homeless_ap980.jpg
Bread of Life is upset about the restriction and hopes to continue serving meals to homeless individuals who do not come into their shelter. (AP Photo/File)

Mission told not to feed the homeless in Seattle city parks

BY Brandi Kruse  on January 18, 2013 @ 12:32 am (Updated: 7:24 am - 1/18/13 )

The Bread of Life Mission, which has served the homeless community in Pioneer Square for more than 70 years, said the city has directed them to stop feeding the hungry in downtown parks.

On the third Saturday of every month for the past three years, volunteers for the mission have handed out meals at places such as City Hall Park. The offering was in addition to the three meals a day they serve inside their building at 97 South Main Street.

"It was a service we were offering free of charge to be a blessing to the homeless," said Executive Director Willie Parish, Jr. "All we were doing was just a continuation of what we do on a daily basis."

In December, however, Parish said Seattle police told them they were no longer allowed to serve food at the park.

City officials say the restriction is nothing new, and that Bread of Life simply operated in the park for three years without being caught or reported.

David Takami with the Seattle Human Services Department said the city does not allow groups of people to feed the homeless outdoors without approval.

"This has happened in the past where there are a lot of meals served in a short period of time on the same day," he said. "It's a little chaotic and it can also lead to wasted food."

Takami said those wishing to feed the homeless need to coordinate with the Operation: Sack Lunch program, which serves up to 300 people a day at the city's outdoor meal site, located under the I-5 bridge at 6th Avenue and Columbia Street.

By requiring that all food be served at the site, Takami said the city can control the nutritional value of what the homeless eat and can prevent litter from being left behind at parks after meals.

He said the controlled environment is also safer for volunteers.

"For example, there was one group of middle school students who, out of the goodness of their hearts, wanted to serve meals to homeless people and we were concerned [...] because of possible safety issues," Takami said.

Nevertheless, Bread of Life is upset about the restriction and hopes to continue serving meals to homeless individuals who do not come into their shelter.

"We love to do it, we want to continue doing it," Parish said.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (131)


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  • CenturionNews wrote...
    Pick on the homeless?
    January 19, 2013 10:37 am
    Really? Not feed the homeless? I will do you a favor then. I will make a video for youtube and will post to anyone and everyone who will listen who you are why you are doing this and why you will not feed the homeless. As a source of News I owe it to the Public to show this. I can bet I can make the major national media with this story.
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  • ChrissM wrote...
    CH / at 7:33 AM - your comment is laughable
    January 19, 2013 10:47 am
    CH / at 7:33 AM - your comment is laughable – and shows the ills of your liberal mindset. You left coddle these poor wretched persons, so that they become the dependent masses running to your doorstep for more free stuff. You brag to the world and tell yourself how much of a humanitarian you are. You can sleep at night wrapping your self-aggrandized and fully deluded false sense of accomplishing anything worthwhile and long lasting. But, when the ugly truth or reality comes knocking at YOUR door, you want protection, distance and to blame anything else. Your solution comes from a typical knee-jerk, logic-devoid, (long-term) thoughtless and utterly selfish ‘solution’. The reality is born, rather simply, from common sense and thought-out logic. No surprise you missed it. And, yes you / WE – DO – feed the lazy. And, you can only guess at WWJD – certainly ( ? ! ) you are not declaring you hear from him directly. Open your eyes man. Or, perhaps, you should just ban public feces? Now, to end, with your wholly sophomoric attempt at insult (which just proved you to be a pompous arse) … Answer your question?
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  • CenturionNews wrote...
    Seriously?
    January 19, 2013 11:08 am
    I am nor Left or Right I am an American Citizen wanting to take care of our American Citizens and not ship Foreign Aid to toher countries to FEED their homeless. We have people who are living in tents NOT able to get a job NOR collect any type of assistance for LACK of an address which is REQUIRED to GET assistance. Research and Education are awesome tools. If you like I can send you links where to get an education or help you finish the middle school education. And did I forget to Mention I was homeless for over 5 years. I lived under bridges. I raided dumpsters for food. I lived among these people. I know 95% of these people are devistated and now have no clue on what to do. WHEN YOU DON"T have an address you get no help. Nothing to to even aid you to become the "PROPER" American Citizen you should be. Your unclean you have no resources so in the eyes of people you are either a drug abuser "Todays Society Prospective" or your LAZY and have no self worth in life. I was there I have seen it I have dealt with what people say I am one of the lucky few that actually have risen from the depths of being homeless (Todays Society "Being Homeless is a disease") to being a productive American Citizen again. Have you been homeless? DO YOU have any clue of what it's like everyday? No you don't. I want to see actual PROOF of what you claim. Other then that you are just a person who has no other worth in life then to pick on someone less then you are to bring your self worth up so you can say "Oh look I have a warm bed, a car, a job, Electric, and food. I say good for you I am truly proud of you, but, when or if you lose it all don't come begging there will not be anyone to help you.
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  • denzen wrote...
    America is still a .....
    January 19, 2013 11:10 am
    ...deeply divided country. At first, I don't think this was any fault of it's working people, nor the poor. But now it seems to be perpetuated as normal by most. Nearly everyone seems to be selfish in the extreme. In most eyes, (one might suppose), that that would translate into pervasive and malignant fear. Consuming the body, the mind, AND spirit. Emotional insecurity; leading to malignant hatred and mockery, and the judgement of your brothers and sisters. Interestingly enough, if this is all true, we are ignorantly self seeking, and we are only one who blindly judges and condemns our own selves. "A house divided among itself cannot stand." So when is it that we will utterly fall? The greatest commandment of Christ was to love God and your neighbor as yourself. Everyone is your neighbor. Get used to it and decide to try to become an asset.
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  • CenturionNews wrote...
    Exactly
    January 19, 2013 11:15 am
    Well put!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    denzen
    January 19, 2013 7:23 pm
    The greatest commandment of Christ was to love God and your neighbor as yourself. Everyone is your neighbor. Get used to it and decide to try to become an asset.

