Food Not Bombs is still serving free food at People’s Park in Berkeley

Food Not Bombs is still serving free food at People’s Park in Berkeley

By Lynda Carson - March 20, 2020

Berkeley - Despite the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across the nation and locally, the beautiful brave souls with Food Not Bombs remain committed, and are still handing out free food five times a week at People’s Park in Berkeley.

During an interview today with 89 year old Lydia Gans, a co-founder of East Bay Food Not Bombs, she stated, “I am not as involved with Food Not Bombs (FNB) as I used to be, but I still let them come into my home once a week to wash all the pots and pans used to serve food at People’s Park. The hard part for FNB is to serve the homeless and unhoused population safely, without harming anyone. Older people involved with FNB are trying to find younger people to take over. The old people with FNB are afraid of catching the coronavirus and passing it along to others. FNB is serving food at People’s Park five days a week at 3:00PM.”

I had the pleasure of working with Lydia Gans for over a year back around 2008, handing out free food at a 21 unit residential building called Effie’s House in Oakland. We gave away free food once a week on Thursdays at Effie’s House. We piled the free food up high on a table in the entranceway, and people were allowed to take as much as they needed. Any and all food that was left over at the end of the day, I distributed it to different buildings in my neighborhood, including a half-way house for recently released inmates from a state prison. The food was from Whole Foods, including many kinds of organic breads, plus bananas, fruits, deserts, cookies, chips, cartons of milk, and other nourshing items. I handed out over 4,000 loaves of bread during a one year period or more, and felt like Santa Claus at times when I was out late at night leaving bags of food on people’s door knobs locally in my neighborhood.

During an additional interview earlier today with Helen Finkelstein (age 79) of FNB, she stated, “I have been with FNB for around 25 to 30 years. I help to cook or serve the food at least once a week, and am the Treasure for FNB, and maintain the spices used for the food that FNB serves to the public.

We serve high quality food from the Farmers Market. It is the food that is left over at the end of the day that was not sold. It is vegan food. We serve very nourishing, hot, balanced meals. We are currently trying to maintain the normal amount of food needed to serve the local population that shows up at People’s Park for a meal when they are hungry. We serve anyone who shows up for a free meal, and we serve food at People’s Park five days a week at 3:00PM.

We also serve food at different locations in Oakland on Saturdays, Sundays, Thursdays, and Fridays. However, the times and locations are changing at times in Oakland due to circumstances, including the closure of a hotel, and other factors.

At People’s Park we are serving people of all ages, and some people show up with little children that are hungry, and are needing food. We have been serving food at People’s Park for many years, and support People’s Park as much as possible,” said Helen Finkelstein of FNB.

The older folks of Food Not Bombs are trying to find younger people willing to volunteer and help to cook, wash the pots and pans, and distribute the nourishing vegan food to all of those in need. Especially now during the coronavirus pandemic that has spread across the Bay Area, and has resulted in many more people being laid off, who may need some food to help them get through the present crisis. The older people need a beak, and thankfully some younger people are stepping up to the plate to help out.

For those who can help out FNB financially, FNB is a 501(c3) charity, and could use some donations in these trying times of the coronavirus pandemic.

Please send donations to:

Food Not Bombs / Care of Long Haul
3124 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705

Lynda Carson may be reached at tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com

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