Erin and I started this blog in hopes of bringing people comfort in a time of uncertainty. The unrest that has been simmering in the US for longer than our lives and which came to head in recent days with the murder of George Floyd is something we felt we could personally not continue about business as usual after. Instead of bringing you comfort recipes this week, we’re urging you to get uncomfortable, to take action, to make a stand. This post is about how you can do so with food justice.
Due to curfews and cordoning off of large parts of our cities, the most vulnerable are left without access to food services they greatly depend on. If you need food, the following are some suggestions for where to get it. If you can cook and donate food, look into these organizations for more ways you can help them feed others.
I didn’t ever mean it lightly when I claimed that food is love. Please share your love with those standing up for the rights of others, and the most vulnerable members of our society.
FOOD NOT BOMBS
Food not Bombs is a 40-year-old organization not affiliated to any dogma or creed that provides food for people — for everyone, regardless of their ability or need. Check out your local chapter and plug in: https://foodnotbombs.net/info/locations/
SOUTH SIDE GROCERY PICK UP IN CHICAGO
On June 5th from 1 – 5 pm, at 501 1/2 E 47th Street in Chicago, this service will provide groceries for those in need. For a further list of food resources in Chicago (though some may be affiliated with places of worship), check here: https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/6/1/21277134/food-resources-chicago-west-south-side-looting-closure-cps-meal-distribution
BLACK EARTH FARMS, OAKLAND
“The Black Earth Farms Collective is an agroecological lighthouse organization composed of skilled Pan-African and Pan-Indigenous farmers, builders and educators who spread ancestral knowledge and train community members to build collectivized, autonomous, and chemical free food systems in urban and peri-urban environments throughout the Greater East San Francisco Bay Area.”
Check them out here: https://www.blackearthfarms.com/
Or donate to them here: venmo/ blackearthfarms
cashapp/ $blackearth
JUST FOOD, NYC
“Just Food aims to shift the power, health, and wealth of historically and economically marginalized communities – in particular Black, Latinx, communities of color, LGBTQ, mixed income, small-scale farmers, and hyper local growers/producers.”
Learn more here: https://www.justfood.org/mission
RECIPES TO DONATE
If you’re not hungry, help those who are! Many of these places may have guidelines about donation, but I’ve found some of the following recipes to be helpful for large-scale donation:
CROCK POT MAC AND CHEESE: it’s filling, comforting, and vegetarian! Check out a slow cooker recipe here for minimal prep labor: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/crockpot-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe-2107509
PULLED PORK SANDWICHES: All you need is a bottle of BBQ sauce, two pork loins, a cup or two of veggie broth, a slow cooker, and a couple packs of burger buns, and you’ve got hearty on-the-go sandwiches for the protesters and those in need.
VEGAN BANANA BREAD: This recipe from the vegan cooking bible the Veganomicon will provide a healthy and filling snack for anyone who needs it, and has food sensitivities. Cut up and wrap in individual sandwich bags for maximum ease: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=237227
QUINOA SALAD: Roast some beets and sweet potatoes, and toss them with hummus and quinoa for a hearty vegetarian and vegan meal that’ll keep anybody going.
CHILI: You probably have your own baller veggie chili recipe, but here’s a basic one you can make in bulk: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/72508/the-best-vegetarian-chili-in-the-world/
apocalycious 