THREE MORE ARRESTED FOR SHARING FREE VEGAN MEALS WITH THE HUNGRY IN ORLANDO
by Keith McHenry on Monday, June 13, 2011 at 4:44pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2011
CONTACT:
Food Not Bombs
Keith McHenry - cofounder
575-770-3377
menu@foodnotbombs.net
www.foodnotbombs.net
Orlando Food Not Bombs
Benjamin Markeson
407-252-1379
www.orlandofoodnotbombs.org
"I'm always willing to talk, but we've offered them alternative sites to feed," Dyer said.
Thanks Buddy, then lets talk but we aren't going to accept an alternative site where it would be impossible to reach the public and seek a change in priorities so no American is forced to stand in line to eat at a soup kitchen.
THREE MORE ARRESTED FOR SHARING FREE VEGAN MEALS WITH THE HUNGRY IN ORLANDO
FOOD NOT BOMBS PLANS TO SHARE DINNER AT LAKE EOLA PARK WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, AT 5:30 PM
The City of Orlando has made a total of 15 arrested this June. Orlando Food Not Bombs offers once again to meet with the mayor. Buddy Dyer claims everyone has enough to eat in Orlando yet food providers claim otherwise. Food Not Bombs should have as much right as the corporations that just won Citizens United to reach as many people as possible with the message that in the world's wealthiest country that spends over 50 cents of every federal tax dollar no one should be forced to stand in line to eat at a soup kitchen.
More arrests for homeless activists at Lake Eola in Orlando Florida
Pat Fitzpatrick, active with the No Meal Limit Campaign in Gainesville was arrested along with two local members of the group Orlando Food Not Bombs, Ashley Albinson, and Palmer Harrell. Orlando Food Not Bombs also hand delivered a letter to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer requesting a meeting. The city failed to send anyone to the mediation ordered by the federal district judge and ignored other requests to talk with Food Not Bombs.
Mayor Buddy Dyer is telling the public that there isn't a problem with hunger in Orlando and that it is unnecessary to seek public support for changes in federal and local policies. Yet Second Harvest reports people are being turned away from the facilities Mayor Dyer claims are able to provide for everyone. Food Not Bombs invited everyone to attend the meals and talk with the people coming to eat to find out for themselves the true face of hunger in America.
Second Harvest in Orlando reported that over 55,000 people required food through their central Florida program. They also reported that 20.7% of the pantries, 10.1% of the kitchens and 33.0% of the shelters responded that they turned away clients during the past year. Their website also shows that 49% of the Central Florida Second Harvest clients had to choose between paying for food and paying for their rent or mortgage. This morning Orlando Regional Realtor Association announced that housing sales for May 2011 were 14.99 percent below May 2010. The people eating with Food Not Bombs eat with us because they need food. Many must choose between food or housing. Mayor Buddy Dyer and other officials must come to terms with the fact that we are in a crisis and hiding the problem of hunger is not a solution.
Nearly 1 billion people go without food every day world wide even though there is enough to feed everyone. Over 25,000 people die each day because they do not have enough to eat. Many of those going hungry live right here in cities like Orlando. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that over 15 percent of Americans were going with out food each month in 2009. That number has increased. Federal authorities also report that 387,849 new recipients were added to the food stamps program in March 2011. Over 44 million Americans rely on food stamps to feed their families and the number continues to grow. Efforts to organize to end hunger should be supported not arrested. These staggering and painful statistics reflect the failure of priorities. No one should hungry in the world's wealthiest country.
###
Orlando Food Not Bombs delivers letter to Mayor Buddy Dyer requesting meeting.
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/letter_to_mayor_received.pdf
Weapons of Mass Dining
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgQDwtq16Es
More arrests for homeless activists at Lake Eola
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/crime/os-homeless-feeding-demands-20110613,0,602586.story
Group issues demands as more activists arrested at Lake Eola
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/crime/os-homeless-feeding-demands-20110613,0,602586.story
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Food Not Bombs - Public Service Announcement
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2011
CONTACT:
Food Not Bombs
Keith McHenry - cofounder
575-770-3377
menu@foodnotbombs.net
www.foodnotbombs.net
Orlando Food Not Bombs
Benjamin Markeson
407-252-1379
www.orlandofoodnotbombs.org
FOOD NOT BOMBS TO SHARE BREAKFAST AND PRESENT ORLANDO BUDDY DYER WITH A LETTER REQUESTING A MEETING.
Orlando Food Not Bombs also announces several events including A Day WIthout Food on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 and the Black Out Arrests Speak Out at City Hall on Monday, June 27, 2011.
More arrests possible during the June 13th Breakfast at Lake Eola Park. The meal starts at 9:30 AM and everyone is welcome. After the arrests everyone is invited to march to City Hall to deliver the group's letter to Mayor Buddy Dyer requesting a meeting. Copies of the letter adopted at the June 10th Food Not Bombs meeting will be provided to the media outside city hall.
The Orlando police may arrest more volunteers at Lake Eola Park for sharing breakfast with more then 24 people. Support from all over the world is still pouring in. A group of friends emailed to say they would be driving down from Georgia to share food at Lake Eola Park on July 4th. The on-line petition started in Japan passed 1,000 signatures yesterday. People are making Youtube videos and sending them around the internet. A second online petition was started yesterday.
