Final Proposal Rocket Power Megan Awad Jenna Fulks

Final Proposal Rocket Power: Megan Awad, Jenna Fulks, Phuong Phan, and Amanda Vacca

Problem Should an appropriate amount of resources be given to households with members who do not have information in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul System? For example, a family with 4 members in the system has recently gained 3 more members residing with them for an indefinite time. The head of the household does not have any identification of those 3 new members. In spite of the fact that they cannot be entered into the system without proper paperwork, should the family be given food for 7 people or 4 people?

Step 0: Values and Initial Thoughts ● Faith and service ○ It is important to serve those who are in need and help them achieve a better quality of life ○ A society is defined by how it treats the neediest, those who are often overlooked ● Family ○ Family is a very important and trying to help them is crucial ○ The individual who is trying to get additional food may be trying to help family members who are also in need. ● Compassion and understanding ○ When people fall into situations in which their basic needs (food) are not met, they can do all that is necessary to achieve them. However, it is important for us to be empathetic, listen to them, and help them the best way that we can. ○ On the other hand, if they abuse the system in order to get more food, , they are also taking away food from those who are in even worse situations.

Step 1: Gather Relevant Information (cont. ) ● We served in the food pantry ○ It provides groceries to more than 800 families ○ Families can shop for the food and personal care items they need ○ Families or individuals come in, check in at the front desk and are given a number. ■ They are called into intake, where they are logged into the system and are given a color that corresponds to their household size ● And thus how much food they are able to get from the pantry ○ Families are only allowed to visit the pantry once a month due to resources ● 65% of households have a child under 18 or someone 60 or older. ● We found an article “exposing” food pantries ○ A reporter got $40 worth of groceries with minimal questions asked. He did not provide accurate identification ■ This is pretty low anyways but we thought it was interesting.

Step 1: Gather Relevant Information (cont. ) ● Their Programs ○ Food and nutrition- nine neighborhood-based food pantries where those in need can shop free of charge, as well as a number of emergency food closets ○ Pharmacy and wellness- only one in southwest Ohio dedicated to providing free medication ○ Homelessness prevention- provides rent and utility expense assistance to prevent homelessness and works towards long-term solutions ○ Clothing and household- provides clothing, furniture, and household items to struggling families via our nine thrift stores ○ Beds - provides a mattress, box spring and bed rail set to neighbors who would otherwise be sleeping on the floor ○ Seasonal programs - conducts a number of special drives in partnership with media and corporate sponsors to collect and distribute basic necessities

Why Someone Lies to the Food Pantry (Relevant Information) “I mean I take what’s left over after paying towards everything else and using it to feed my family of four for a week. Sometimes it’s $50. That’s a pretty good week. Sometimes it’s only $20, and the kids complain of boring beans and rice again. Some weeks, it’s even less. Some weeks, I feed my children and my spouse, and find an excuse not to be hungry because there’s nothing left. Those weeks suck your will to live. And it’s this reason that I solemnly drive to the food pantry each month, wait in line, and lie on my paperwork to get food for my family. ” - Trisha Lovetrove

Step 2: Identify the Type of Ethical Problem 1. Ethical Dilemma: a type of problem created when one is faced with a situation in which there is actually more than one ethical course of action. The intaker has two options: i. He/She can allow the person to obtain a different colored chip for more supplies without proper identification of all residents. ii. He/She does not allow the chip color change without the identification necessary.

Step 3: Use Ethics Theories or Approaches to Analyze the Problem ● Deontology: The law is the best option. ○ Visitors of the pantry must bring identification of family members to input. If no identification is present, these family members are not able to be entered into the system. ● Virtue Ethics: No Clear Principles ○ Try to help everyone. Take someone’s word about the amount of family members they have, even if no identification is present. Be compassionate to all people. ● Utilitarianism: The most good for the most people ○ Allow everyone to have a chip color corresponding to the number of people they say they have in the residence. ● Egoism ○ Do what would be most beneficial for you at the given time. If registering extra family members would cause you to get in trouble, do not do so.

Step 4: Explore the Practical Alternatives ● Give the color that corresponds to the household size that is consistent with the data in the system ● Allow a different form of identification than the required one by St. Vincent De Paul. ○ If they have some verification that can prove more family members are living with them, then an appropriate amount of resources should be given even though they don’t have the social security and birth certificates. ■ Medical cards, tax forms, etc ● Allow grace period for producing documentation ○ If the proper documentation is not present at time of intake, allow someone to bring in the proper documents before the next visit, or no more leniency ● Use personal instincts to judge ○ Once they say that they have more people living with them, immediately ask about their names, birth dates, what they like to do, etc. If they hesitate, they must not be telling the truth.

Scenario A woman comes into St. Vincent De Paul for the food pantry service. She asks for a black chip (for households of 7+ members). However, she only has identification for four of the family members and only those four members are listed in the system. She says that her brother and his two children recently moved into the home with her but she was unable to get their proper identification before coming in today. Because recipients are only allowed to utilize the pantry once a month, she does not want to miss her opportunity. Now, if you were the intaker and part of your responsibility is to assign the chip colors, what would you do?

What Would You Do? A) Explain to her that the rules are the rules and you are unable to register the additional family members without proper identification. Therefore, you give her red (for households of 3 -4 members). B) Trust her and allow her to have a black chip color without the registration for the additional members. You then risk running low on supplies for those who provided the proper identification. Discussion: Lower your head. Everyone who chose A, raise your hand. Everyone who chose B, raise your hand. Discuss which had more hands. Why?

Step 5: Complete the Action We would supply them with the corresponding chip color for the number of people that they say are living in their household during that month. To try and ensure that the system is not exploited repeatedly, we would make a note in the system so that the person taking intake next month is aware of the situation. We would also explain to them that the next month it is essential that they bring the proper documentation so that the rules that are in place are followed. This decision follows utilitarianism We want to help the greatest number of people There is more than one program available to help the community.

Step 6: Evaluate the Process and Outcome The goal of St. Vincent De. Paul is to help everyone in the community meet their basic needs If these families really need the extra food then it should be our priority to help them get what they need ● At St. Vincent De. Paul, we will utilize as many of the resources at our disposal to help the people in need ○ These resources are in place to help the most people

Works Cited Di. Blasio, Natalie. "Hunger in America: 1 in 7 Rely on Food Banks. " USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, 17 Aug. 2014. Web. 06 Dec. 2016. Froio, Nicole. "Why 'exposing' Food Banks Is Not Okay. " Words by Nicole Froio. 20 Apr. 2014. Web. 06 Dec. 2016. Lovetrove, Trisha. “Why I Lie to the Food Pantry. ” The Huffington Post, 31 May 2014. Web. 5 Dec. 2016. Purtilo, Ruth B. and Regina F. Doherty. Ethical Dimensions in the Health Professions Elsevier Saunders, 1981. Print. . Society of St. Vincent de Paul. “Our Programs. ” Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 2016. Web. 2 Dec. 2016.