Morning Scene: Hummus for the Homeless

If you’re a Chicagoan, here’s a sight you’ll see quite often along downtown streets: Food containers from restaurants full of “doggy bag” food.

You see, many homeless people will ask for money, saying that they want to get something to eat. Naturally, there are lots of restaurant patrons in downtown Chicago who have just finished a meal and are walking along with their doggie bag, so they give it to the homeless people instead of cash. That’s why one sees so many food containers full of food along the sidewalks. I don’t think the homeless are actually wanting food. 

This morning, I was walking to church and there it was: A whole catering try full of hummus, baba ganoush, and pita bread sitting atop a newspaper stand. It was right near the Trump Tower and Hotel. 

I can just see it. There was some event there the night before with way too much Middle Eastern food left over and someone decided not to let it go to waste. Some homeless guy probably asked this person for money so he could get something to eat and the poor guy was presented with a whole tray of fetid, leftover fare that had been catered hours before.

But why can’t the homeless people throw it away in an appropriate receptacle? There are trash cans all over the city, practically one on every block. I see stuff like this on my way to work so very often. 

I would say that this was an awful waste of food, but I can’t stand hummus (I don't like garlic); so good riddance. I tossed it in a nearby garbage can after I took the photo.