    Agreed...and it is the progressives who seek to make it a crime to help the poor. Pure evil.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • LSy wrote...
    Ridiculous
    January 19, 2013 11:16 am
    1. Can we all stop using the phrase "feeding the homeless?" It's demeaning. 2. Who are we to judge the homeless? Most of us have no idea how those people got to that position in the first place, a position that is VERY hard to get out of. 3. That the city would shut this down once a month is ridiculous. Here is an independent organization, not costing taxpayers anything, who wants to help people in need. I suspect it's more because it is a religious group. Really-a once a month activity is that "damaging" to the parks or the people the activity serves? 4. Take some time to work with the homeless-it will change you and your thinking about the issue. Most homeless people used to be just like you and me. It's a shame a city would discourage people from helping. I agree they need to get back on their feet, get a job, a place to live, etc., but they could certainly use a friendly offer of help once in a while. Don't we all?
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  • CenturionNews wrote...
    I remember
    January 19, 2013 11:29 am
    I used to talk for miles and stop at every place of business to put in an application. I had no address I had to phone number I had no assistance I had no money I had no food I had a dumpster I used to sleep in to keep me warm. I hade no one that would give me a hand to get a job because I had NO Address. I remember being so hungry waiting for Mcdonalds to throw away the burgers so I could have something to eat but the blue dye that they put on them would send you to the hospital. I watched employee's dump blue dye in the dumpsters and look at you and laugh and say "I bet that would taste good I just had one, you get the special burgers try to eat one,Thats how we treat people who are lazy" or "hey want to earn five dollars eat that piece of dog feces." Yeah I remember those days all to well.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bill Kilgore wrote...
    Liberal Hypocrisy
    January 19, 2013 11:24 am
    Isn't it amazing how the liberals that run Seattle and Washington state as a whole will bend over backwards to accommodate the homeless at election time by providing them free transportation to the polls, food, drinks, phones and other "incentives" to vote Democratic, but once the elections are over, those same liberal politicians don't want these poor folks eating in their precious parks.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Wgnmaster 75 wrote...
    Feeding the homeless
    January 19, 2013 11:35 am
    Your government at work. It's much better for the homeless to starve, rather than possibly getting a meal that doesn't meet their nutritional guidelines. America has gone crazy.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • steelerfanted wrote...
    homeless
    January 19, 2013 11:41 am
    Jesus would NOT have contempt for the poor and homeless. Many of them are homeless being victims of circumstances beyond their control. Some can't work or hold down a job . Don't lump them all together and call them lazy. Quit listening to the stupid talking heads on TV and radio and get out there and do something yourself to help the homeless and poor. It will not only change your life, but your sick attitude as well. I highly doubt that there are many homeless who want to be that way except for those who are mentally ill and in that case, it doesn't count. Bless and curse not.
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  • rational wrote...
    steelerfanted
    January 19, 2013 9:47 pm
    Jesus would NOT have contempt for the poor and homeless.

    Of course not, it's the progressives who have contempt for the poor. Christians are directed to help the poor...progressives seek to make it a crime to follow Jesus' teachings about the poor.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BooneCtyBeek wrote...
    Control
    January 19, 2013 1:10 pm
    Read the article. It is all about control. Progressives love control. Thrive on it. Feed on it. Freedom is anathema to them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • zoeross wrote...
    Police state
    January 19, 2013 1:13 pm
    So let me get this straight....the police are now in charge of food waste? They are now the sole judge and jury on whether a meal is nutritious enough?? Have these officers now gone through a dietician course? So our local police departments will monitor food waste & nutrition? These people ARE HOMELESS...most are addicted and/or mentally ill, but lets put the police department in charge to make sure their food is sufficiently nutritious. This is insanity. Liberals will not be happy until they have shut down all forms of private charity & the state is God.
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  • JoAnne5 wrote...
    The Real Reason
    January 19, 2013 1:13 pm
    The city has a major racket going on with the homeless and the federal government. . They have a huge motive to eliminate competition so that they can get more $ millions in federal funding for homeless programs. . Seattle does a disasterous job and has attracted homeless criminals and addicts from all over the country. . That hardly matters, since jobs and careers for the poverty pimps are on the line. .
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