Photo credit: Ed McKeon, Middletown Eye
Audio clips:
The ongoing conflict between the Middletown Health Department and the Middletown chapter of Food Not Bombs came to a head on April 26. While the police this Sunday ultimately ticketed two individuals for disobeying the cease and desist order the city issued Food Not Bombs in late February, this did not stop over thirty people from taking part in the lunchtime picnic on Main Street, and seemed to strengthen the resolve of the group to continue serving food as usual.
Rather than dispersing when three police officers and the city Public Health Sanitarian arrived, people responded in a show of solidarity and determination to keep this community meal going.
Around 12:45 a group of twenty or so people had assembled in the shade of Liberty Commons, a familiar sight for Sundays – the Middletown chapter has been serving for twelve years. When a car pulled up with most of the food in it, people started to help unload. The meal was rice, salad, a bean and macaroni casserole, sweet potatoes, quinoa casserole, and honeydew melon and brownies for dessert – it was delicious.
A few minutes after everyone started to eat, the Public Health Sanitarian Manfred Rehm arrived. Shortly after that, a police officer showed up. He began asking, “Who’s dispensing the food?”
People answered, “All of us.” “Everybody – it’s potluck.” “It’s everybody together.” “We’re just hungry!”
“This is a potluck gathering of the community. We all just brought some food and we’re sharing it with each other.”
The police officer didn’t seem sure how to respond to this.
“Pack it up, and that’s all I’m going to say right now,” he said. “’Cause trying to give someone a ticket out here is a joke when you don’t have the right person.”
(Listen to the podcast at the top of the page for audio clips.)
The three police officers who ultimately arrived at the corner couldn’t distinguish who was a member of the group and who wasn’t, which made the finding a “guilty” party a bit difficult – and which is evidence of the underlying philosophy of Food Not Bombs. Food Not Bombs is a free community meal that anyone is invited to eat, no questions asked. Each chapter is autonomous, but they share a common belief that food is a basic human right and that wasted and surplus food should be shared with people, not discarded. Almost all of the food that Middletown Food Not Bombs prepares is surplus produce from a local co-op, and the meals are vegan or vegetarian.
The Public Health Sanitarian soon had pointed out two individuals to the police: Wesleyan student Michele Markowitz and Fred Carroll, who had been sweeping the sidewalk as part of his Brooms Not Bombs initiative (alternately called Bums with Brooms.) Carroll had spoken out in support of Food Not Bombs at a public hearing and had been therefore identified at an involved party. Both received tickets for disobeying the cease and desist order that the city gave Food Not Bombs two months ago for not cooking in a licensed kitchen.
Despite the tickets this Sunday, the group is determined to serve food next week as always. Local community members who help and eat with Food Not Bombs expressed their determination to keep Food Not Bombs going despite the city’s roadblocks. The police officer’s order to stop serving went unnoticed and unheeded because it was impossible to actually enforce. It’s not illegal to eat Food Not Bombs food and people were serving themselves. The police ended up standing around for a while conferring with the Sanitarian before ticketing Carrol and Markowitz.
A community member remarked on this fact. “That’s why the cops are still here. Ain’t nobody moving. The Health Department man, he’s gonna get tired. He’s gonna get tired because we ain’t gonna stop!”
For more on this story, check out Ed McKeon’s article at Middletown Eye. Also, to learn more of the background to this cease and desist order, listen to this recent HIMC podcast.
Meghan, thanks for posting this. As many people as possible should go support Middletown FNB next Sunday- I’m sorry that I won’t be able to go
And Yay Middletown for holding yer ground! Awesum.
Be sure to check out the comments on Ed’s article. I can’t believe that something as basic as food needs to be regulated. Why are so many people so eager to defend the regulations?
You wouldn’t believe how much food state facilities throw out that’s perfectly fine but must be discarded becuase of the regs. It’s just stupid.
Kevin states that he doesn’t believe that food should be regulated and asks why people are eager to defend the regulations. As one of the people who defends the regulations, let me offer some thoughts.
