top
Santa Cruz IMC
Santa Cruz IMC
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

35th Anniversary of Food Not Bombs Celebrated by Hundreds in Santa Cruz

by Alex Darocy (alex [at] alexdarocy.com)
By combining social and environmental justice activism, nonviolent direct action, and a philosophy that emphasizes sharing over charity, Food Not Bombs has differentiated itself from other global organizations that distribute food to the hungry. These distinctions were especially evident at the organization's 35th anniversary gathering in Santa Cruz on May 24, where those needing nourishment were greeted with live music and an especially celebratory atmosphere, in addition to the free food, a free market, and a variety of other free services.
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-1.jpg
Food Not Bombs is comprised of hundreds of autonomous, volunteer-supported chapters that share free vegetarian meals with the hungry around the globe. There are no leaders running Food Not Bombs; local groups use the consensus process.

The organization first formed in response to the arrest of anti-nuclear activist Brian Feigenbaum at the May 24, 1980 occupation attempt of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Station. The original collective, comprised of Keith McHenry, Jo Swanson, Mira Brown, Susan Eaton, Brian Feigenbaum, C.T. Lawrence Butler, Jessie Constable and Amy Rothstien, organized "Bake Sales to Buy A Bomber" street theater to raise funds for Feigenbum's legal effort, and to increase awareness about his case and the dangers of nuclear power.

In Santa Cruz, Food Not Bombs began sharing food at the Clock Tower downtown in 1988. At that time Food Not Bombs volunteers were beginning to experience a massive crackdown in San Francisco, with many arrests. In total, the city arrested over 1,000 people for sharing food during this time period, and Amnesty International declared the volunteers "prisoners of conscience." Among those arrested early on was the organization's co-founder Keith McHenry, who himself would eventually be arrested 94 times for sharing food.

The Santa Cruz chapter has gone through many changes over the years, and has served food at locations all over the downtown, as well as at political protests and other events such as court hearings. The anniversary party was held in front of the downtown post office, where Food Not Bombs has shared meals on the weekends for several years now.

Hundreds of meals were shared over the course of the six hour celebration. A private solar shower booth was set up, and stylists cut people's hair for free. Books, clothing, and plant starts were available as part of the free market. A number of bands and musicians performed together and separately, and social justice organizations set up informational tables.

Food Not Bombs co-founder Keith McHenry was in attendance, and his birthday was also incorporated into the celebration. Food Not Bombs volunteers joined hands with other revelers to capture and roll McHenry into a giant human cinnamon bun.


For more information about the global Food Not Bombs organization, see:
http://foodnotbombs.net/

For more information about Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs, see:
http://www.santacruzfoodnotbombs.org/


Alex Darocy
http://alexdarocy.blogspot.com/
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-2-santa-cruz-post-office.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-3.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-4.jpg
§Keith McHenry at the Food Not Bombs table
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-5-keith-mchenry.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-6-santa-cruz.jpg
§Jozseph Schultz of India Joze restaurant fires up the wok
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-7-jozseph-schultz-india-joze-santa-cruz.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-8.jpg
§Curtis Reliford of Follow Your Heart Action Network volunteers
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-9-curtis-reliford.jpg
§Free haircuts
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-10.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-11.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-12.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-13.jpg
§Shower booth with the Santa Cruz Clock Tower in the background
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-14.jpg
§Solar shower
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-15.jpg
§Dru Glover of Project Pollinate
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-16-dru-glover-project-pollinate.jpg
§
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-17.jpg
§Brent Adams of the Santa Cruz Warming Center
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-18-brent-adams-santa-cruz-warming-center.jpg
§Free books
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-19.jpg
§Homeless United for Friendship and Freedom (HUFF) table
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-20.jpg
§Food Not Bombs 35th Anniversary
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-21.jpg
Food Not Bombs 35th Anniversary
§Abbi Samuels speaks as Keith McHenry looks on
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-22-keith-mchenry-abbi-samuels.jpg
Abbi Samuels speaks as Keith McHenry looks on.
§Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-23.jpg
Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun.
§Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-24.jpg
Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun.
§Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-25.jpg
Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun
§Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-26.jpg
Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun.
§Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-27.jpg
Rolling Keith McHenry into a giant cinnamon bun.
§Thank you to the donors
by Alex Darocy
800_food-not-bombs-35th-anniversary-28.jpg
Thank you to the donors.
Add Your Comments
Listed below are the latest comments about this post.
These comments are submitted anonymously by website visitors.
TITLE
AUTHOR
DATE
z
Mon, Sep 21, 2015 9:33AM
antibody
Tue, Aug 4, 2015 7:19PM
Grant
Fri, May 29, 2015 5:55AM
Food Not Bombs
Thu, May 28, 2015 4:40PM
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$110.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network