Thanks to Frank Tamborello of the LA Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness, I’ve gotten plugged in to new food legislation in LA.
Did you know that In LA County, restaurants can now be certified to accept food stamps from people who are homeless, disabled or elderly? Unbeknownst to many, food stamps can now be used to buy prepared food — including sandwiches from Subway, the largest restaurant that’s become food stamp certified.
Says Frank: “We are hoping to promote this program as it is very helpful for homeless folks who have no food storage or cooking facilites.”
But the LACEHH needs help. The org’s looking for restaurants that:
- Provide healthy, or at least comparatively healthy meals and are:
- Are low cost (no tip expected)
- Exist in an area where homeless people might congregate.
Got ideas? Lemme know. I’ll compile a list to send to Frank early next week. I’ve already sent the info about Cisco Burger — the latest organic fast food place in long beach — but we need more info. Name your fave affordable healthy food place!
To get involved further, get on the “food justice update” email list.
I just read Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and dimed. Even people with home and job go hungry. At least you are in the risk zone if you only make 6usd/hr.
One can only hope that the foodstamp programme give you all (both givers and receivers) time and inspiration to propose to your politicians a decent public social security system.
Is it a good or bad sign that restaurants are targetting people that need footstamps for the livelyhood? Good that restaurants accept them, bad that they are so many that it is worthwhile targetting them?
Comment by Johan — May 5, 2006 @ 2:02 pm
Hey Johan — I’m not sure that restaurants are actually targeting people with food stamps. I would guess that many restaurants don’t really relish the possibility of homeless clientele, sadly. The Coalition’s looking to target and convince restaurants to join, as opposed to the restaurants begging to get in on the program…
Comment by Siel — May 6, 2006 @ 12:26 pm
i guess you are right about restaurants not knocking down the doors of the coalition!
what do you mean certified? the stamp is voucher that can only the converted into cooked food?
i guess while waiting for a public social net this is one way of relief.
in the ehrenreich´s book one of the sentiment is that poor people that has a work remain poor even though they work hard and often have to take more than one job to make ends meet. according to some union people in sweden it is indeed more difficult in the us for poor become to become richer because they cannot afford to move to new jobs, compared to western countries (welfare state contra liberal economy).
hope you can rally up some more restaurants!
btw
cisco burgers? are they wired to www?
Comment by Johan — May 7, 2006 @ 11:30 am