The first thirty years of the Food Not Bombs
movement.
Food Not Bombs is one of the fastest growing revolutionary movements and
is gaining momentum throughout the world. There are hundreds of
autonomous chapters sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and
protesting war and poverty. Food Not Bombs is not a charity. This
energetic grassroots movement is active throughout the Americas, Europe,
Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Food Not Bombs is
organizing for peace and an end to the occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan
and Palestine. For nearly 30 years the movement has worked to end hunger
and has supported actions to stop the globalization of the economy,
restrictions to the movements of people, end exploitation and the
destruction of the earth.
The first group was formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1980
by anti-nuclear activists. Food Not Bombs is an all-volunteer
organization dedicated to nonviolent social change. Food Not Bombs has
no formal leaders and strives to include everyone in its decision making
process. Each group recovers food that would otherwise be thrown out and
makes fresh hot vegan and vegetarian meals that are served in outside in
public spaces to anyone without restriction. Each independent group also
serves free meals at protests and other events. The San Francisco
chapter has been arrested over 1,000 times in government's effort to
silence its protest against the city's anti- homeless policies.
Amnesty International states it will adopt those Food Not Bombs
volunteers that are convicted as
"Prisoners of Conscience" and will work for their unconditional
release. Even though we are dedicated to nonviolence Food Not Bombs
activists in the United States have been under investigation by the FBI
Joint Terrorism Task Force, Pentagon and other intelligence agencies. A
number of Food Not Bombs volunteers have been arrested on terrorism
charges.
Food Not Bombs is often the first to provide food and supplies
to the survivors of disasters. During the first three days after the
1989 Earthquake, Food Not Bombs was the only organization in San
Francisco providing hot meals to the survivors. Food Not Bombs was also
the first to provide hot meals to the rescue workers responding to
September 11th World Trade Center attacks. Food Not Bombs volunteers
were among the first to provide food and help to the survivors of the
Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Our volunteers organized a national
collection program and delivered bus and truckloads of food and supplies
to the gulf region. We were one of the only organizations sharing daily
meals in New Orleans after Katrina. Food Not Bombs is now preparing for
the economic crash organizing Food Not Lawns community gardens, housing
the homeless with Homes Not Jails, organizing additional meals each week
and starting new Food Not Bombs chapters.
Food Not Bombs works
in coalition with groups like Earth First!, The Leonard Peltier Defense
Committee, Anarchist Black Cross, the IWW, Homes Not Jails, Anti Racist
Action, In Defense of Animals, the Free Radio Movement and other
organizations on the cutting edge of positive social change and
resistance to the new global austerity program. Food Not Bombs provided
the meals for the protesters at Camp Casey outside Bush's ranch in
Texas. Volunteers also helped organize and shared meals at the 1999 WTO
protests in Seattle and provide logistical support for many other anti-globalization actions. Kiev
Food Not Bombs fed the tent city protest during the Orange Revolution
and groups in Slovokia started animal rescue shelters in 24 cities. We
are also sharing meals at protests responding to the global economic
crisis. Many groups organize Really Really Free Markets giving away all
kinds of items for free, planting Food
Not Lawns community gardens and housing people with the Homes Not Jails
project. Many chapters also organize Bikes Not Bombs programs collecting
and repairing used bicycles to provide to people in low-income
communities. We also provided meals to protesters at the Democratic and
Republican National Conventions in the United States. We will provide
meals to the families of striking workers and help organize actions
encouraging alternatives to the failure of capitalism.
Food
Not Bombs activists are currently making plans to celebrate our 30th
year of cooking for peace. Along with organizing the celebration each
local chapter collects and distributes food every week and there are
several other projects that support the Food Not Bombs movement. One
collective called "A Food Not Bombs Menu." helps people find or
start local chapters. They also maintain the website
www.foodnotbombs.net, organize tours and support Food Not Bombs
gatherings. They also provide books, t-shirts and other materials to
promote the principles of Food Not Bombs. Another collective Food Not
Bombs Publishing in Takoma Park, Maryland publishes books like "On
Conflict and Consensus" which has been an important guide for group
democracy. We hope you will join us in taking direct action towards
creating a world free from domination, coercion and violence. Food is a
right, not a privilege.
Please visit these pages to find out
how you can help us work for peace and justice.
CELEBRATE THE 30TH
ANNIVERSARY OF FOOD NOT BOMBS
You
are also invited to visit: Thirty
Years of Cooking For Peace, a short history of the Food Not Bombs Movement
Food
Not Bombs
P.O. Box 424, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 USA
575-776-3880
1-800-884-1136
menu@foodnotbombs.net
www.foodnotbombs.net
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