In these hard economic times, we are facing an American hunger crisis that you can help remedy, particularly for those most vulnerable populations -- the homeless (10% of whom are victims of foreclosure), veterans, the disabled, youth, children, and migrant workers -- as well as anyone else who might simply be hungry. Food is an inherent right in any Democratic System: the edible is political.
American markets throw away perfectly good food every day, and many people don't fully realize how easy it is to get food, legally and free, for redistribution with a few really simple steps.
Long the province of ideological groups like Food Not Bombs, or religious-backed kitchens, we can break through needless ideological clutter to create more full stomachs with minimal effort.
The issue of hunger in America is obviously a complex one. It stems from a range of problems: from monoproduction of non-sustainable crops like Iowan corn and soy dominance, to surplus food at markets inappropriately disposed of (often for profit-based resale), to a lack of transportation to and from food banks, or even a lack of space at food banks. Hunger in America can really be thought of as the end-result of a solely-for-profit-based global food "system" that is NOT Democratic and not ethical. It places profits before people, leaving humans to get by on less and less.
For some years, I lived with a charter member of Food Not Bombs, an ideological group that supports anti-Capitalist and anti-War efforts by distributing free food as a protest gesture. I'm in no real way criticizing the group, that would be it's own meta diary and not well-suited for the Daily Kos; I'd like to simply explain how basic it is for you, an unaligned individual, to feed hungry people in your area in a meaningful way. Stat!
"For wete you well the tyde abydeth no man" - 14th C. Proverb.
"For time and tide wait for no man."
Nor does hunger.
How to Start Your Own Successful, Mobile Soup Kitchen
- Be sure you have transportation, ranging from a mid-sized car to a larger truck, depending on the setup you'll use and the number of people you plan to feed. Decide on a time and place to serve, as well as which friends, or family members, are interested in helping. Even with only ONE person, it's completely possible to serve food. But there's something nice about getting your teenagers on board. You can possibly swap them chores to "feed hungry folks." In terms of place, you need to pick a public space where you are less likely to be hassled by law enforcement. Sometimes law enforcement can present problems, although by law, under the ACLU vs. the City of Las Vegas Case, as a Constitutional Right, if you can hold a picnic somewhere, you can feed the hungry. Thus said, if you aren't operating under the auspices of "Food Not Bombs," which is threatening to conservatives, you probably won't get hassled much.
Please be sure to pick an area where hungry people might congregate, such as a park, near a shelter, near a government service center. There are also day labor centers or areas where migrant workers collect that are high-need. You know your community best, so if there is no obvious presence of the hungry, you might also consider giving out fliers or making some sort of announcement.
- Find a local non-profit to cover you. This part is pretty easy. All you need to find is a non-profit that says you have similar goals. They can then function as an "umbrella" group to cover you. Generally, you might ask directly at your local Food Bank, the more Progressive Parties in your area, or any non-profit you think would fit you. The ACLU has been fairly involved in covering the rights to distribute free food as a 1st Amendment Right, so be sure to ask them if no one else comes to mind. Click here to contact yours.
- Fill out whatever paperwork they want from you. It shouldn't be much. One person will be the "designated kitchen." You won't have to serve from your kitchen. You'll just cook there. You will need to satisfy the health and safety requirements in your area, which where I live are a once per year inspection confirming that the food served is kept separate from our personal food. That meant we had to buy a shelf and some separate dishes on craigslist and at garage sales for about $20. You could also pull out some of yours and "designate them" as "separate."
- Now comes the fun part. It's time to find food. This is really easy. Go into any market -- independent markets, Whole Foods, co ops, bakeries, farmer's markets, and wholesale food outlets in your area have all been reliable for me -- and ask the manager if they are willing to give you their surplus and day olds to you if you pick them up. Explain that the donation is through "the name of your umbrella non-profit" and that it's completely tax deductible. You shouldn't accept any pre-made food more than a few hours before distribution because you don't have refrigeration. Refrigeration is pretty troublesome. Sometimes if you have a spare freezer, frozen goods are alright. I would strongly advise avoiding meat products and most dairy, since your goal is to feed people, not accidentally give them salmonella. Eggs are a contested ingredient. You might look into that for yourself. Likewise, milk and cheese. There are certainly many alternatives to milk that don't spoil, and hard cheeses, like Parmesan, are unlikely to go bad.
Don't forget your home garden, or neighbors gardens in area. Don't overlook the apples dropping from your neighbors tree or those crazy end of summer zucchini that no one knows what to do with. We actually replanted our entire front yard with winter squash at one point. It was pretty dang cool.
- Go pick up that food! Give this a few hours before serving. If you're packing it into your car, put some newspaper down. It might drip. Once you're at your kitchen, sort it out right away, taking out anything offensive or moldy. You might be surprised to see the weird stuff you have, so think outside the box when cooking. There are about 4000 ways to make stuffing with bread and vegetables that are tasty, and hungry people are just that. Don't be stingy with the seasonings. You might purchase a large Costco salt and pepper and some basil for a small investment. You will probably want to purchase some discount paper/plastic plates, bowls, forks, and spoons, because, for health reasons, you often can't use ceramic dishes. You can set up a donations can to reimburse yourself (just don't expect to turn a profit: the most I've ever made is $40 giving out 600 lbs. of vegetables at a farmer's market).
If you have things like squash and onions that last, stockpile them.
- With your 1-5 friends in tow, cook. Be sure to get the food to the people in a timely fashion. Hunger, like time and tide, waits for no (wo)man.
If you're really at a loss about what to make with 20 lbs of radicchio, daikon, and hominy, you can always look online, but the most important thing here is to just think creatively. No one will stop and say "Is that radicchio stew? Not again..." But try not to cook anything you wouldn't eat. And don't forget you may be serving children. Here are a few very basic recipes that you can get creative with. Other great sources are basic 1960's and 70's cookbook standards, like Moosewood, or Laurel's Kitchen.
- Load the food in pots and pans and other serving containers in your car. Don't forget to bring a few towels for spills, and serving spoons. If you have a card table around, that's great! It gives you a place to set up the food. Otherwise, you'll have to set it on whatever surface is available.
- Set it up quickly and efficiently. Place the bread give-aways (and you'll find you have a lot of these) separately. Also, if you have extra fruit or perishable vegetables, make these available to people. Some might have cooking facilities. Don't put the serving spoons or plates out until the food is in place. That says "Soup's On!"
A big sign saying "Free, Fresh Home-Cooked Food" taped to the front of your table is a great way to let people know there's something there for them.
- Please be really kind when serving food. I've had people cry on my shoulder and am really big on my personal space, but people have been through so much. If you have it in you, listen to their stories and use this as a good time to compassionately reflect. I often eat with the people and avoid serving them, unless they are in wheel chairs. It's not my place to patronize others. I've just freed up some food and am not anyone's hero. If people say that sort of thing, I let them know how they can participate in food service as well.
- Clean up everything when done, disposing of, and recycling all plastic and paper goods. Take the pots and pans home. Wash them. Hose the old kitchen down. It gets really messy after a rapid-fire cooking. Make sure everything is clean and put away that night.
- Rinse. Repeat.
That's it. If anyone has anything to add, please let me know. But it's just that simple in my 3 years of experience feeding people free food that would go otherwise be destined for a landfill.
I urge you to try this yourself. Even if you're short on time, it isn't very hard to cook spaghetti, not much harder for 60 than it is for your family. It's all much, much easier than you think and I was able to do this as a full-time student with a family of 3 children.