Homeless advocates say US cities targeting charities that give food

The Associated Press
Published: November 15, 2007
DALLAS: Homeless advocate Will Edwards estimates he has received at least 35 warnings from the city of Dallas to stop feeding people living on the streets.

Dallas authorities prohibit charities from distributing free food to homeless people except at city-approved locations and only after volunteers undergo food safety training, provided for free by the city. Violation of the law, enforced by city food inspectors, is punishable by a fine up to $2,000 (€1,366).

Edwards, 53, who runs Rip Parker's Memorial Ministry, contends an ordinance regulating homeless feeding to approved locations is illegal. He and another ministry have a pending federal lawsuit targeting the regulation, which went into effect last year.

"The laws are not going to make us stop," Edwards said Thursday. "What the law has done is gotten rid of a lot of volunteers, a lot of help and lot of the resources that people have supplied."

Dallas is among U.S. cities criticized in a new report for its approach to homelessness. The cities continue to criminalize homelessness, but they have a new tactic — targeting residents and church groups who share food with them, according to the report released Thursday by two homeless advocacy groups.

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