Local support is also building. A group of local home owners came out from their condominiums to express their support at Wednesday's dinner. Members of the Orlando Police, jailers and inmates have all told us that they think Buddy Dyer is wrong to arrest us. Everyone from the unions, churches, punk bands, and grocery store clerks to the guy at the copy shop and a woman waiting for her husband near Winn Dixie have offered help. Suggestions of every kind are being emailed or called in. The Detroit Underground gave out 150 sandwiches in solidarity and many other people have organized events in their cities in support.
I walked through the Parramore district of Orlando this afternoon talking with families on their porches and the community living under the 408 bridge. Parramore is on "the other side of the tracks" where many homes and business are owned by the African American community and the area of town where Mayor Buddy Dyer and his business associates intend to move their "homeless problem." Everyone I meet in Parramore was friendly, welcoming and once they realized I was with Food Not Bombs I was greeted with enthusiasm. A man that introduced himself as Tyler or "The Professor" called over to me as I left my van eager to talk with me. He told me he had been living on the streets of Orlando for years. He knew the important dates in the history Orlando Food Not Bombs from the early meals to the day when Eric was arrested to the announcement that we had lost the case in Atlanta. His friend took a photo of both of us with his cell phone. The staff at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission helped out giving flyers announcing our meals to everyone staying for the evening. The message we are hearing from Russia and Italy to Parramore was don't give up, keep on sharing food, we are behind you all the way.
And we wont give up!
###
CALENDAR OF FOOD NOT BOMBS ACTIONS IN ORLANDO
MONDAY, JUNE 13TH at 9:30 AM Risking arrest sharing breakfast at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
Presentation of the letter requesting a meeting with Mayor Buddy Dyer.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15h at 5:30 PM - Risking arrest sharing dinner at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
MONDAY, JUNE 20th at 9:30 AM Risking arrest sharing breakfast at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22nd at 5:30 PM - Risking arrest sharing dinner at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
MONDAY, JUNE 27th Breakfast at 9:30 AM and Black Out Arrests Speak Out at City Hall in the Council Chambers at 2:00 PM - 2nd floor, 400 S. Orange Ave. Wear black and come to speak at the city council meeting to ask for an end to the arrests.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29th at 5:30 PM - A Day Without Food at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
FRIDAY, JULY 1st at NOON - Free meal, cultural events and over night vigil outside Orlando City Hall
A DAY WITHOUT FOOD
FOR ONE BILLION PEOPLE JUNE 29th WILL BE A DAY WITHOUT FOOD
Join our fast, join us at Lake Eola Park and call Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer at 407.246.2221
Nearly 1 billion people face a day without food every day. Over 25,000 die each day from hunger. Hunger is not limited to less developed countries, with over 15 percent of Americans going with out food each month. Federal authorities report that 387,849 new recipients were added to the food stamps program in March 2011. Over 44 million Americans rely on food stamps to feed their families. Second Harvest in Orlando reported that over 55,000 people required food through their central Florida program. They also reported that 20.7% of the pantries, 10.1% of the kitchens and 33.0% of the shelters responded that they turned away clients during the past year. Their website also shows that 49% of the Central Florida Second Harvest clients had to choose between paying for food and paying for their rent or mortgage. These staggering and painful statistics reflect the failure of priorities. No one should hungry in the world's wealthiest country.
The City of Orlando started arresting people for sharing meals with the hungry on June 1, 2011. The city had arrested 12 volunteers by June 8th. The 11th Circuit Court ruled that the city could restrict Food Not Bombs to sharing only twice a year per park. The law is not limited to Orlando. Cities like Gainesville, Fort Lauderdale, Saint Petersburg, and other Florida cities are also introducing laws restricting the sharing of food with the hungry. We encourage you to participate in these three actions in Orlando. If we defend the right to share food in protest to war and poverty in Orlando other cities will withdraw their anti-feeding laws.
(This campaign and letter to the mayor adopted at the Orlando Food Not Bombs meeting June 10, 2011)
FOOD NOT BOMBS
1-800-884-1136
Human Needs Not Corporate Greed vigil July 1, 2011 at your local city hall!
www.foodnotbombs.net/resist.html
I'm Going to Disney World…to get arrested sharing food with the hungry
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/im_going_to_disney_world.html
Orlando Food Not Bombs
www.orlandofoodnotbombs.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2011
CONTACT:
Food Not Bombs
Keith McHenry - cofounder
575-770-3377
menu@foodnotbombs.net
www.foodnotbombs.net
Orlando Food Not Bombs
Benjamin Markeson
407-252-1379
www.orlandofoodnotbombs.org
FOOD NOT BOMBS TO SHARE BREAKFAST AND PRESENT ORLANDO BUDDY DYER WITH A LETTER REQUESTING A MEETING.
Orlando Food Not Bombs also announces several events including A Day WIthout Food on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 and the Black Out Arrests Speak Out at City Hall on Monday, June 27, 2011.