First, I believe that the distribution of food should be regulated to be sure that what is distributed is safe for consumption. I agree that food should be a right, but it should be a right to safe, healthy food. How do you do that without regulating the distribution of food? I assume no one would have a problem with requiring restaurants to obey safe food handling practices. OK, so what if we just say that only those people who CHARGE for food have to follow the regulations. Well, shouldn’t people who eat at a soup kitchen be able to expect that the dishes that they are eating off have been properly sanitized, and that the food that they are eating has been properly cooked, stored, cooled and heated? So now, lets assume that we decide that FNB SHOULD be allowed to operate without regulation by the Health Dept. How do you allow that to happen without also allowing soup kitchens to do so, and possibly even restaurants? If you can come up with a plan that allows that to happen, propose it to the City Council and have the regulations changed.
Incidentally, I think that FNB should figure out a way to comply with the regulations. They exist for a very good reason, to make sure that people receive safe, healthy food. I realize that FNB has been in operation for 12 years and they have no reported illnesses from their food, but that doesn’t change my opinion. First, the fact that it may not have happened in the past does not prevent it from happening in the future. Second, look at the number of times that restaurants are closed down for serious, ongoing health violations. In most of those cases there is no documented illness from the condition. Most of the time even dirty, unsanitary food doesn’t immediately make you sick. That doesn’t mean I want to eat it, though. I know that FNB is working in places that are clean and that they want to serve safe healthy food, but it takes more a clean kitchen and noble intentions. Go into a restaurant kitchen or take a Safe Serve course and see what is involved in making sure that food is handled properly. The city isn’t looking to impose arbitrary or unneeded burdens on FNB, they are looking to make sure that everyone’s food is safe.
Let me be clear that I support the hard work that FNB is doing. I agree that there is no place for hunger in America, and that everyone should have the right to be fed. The government is not going to step up to the plate and do it, it is going to be up to people like FNB to do it. My point is that there is no black and white here, it is not good guys vs. bad guys. FNB has been doing this for 10 or 12 years and no one has tried to stop them until now. The health department got involved because they received a complaint, and they have to act on it. It is not up to them to decide to look the other way because it is a worthwhile cause. Everyone needs to work together to find a way to work this out. Either figure out a way that FNB can comply with the regulations or figure out a way to change the regulations. Just ignoring the rules isn’t a good long term solution.
My $.02. Your milage may vary.
All the rules and regulations in the world won’t prevent people from occasionally (if at all) becoming sick. It happens, it’s a fact of life.
I can’t even count how many times someone has gotten sick from food they bought at a store or from a restaurant, and they usually have all those permits and “training” you so love to extol.
Do you suggest that when folks have a block party or picnic in the park that they need to have training first? I cook dinner most nights in my house, should I be required to have “proper” training or permits?
This is all total garbage from the City of Middletown, that in the end seeks to reinforce that we need a government to look out for us and our well being.
I’d also like to add that the Public Health Department were the ones who initiated this – it seems there was pressure initially coming from the Chamber of Commerce in Middletown to local businesses to not donate food to Middletown FNB (anyone more involved in this can correct me).
It seems to me that this issue is about not wanting to see hungry and homeless people on Main Street in Middletown. A Hartford Courant column by Susan Campbell on 3/29 mentioned that there are plenty of other people handing out food on the street in Middletown:
“I know there are other people who have been handing out food on the street,” said Krom. “A guy gives out doughnuts and coffee because he cares about folks. I don’t know why the health department has decided to take on this battle.”
Full article here: http://www.courant.com/features/hc-susan0329.artmar29,0,1368227.column
Off the top of my head, in Hartford, I know of 2 other groups besides Food Not Bombs who serve prepared food on the street – a church that serves on Saturdays in Bushnell Park (Episcopal, I think) as well as Rev. Cornell Lewis’ initiative Food with Dignity in the North End neighborhood.
More here: http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/general_news/food_with_dignity.php
There are plenty of groups doing this without a proper permit.
I agree with Dave Rozza & Meghan. I’ve heard stories from family members, friends & acquaintances who worked in these so called “regulated” restaurants that made me seriously think about ever again patronizing a food establishment. I know from personal experience how many hoops FNB would have to jump through to get licensed. A couple of years ago, I collaborated with the former executive director of the West End Community Center & a couple of other activists in an attempt to start a West End breakfast program for the poor.
