Food Not Bombs is a global grassroots movement that works to address issues of hunger, poverty, and social inequity. The organization primarily focuses on providing free food to those in need, often using food that would otherwise go to waste. Food Not Bombs is known for its commitment to non-violent direct action and the principles of mutual aid.

Why is there always money for the military and police departments across the nation while many social services face cutbacks?

Founded in 1980 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, by anti-nuclear activists, Food Not Bombs (FNB) emerged amidst heightened nuclear tensions and anti-nuclear protests, reflecting a broader commitment to peace and social justice.

The name “Food Not Bombs” reflects the organization’s emphasis on redirecting resources from military spending and other destructive activities towards meeting basic human needs, particularly the need for food (i.e. there is always government money to fund the military, but not enough to make sure that all citizens to have enough to eat). Volunteers in various communities come together to collect surplus or discarded but safe to eat food from local grocery stores, bakeries, and farms. They then prepare and distribute vegetarian or vegan meals to the community, usually in public spaces.

In addition to addressing immediate hunger, Food Not Bombs aims to raise awareness about social and economic inequality and environmental issues. Throughout its evolution, FNB has supported a range of social movements, from its involvement in anti-globalization protests and various disaster relief efforts, to the Occupy and Black Lives Matter uprisings.

FNB operates on a decentralized and autonomous basis making decisions via consensus, which allows local groups to adapt their actions and campaigns to address the specific needs and challenges of their communities. This independent structure of Food Not Bombs has played a crucial role in its resilience and adaptability, allowing the movement to endure and evolve while steadfastly adhering to the principles of mutual aid and community solidarity.

Next year marks our chapter’s 30th anniversary in Connecticut’s capital city. In 1995, there were a few churches that operated soup kitchens in Hartford, but none were open on Sundays. So a small group of high-school students — taking inspiration from the punk rock community, previous projects such as the Black Panther Party Breakfast Program, and simply a desire to do something instead of nothing in the face of inequality — decided to start a local FNB chapter to fill that void. They set up a table in Bushnell Park and gave out free bagels with a flyer explaining why they were there. And though the names and faces may have changed over the years, the mission has not: Publicly sharing food in order to draw attention to war, poverty, and hunger. We haven’t missed a single Sunday in that time and are still going strong to this day. For the first 15 years our capacity grew and we were able to add a Saturday meal in addition to Sundays, gave out bags of groceries to around 50 of our neighbors each week, and even helped provide support to folks in the Gulf Coast during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Solidarity, Not Charity

Over our 30 year history, Hartford FNB also had to deal with lawsuits, arrests, police surveillance, bomb scares, and countless other obstacles, simply because we dared ask “Why”. Why in a country with so many resources do so many people still go without basic necessities such as food? Why is there always money for the military and police departments across the nation while many social services face cutbacks? Why is there always funding to build more prisons but not enough to build homes? Why is so much food thrown away every day from grocery stores when there are people in our communities who cannot afford groceries? Unfortunately, we are still asking these same questions today.

We would love to see old friends and new and hear your ideas on what the next decade could look like and how best to continue supporting our friends and neighbors. Come down to Bushnell Park any Sunday around 3:30pm between the carousel and pond to share some food, laughs, and memories as we plan for this momentous occasion.

In Solidarity,

Hartford Food Not Bombs