More arrests possible during the June 13th Breakfast at Lake Eola Park. The meal starts at 9:30 AM and everyone is welcome. After the arrests everyone is invited to march to City Hall to deliver the group's letter to Mayor Buddy Dyer requesting a meeting. Copies of the letter adopted at the June 10th Food Not Bombs meeting will be provided to the media outside city hall.
The Orlando police may arrest more volunteers at Lake Eola Park for sharing breakfast with more then 24 people. Support from all over the world is still pouring in. A group of friends emailed to say they would be driving down from Georgia to share food at Lake Eola Park on July 4th. The on-line petition started in Japan passed 1,000 signatures yesterday. People are making Youtube videos and sending them around the internet. A second online petition was started yesterday.
Local support is also building. A group of local home owners came out from their condominiums to express their support at Wednesday's dinner. Members of the Orlando Police, jailers and inmates have all told us that they think Buddy Dyer is wrong to arrest us. Everyone from the unions, churches, punk bands, and grocery store clerks to the guy at the copy shop and a woman waiting for her husband near Winn Dixie have offered help. Suggestions of every kind are being emailed or called in. The Detroit Underground gave out 150 sandwiches in solidarity and many other people have organized events in their cities in support.
I walked through the Parramore district of Orlando this afternoon talking with families on their porches and the community living under the 408 bridge. Parramore is on "the other side of the tracks" where many homes and business are owned by the African American community and the area of town where Mayor Buddy Dyer and his business associates intend to move their "homeless problem." Everyone I meet in Parramore was friendly, welcoming and once they realized I was with Food Not Bombs I was greeted with enthusiasm. A man that introduced himself as Tyler or "The Professor" called over to me as I left my van eager to talk with me. He told me he had been living on the streets of Orlando for years. He knew the important dates in the history Orlando Food Not Bombs from the early meals to the day when Eric was arrested to the announcement that we had lost the case in Atlanta. His friend took a photo of both of us with his cell phone. The staff at the Orlando Union Rescue Mission helped out giving flyers announcing our meals to everyone staying for the evening. The message we are hearing from Russia and Italy to Parramore was don't give up, keep on sharing food, we are behind you all the way.
And we wont give up!
###
CALENDAR OF FOOD NOT BOMBS ACTIONS IN ORLANDO
MONDAY, JUNE 13TH at 9:30 AM Risking arrest sharing breakfast at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
Presentation of the letter requesting a meeting with Mayor Buddy Dyer.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15h at 5:30 PM - Risking arrest sharing dinner at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
MONDAY, JUNE 20th at 9:30 AM Risking arrest sharing breakfast at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22nd at 5:30 PM - Risking arrest sharing dinner at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
MONDAY, JUNE 27th Breakfast at 9:30 AM and Black Out Arrests Speak Out at City Hall in the Council Chambers at 2:00 PM - 2nd floor, 400 S. Orange Ave. Wear black and come to speak at the city council meeting to ask for an end to the arrests.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29th at 5:30 PM - A Day Without Food at Lake Eola Park, corner of Central and Osceola, Orlando
FRIDAY, JULY 1st at NOON - Free meal, cultural events and over night vigil outside Orlando City Hall
A DAY WITHOUT FOOD
FOR ONE BILLION PEOPLE JUNE 29th WILL BE A DAY WITHOUT FOOD
Join our fast, join us at Lake Eola Park and call Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer at 407.246.2221
Nearly 1 billion people face a day without food every day. Over 25,000 die each day from hunger. Hunger is not limited to less developed countries, with over 15 percent of Americans going with out food each month. Federal authorities report that 387,849 new recipients were added to the food stamps program in March 2011. Over 44 million Americans rely on food stamps to feed their families. Second Harvest in Orlando reported that over 55,000 people required food through their central Florida program. They also reported that 20.7% of the pantries, 10.1% of the kitchens and 33.0% of the shelters responded that they turned away clients during the past year. Their website also shows that 49% of the Central Florida Second Harvest clients had to choose between paying for food and paying for their rent or mortgage. These staggering and painful statistics reflect the failure of priorities. No one should hungry in the world's wealthiest country.
The City of Orlando started arresting people for sharing meals with the hungry on June 1, 2011. The city had arrested 12 volunteers by June 8th. The 11th Circuit Court ruled that the city could restrict Food Not Bombs to sharing only twice a year per park. The law is not limited to Orlando. Cities like Gainesville, Fort Lauderdale, Saint Petersburg, and other Florida cities are also introducing laws restricting the sharing of food with the hungry. We encourage you to participate in these three actions in Orlando. If we defend the right to share food in protest to war and poverty in Orlando other cities will withdraw their anti-feeding laws.
(This campaign and letter to the mayor adopted at the Orlando Food Not Bombs meeting June 10, 2011)
FOOD NOT BOMBS
1-800-884-1136
Human Needs Not Corporate Greed vigil July 1, 2011 at your local city hall!
www.foodnotbombs.net/resist.html
I'm Going to Disney World…to get arrested sharing food with the hungry
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/im_going_to_disney_world.html
Orlando Food Not Bombs
www.orlandofoodnotbombs.org
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