that logs into a MySQL database server (with or without credentials), analyzes it, and makes suggestions to optimize its performance.