02/24/2026
This is the page set up by a previous incarnation of FNB which operated for several years. I tried to get someone to take it over for a while, and to continue the operation of the group, but it never happened. No one contacted me about it. Now I just want to preserve the memories. There is another group, called Food Not Bombs Birmingham.
I encourage you to contact them, and to get involved. Study a little bit about the origins of FNB, but do the local one in a way that works for our city. The police have never attacked our groups in Birmingham as they do in other cities, like San Francisco.
One of the two founders still active, Keith McHenry has said some things that I and many others found objectionable. I unfriended him due to some of those posts and arguments. But regardless of differences, I will always appreciate his efforts in spearheading FNB many years ago.
There are FNB rules and guidelines you can find online. Our group fell apart after the religious hypocrite I call John-Not-Food-Not-Bombs (one of those people who go to Mardi Gras to shame people for their sinful ways), quit the group because praying over meals has nothing to do with FNB. It's in the literature. None of us wanted to do that, so he quit, and started his own group, bringing other members of his church and gathering in our spot just before our normal vegetarian meal every Sunday at 1:00. Only they served pizza with meat on it, friend chicken, etc. Ours had been healthy beans and greens with desserts, all vegetarian, which is the FNB practice.
Anyway, I ended up by myself, and finally just quit. It was very sad, and it will always hurt my heart to remember how our long-running group disbanded. Please get in touch with the new FNB group, and help to continue this tradition.
Somebody, hopefully several people will need to be consistent, dedicated, patient, kind... And remember, if you don't serve meat, the law, the Health Department has no say in what you serve. And so long as you leave 6 feet of clearance on the public sidewalk, the cops can't make you leave.
I would love to share some of my knowledge and experiences with new members, but it seems to be up and running. A guy named Josh is the only person in it I have corresponded with.
THIS page is paused, and not the one to follow or contact, but rather find his page please. I'm happy to see efforts being made to reconstitute a Food Not Bombs group in Birmingham.
Jeff
