"The money spent by the world on weapons in one week is enough to feed all the people on earth for a year...."
Right now I'm in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is the second time I've been here in the past month because I'm traveling around the west. I've found out about a few organizations that I think everyone should know about, the first of them is "Food not Bombs".
The purpose of Food Not Bombs is to share free vegitarian food with hungry people, this is done by the recovery and redistrabution of surplus foods. They also help out after natural disasters and terrorist attacks
Food Not Bombs is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to nonviolent social change. There are no set leaders, and everyone is encouraged to step up and take charge when their skills are needed.
The first group was formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1980 by anti-nuclear activists, and they've been protesting war and poverty ever since. Though the movement started in America it has moved aruond the world to places like Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. Even now they're organizing for peace and an end to the occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.
More people need to hear about this orginazation and realize it's a very simple thing that they can do to help out in their comunity. It may seem daunting at first but starting your own local chapter of food not bombs is actually simple. Here's what the official website says about it:
Seven Steps to Organizing a Local Food Not Bombs
At the outset, starting a Food Not Bombs might seem like more than you can handle. Work on the basics, taking one step at a time. There is no need to feel pressured into accomplishing everything all at once. It might take a couple of weeks to get things rolling or it may take months. One person cannot be a Food Not Bombs group, but one person can be the starter of one.
Once you have made the decision to start a local Food Not Bombs group, pick a meeting date, time, and place and gather together everyone who is interested to talk about what you would like to do. You might start with a group of friends, or members of an existing group, or it could be people who respond to posters in which you announce your intentions.
The following is a step by step process to get your food operation up and running. Because of your unique situation, you may need to add steps or ignore or reorder steps. Follow the path you feel will work best for your group.
Step 1: Start by getting a phone number and a mailing address. By using either a voice mailbox or an answering machine, you can have an out-going message with information about the next meeting time and place and you can receive messages so you never miss a call. Likewise, use a commercial mailbox or post office box for your permanent address.
Step 2: Next, make flyers announcing the existence of a local Food Not Bombs. By handing them out at events, posting them around town, and/or mailing them out to your friends, you will get additional volunteers. It is helpful to have regularly scheduled weekly meetings or always know the date of the next meeting.
Step 3: Arrange for the use of a vehicle. Between the members of your group, there might be enough vehicles of the right size for your needs. If not, you might be able to borrow a van or truck from a sympathetic church group or similar organization. If you are very lucky, you could be able to find someone to donate one to you. And, if none of the above leads to obtaining a vehicle, you could always hold fundraising events to raise money specifically for the purchase of a van.
Step 4: With flyers in hand, begin looking for sources of food. The first places to approach are the local food co-ops and health food stores. These types of stores tend to be supportive and are a good place to practice your approach. Tell them you plan to give the food to shelters and soup kitchens to feed hungry people. If they are interested and willing, arrange for a regular time to pick-up the food each day or as often as is practical. Where it is appropriate, leave literature which explains what Food Not Bombs does.
Step 5: Deliver the bulk food you collect to shelters and meal kitchens. It is important to get to know the food pantries and soup kitchens in your area. Learn where they are located, whom they serve, and how many they serve. This information will help you plan your delivery route and distribute appropriate types and amounts of food to each program. It is usually desirable to arrange a regular delivery schedule with each kitchen.
Step 6: Once this network becomes established, start to skim some food out of the flow without disrupting the program. With this food, start to prepare meals to serve on the streets. At first, go to rallies and demonstrations. There, the group can recruit more volunteers, collect donations, and lift the spirits of those at the event. Giving out meals at a rally builds community and supports the cause in a very direct way.
Step 7: Once enough people are involved, consider serving meals one day a week to the homeless on the street in a visible way. Cooking and serving food on the street builds community within the group and is hard work, but also great fun. Pick locations which are highly visible. Part of our mission is to help make the "invisible homeless" more visible. We also want to reach out to everyone with our political message 'food not bombs' and we want to be very accessible.
If you want to know more about this organization, or think you might want to start one check out the official Food Not Bombs website.
"They came first for the communists, and I didn't speak out . . .
because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out . . .
because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out . . .
because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak out. . .
because I was a Protestant.
And then they came for me, and by that time
no one was left to speak up . . . "
~Pastor Martin Niemoller~ | 
