Prompt
You coordinate the holiday program at a community food bank. A local grocery store has donated 40 holiday meal boxes, each worth about $120, but 65 households have signed up. Last year the boxes were given out first come, first served, and some people waited in line for three hours in the cold. One volunteer argues that the boxes should go to the households with the most children. Another says that regular clients who come every week deserve priority over people who appear only at the holidays. A third suggests a random draw. The decision is yours. How would you give out the boxes?
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After you practice: what this question tests and how to approach it
What this question tests
- Ethical reasoning
- Critical thinking
- Empathy and compassion
How to approach this question
This MMI station on resource allocation tests how you share a scarce donation fairly when every proposed rule favors a different group. Name what each option values (need, loyalty or an equal chance) and say who each one leaves out. Ask aloud what you'd want to know, such as household incomes and whether other holiday help exists in the community. Remember last year's three-hour line in the cold and make sure your process doesn't repeat it. Then choose a rule, or a combination such as a need-based tier with a draw among the rest, and explain how you'd tell the households who don't get a box. If the station adds an offer with strings attached, weigh the extra help against the dignity and privacy of the people receiving it.
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