this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2024
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Showerthoughts

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[–] tjsauce@lemmy.world 24 points 1 month ago (3 children)

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

[–] TheFogan@programming.dev 5 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

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.