Food Fight

A national movement to fight poverty and hunger comes to Worcester, but Food Not Bombs members say city resistance to free handouts to the poor is nothing new

by Kristen Lombardi

Worcester Common. Autumn is here and this particular afternoon is brisk. A man in an argyle sweater shuffles toward a food table, eyeing slices of cantaloupe, as 15 people in tattered jackets form a line behind him. Several of them pat their stomachs, even lick their lips.

It's lunchtime.

"What spices you got in that?" asks the man, snatching a piece of cantaloupe. Aside from the melon, grapes, vegetable soup, bean soup, and bread are arranged on the tabletop.

"Salt, garlic, pepper, and chili powder," replies Shawn Klejmont, one of 12 volunteers scrambling to find napkins -- a finishing touch. "The vegetable soup has sweet potatoes, peppers, and eggplant," he adds.

Behind Klejmont, colleagues unroll a banner, depicting a hand clutching carrots and the words "Food Not Bombs." They tie it to a tree.

The twentysomethings of Worcester Food Not Bombs have gone through the routine for five months now. Every Friday, volunteers travel to bakeries and restaurants in search of surplus breads, fruits, and vegetables, which they prepare as all-vegetarian soups and salads for a free lunch FNB serves to as many as 70 residents on the common every Saturday.

The meal is part of volunteers' efforts to establish a food-"gleaning" network in the city, they say. Simply put, members gather extra food from establishments and recycle it for the city's hungry. FNB then donates its surplus to emergency food providers, such as the Salvation Army or the Mustard Seed Catholic Worker.

"I believe our method works," says Jeremy Berret, 22, a lanky man with a full, blonde beard. "Virtually everyone can do what we're doing."

Back in line, a red-headed woman sallies up to the FNB table with a friend who wears a shirt that says: "Fight poverty, not people in poverty."

"I want to offer my support for what you're doing," she tells Berret and volunteers. Her friend nods, and the woman continues, "I've eaten with Food Not Bombs in Boston and Washington, DC, and you guys should be able to serve food in Worcester."

She's alluding to criminal complaints that city officials filed against four FNB members -- Klejmont, Berret, Duane Gorey, and Tim Armstrong -- for serving food without a permit, an action that could put members in jail, and effectively stop the operation. Members are to appear at Worcester District Court for a November 18 hearing.

Health officials insist anyone distributing food must have a permit, even if serving for free, but FNB members think otherwise. They maintain their operation is a type of charity work exempt from regulation, and they're pointing to state and federal laws to prove it.

As the court date approaches, neither officials nor volunteers seem willing to compromise. Since charges were filed in August, FNB has continued to serve, and inspectors have stopped hassling the group -- indicating the battle will be played out in court. But the city's Health Department fight with Worcester FNB is nothing new. In fact, nearly all of the 70 FNB chapters across the country have struggled with officials over regulations.

Now the battle ground is Worcester.

On to part 2 Kristen Lombardi can be reached at klombardi[a]phx.com.