THREE MORE ARRESTED FOR SHARING...

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.

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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