We planned to use the WECC as the site of the program. The process of obtaining a permit was a legal nightmare. I think that it’s real easy for folks with full refrigerators to talk about what they would or wouldn’t eat & tell FNB to knock it off while they apply for a permit. What will happen to the folks who FNB has been serving while the organization struggles with all of the red tape?
A 12 year track record is good enough for me.I support FNB’s efforts to help those in need.
Top-notch coverage Meghan! So great to have you there and let’s keep up the collaboration.
These “regulations” from the health dept. are most definitely about not wanting to see hungry and homeless people on the street- not about making sure they get safe food to eat. the city doesn’t want people making the mistake of thinking they can take care of themselves and live (even if it’s just for a hour a week) in a way that prefigures a world in which the state and their various regulations aren’t necessary. now there’s something to be scared about. heh.
but this argument that “poor” people should get the same “protection” from the state (ie- when sharing meals with FNB) that rich folks get(ie- people who pay for their prepared food)is just distracting. first- FNB is a SHARED MEAL in the park, on the street, etc… it is not a restaurant or a charity. it’s also a distraction b/c the notion is based on the misconception that the state is here to protect the poor, the hungry, the homeless. look around you. the state is here to protect the wealthy. in a liberal capitalist society like ours you can only buy your freedom and your “rights”, and if you can’t afford them, then you don’t get them. the state is here to protect private property and the lives of the rich and wealthy. the state is most certainly not here to “protect” the rest of us. and from whom anyways, ourselves? we can’t even feed ourselves? jesus. wake up. get angry.
Abbey just hit the nail on the head…
This would be a great topic for RadioActive… We could go to Middletown & interview folks.
Check out the article on FNB in today’s Courant.
This is rather strange, honestly… I worked in the food industry for years, and believed the health department was there to protect consumers (aka, the people BUYING food) from irresponsible food handling. Then myself and a few other coworkers noticed how much food we discarded on a daily basis- food that could be served elsewhere that was still in fact safe to eat. I lost my job by taking the discarded food to a nearby shelter. Reason listed: gross violation of health department standards.
You cannot travel to a single city in the US without finding a bake sale. They are held by churches, schools and charity groups- they are all unregulated and the food inspectors do not monitor these events. Potlucks are held at churches and other social events- many held outdoors on public property, and unregulated. I’ve seen people serve food at concerts (phish and dead shows)- with not a single inspector in sight to issue violations against food that was cooked on top of someone’s automobile engine as they drove in for the show.
I have never understood why there were so many limitations placed on those who are attempting to help others in need, yet none are placed on those private groups seeking to make a profit on food to benefit an organization. There is no difference between serving food to the homeless in a public venue and a church bake sale- other than the transfer of money.
Thanks for your comments Margaret. It highlights what a backward society we have become where you can get ticketed and arrested or lose your job for helping those that are hungry.
I just heard that some bozo from ct food bank assembly scolded FNB during a presentation to highschoolers where my sister teaches. I was livid. Humans got along for thousands of years without health inspectors because they relied on their sight, smell and taste senses and the trust established via COMMUNITIES to eat healthy fresh stuff. Now people mindlessly eat stuff purchased from companies….ct food bank assembly mindlessly acquiesced to time wasting protocols all to the detriment of people who are hungry and perpetuating a whole system whose goal is to enrich few and keep poor people poor. Paperwork and isopropyl wipes aren’t going to stop people from occasionally eating spoiled food. We could feed more people if we didn’t rely on the gvt for so much and didn’t waste time on paperwork/ non relevant paperwork. I like the way people critique FNB when they know nothing about it. Its a bunch of ANARCHISTS having a potluck. Really thoughtful critiques…NOT. Way to go you bunch of well-behaved automatons. I miss you guys in hartford. If health inspections are the end all be all of health safety I hope these people ask for documentation of passed inspection before eating anything purchased or received from a stranger. Otherwise their position is logically incoherent. I liked the codepods/ rotifers in the gvt inspected MDC water and salmonella outbreaks that occured under the veil of all these types of official protocols and regulations. Sweet system there…- kat