this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2024
-81 points (7.4% liked)

Showerthoughts

29678 readers
1330 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The best ones are thoughts that many people can relate to and they find something funny or interesting in regular stuff.

Rules

  1. All posts must be showerthoughts
  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
  3. Avoid politics (NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out)
  4. Posts must be original/unique
  5. Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] tjsauce@lemmy.world 24 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Canned goods are non-perishable. Used needles carry contaminate. One is useful, the other isn't.

[–] TheFogan@programming.dev 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Umm... is this post edited or something. I'm seeing

Donating canned goods to food pantries is like donating needles and syringes to a cancer research organization

I don't see the word "used" in it. So, it sounds like he's saying donating medical supplies to an organization that does medical research?

To which I'd say yes both seem helpful to an organization that helps people in need.

[–] Emerald@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

To which I’d say yes both seem helpful to an organization that helps people in need.

But cash is much more universal and allows the cancer research organization to get exactly what they need rather then whatever needles people feel like donating. It's the same thing with food pantries. You can donate 10 cans of vegetable soup, but if the food bank doesn't need that at the time, you've just wasted your money on vegetable soup when you could have just donated cash.

[–] Zahille7@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I mean I guess, but if it's an organization conducting medical research, I'd assume they already have all the syringes they'd need?

It would probably mean a little more like you're thinking if OP said "donate syringes to clinics and ERs" or something.

[–] TheFogan@programming.dev 1 points 1 month ago

I mean I guess a food bank would have food already as well... They are both one time use consumable supplies so, whether they have them or not, they are going to have to resupply at some point.