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Created in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1980, Food Not Bombs is the brainchild of Keith McHenry and seven other activists. Food Not Bombs is responsible for starting hundreds of autonomous chapters throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia?where food that would otherwise be thrown out is recovered and transformed into hot vegetarian meals that are then served to the homeless and at protests and other events. This basic concept has already been established here but what about you, yeah you...the conscientious greenie reading this post? How could this translate into an amazing opportunity for you to create change? Answer: start a chapter of Food Not Bombs in your community.
The basic seven steps to follow are presented on the Food Not Bombs web site but how about a sample to get you inspired? This step has to do with 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 more supportive and are a good place to practice your approach. Ask the produce managers if they ever throw away any excess produce. Explain that you are willing to collect any food which is still edible but which will not or cannot be sold. Tell them you plan to give the food to feed hungry people as well as deliver it to shelters and soup kitchens. If they are interested and willing, arrange for a regular time to pick-up the food each day or as often as is practical. Early on, also visit bakeries and ask for day old bread, muffins, and bagels. Eventually, when you are able to handle the volume, start approaching food distributors, warehouses, and producers. When and where it is appropriate, leave literature which explains what Food Not Bombs does."
