At the outset, starting a Food Not Bombs might seem like more than
you can handle. Work on the basics, taking one step at a time. There is
no need to feel pressured to accomplish everything at once. It might take
a couple of weeks to get things rolling, or it might take months. One
person cannot be a Food Not Bombs group, but one person can be the
"starter" of one group.
Once you have made the decision to start a local Food Not Bombs
group, pick a meeting date, time, and place, and gather together
everyone interested to talk about what you would like to do. You might
start with a group of friends, or members of an existing group, or
it could be people who respond to posters announcing your intentions.
Start with a phone number and a mailing address.
Use voicemail with mailboxes like (volunteers)(food donations)
(schedule)(solidarity events)(finances)
Make flyers announcing the existence of a local Food Not Bombs
group. Have a regularly scheduled meeting once a week.
Vehicles, vehicles, vehicles. This will be your biggest
headache (probably). Besides cups and spoons.
With buttons and flyers, begin looking for sources for food.
Local food co-ops and health food stores are great places to start.
Big supermarkets give stuff away after the date has expired,
but their food is not organic.
22 gallon cook pots are great, $122.
Discover how many meals are fed each day in your town.
Consider the process at other kitchens. Many are
service, racial, agist, sexist, or institutional. Are
people speaking freely? Are people satisfied?
This is usually a low number if you exclude meat. Decide
when and where to cook and serve. Our meetings
usually begin with intro-scheduling so we can get
that out of the way.
Ask soup kitchens if they need extra or need food
picked up. Restaurants are LESS likely to giving
already prepared food.
Use your food program for street dining.
Food Not Bombs
over 600,000 served
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