Monday, May 25, 2009

Pioneer Valley Food Not Bombs intimidated into shutting down by Northampton police

This is an account of one of the members of the Pioneer Valley chapter of Food Not Bombs:

The Northampton Police department allegedly received complaints about the Pioneer Valley Food Not Bombs’ Sunday afternoon servings of free food starting in March. An officer informed some different people eating food every week or two that the group was in violation of ‘health code ordinances.’ He never included specific legal documentation, and when pressed he was unable to cite any law of any kind that he was enforcing, replying that he was doing as he was told and that his order to ask us to stop was based on the chief of police receiving ‘complaints’. [The MA Good Samaritan legislation specifically protects organizations like FNB from health code violations.]

The same officer came to the serving on Sunday May 24th 2009 and told the people he found that if they did not take the food away, he would. The first person who reacted did what she felt was best and moved the containers of food and supplies in between the church and the Urban Outfitter's. Serendipitously, the officer came about three minutes before some of our community members had started unloading six banana boxes full of baking grains, canned goods, and pasta. He looked us in the eyes and told us not to put the food there, but we did! As our hungry friends looked through the boxes for healthy food for the week he told some people quite loudly that he would need to ‘call in couple of cruisers’ and have all of the food removed if we didn’t remove it. One member of our community went so far as to tell him that he wouldn’t stop putting food out until the police blockaded the space we were in. Others asked the officer if he really wanted to take away our food and why he had to.

The police threat was half effective. The PV-FNB chapter had out some of our best supplies and we were not willing to sacrifice it to the NHPD dumpster. At the same time, our community was so responsive and hungry that we successfully handed out five of the boxes full of food. People in our community fear those who have sworn to serve and protect it, this was evident as most of the people at the serving left or moved to the side promptly after cleaning out the boxes. Our serving had ended before the two extra cops showed up. As two of us were leaving a person came looking for food, she thanked us at our car saying that if we didn’t have any for her she wasn’t sure how she would get food for the day.

1 comment:

  1. When we think of hunger many things come to mind. Soup Kitchens, Volunteering, and community. Sometimes phrases like “ you are what you Eat”, other times it may be about a lavish meal you have pictured in your belly. A large thanksgiving meal with all the fixings. A golden brown turkey, gravy, mashed potato’s, and pecan pie. Sitting with family, handing each plate to the next person.
    This may be a dream, this may not be reality. You may be dreaming of the meal and the hunger that goes with this, but for you its not a question of money, not a question of family.
    Well for some there is no money, there may be no family. You may be starving and may not even have a home. For this person, Hunger, being hungry means a whole lot more. This person may count every meal as if its his last. Any assistance they might receive they can’t. If places are closed, its freezing, and you have no place to go, the only food you may be able to get, is from the generosity, community, and donations, and small groups and organizations dedicated to helping you on these most difficult of days.
    Volunteering and community engagement may be the last hope or chance for you to eat, until the next day. We all assume that programs like food stamps and similar ones solve the problem, but there is a huge grey area of people who cannot access, find, or have the resources to do or “say I need help”. They may be challenged physically, mentally, and also by drugs. They have no transportation, they have no phone.
    What we do and what we strive to do to the best of are ability, is to help reach these people. To help make a difference. To help shape a better sense of well being health and balanced perspective on life. To appreciate what we have and what were capable of doing, when we work together, and each one of us contributes, the can of food, or time. “If you can’t spare a dime”, maybe “ you can spare the time” and vice versa. Each one of us offers 1-2 hours of are time, and each one of us can educate others in the same way, and have a larger impact. Community service, volunteering, means this to me. Working together as equals with the same goals and intentions. We clearly are not the same but we can work together to accomplish the same goal.
    Organizations like “NOT BREAD ALONE” the AMHERST SURVIVAL CENTER, AND NUESTRA RAICES, have done just this. I have seen and helped in work, time and getting the word out for these organizations. This is a second home for many. Helping to cook and serve these meals is a great feeling. We may all think we are doing this, but to not get paid to help and the motivation in some cases being something of a higher power. When I worked at Not Bread Alone and accomplishing this goal, seeing the variety of faces, some just there to contribute any way they can, family , friends, contributions from the church, all helped to make this a concerted effort, and work effectively. This is a holiday gift worth giving. A birthday gift on a different day. A positive step in the rite direction.

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