Yesterday's news - food at homeless shelter

[Guest guest]

I would be most interested in comments about the following article which

discusses current food insecurity (ie HUNGER) issues -

Beth Payne, MS,RD, LD

Freshly Baked Handouts Forbidden in Fairfax, County Says Health Of Homeless

Is at Issue

By L. Salmon

Washington Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, November 29, 2006; Page A01

The casserole has been canned. Under a tough new Fairfax County policy,

residents can no longer donate food prepared in their homes or a church

kitchen -- be it a tuna casserole, sandwiches or even a batch of cookies --

unless the kitchen is approved by the county, health officials said

yesterday.

The Rev. Keary Kincannon's Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church will

open its hypothermia shelter Friday under the new enforcement policy. They

said the crackdown on home-cooked meals is aimed at preventing food

poisoning among homeless people. But it is infuriating operators of

shelters for the homeless and leaders of a coalition of churches that

provides shelter and meals to homeless people during the winter. They said

the strict standards for food served in the shelters will make it more

difficult to serve healthy, hot meals to homeless people. The enforcement

also, they said, makes little sense. " We're very aware that a number of

homeless people eat out of dumpsters, and mom's pot roast has got to be

healthier than that, " said Jim Brigl, chief executive of Fairfax Area

Christian Emergency & Transitional Services. " But that doesn't meet the

code. "

County officials estimate that about 2,000 people are homeless in Fairfax.

They are served by a network of shelters that swells to more than three

dozen over the winter. FACETS, a Fairfax nonprofit group, coordinates most

hypothermia shelters, which are set to open Friday in two dozen churches and

other facilities. The crackdown came after the county Health Department

received a complaint about food being served to the homeless population that

was bedding down at area houses of worship as part of the wintertime

hypothermia program that began last year. Health officials took a closer

look at what shelter residents ate and where the food came from.

Under state and county code, food served to the public must be prepared in a

kitchen that has been inspected and certified by the county Health

Department. Those standards are high: a commercial-grade refrigerator, a

three-compartment sink to wash, rinse and sanitize dishes and a separate

hand-washing sink, among other requirements. Health officials said they

weren't aware that food from unapproved kitchens was being served in

homeless shelters. " We're dealing with a medically fragile population . . .

so they're more susceptible to food-borne illnesses than the general

population, " said Tom Crow, the county Health Department's director of

environmental health. " We're trying to protect those people. "

To help the churches prepare, the Health Department is waiving a $60 fee for

certification and is holding additional safe food-handling classes for

church volunteers. It is also giving churches that do not have approved

kitchens a list of other houses of worship with such facilities. " We're not

trying to come across as being a heavy-handed government, " Crow said.

Nonetheless, ministers from several of the two dozen participating churches

said they oppose the crackdown and hope the Health Department backs off.

" We see the reason for being certified. They want to ensure people's health

and safety, " said the Rev. Keary Kincannon of Rising Hope United Methodist

Mission Church in the andria portion of Fairfax County, which will open

as a hypothermia shelter for four months starting Friday.

" On the other hand, how much do you have to be a stickler with that? "

Kincannon asked. " What's more important: whether we're open to have somebody

get in out of the cold and get a meal? There's kind of a balance there. "

The Rev. Judy Fender of Burke United Methodist Church said 50 volunteers had

been planning to cook beef stew, pork loin and other nutritious meals in the

church kitchen when it hosts the hypothermia shelter Dec. 17 through 23.

But she found out this week that, because the kitchen is not Health

Department-approved, it will have to prepare its food elsewhere.

It will be a logistical nightmare, Fender predicted, and is an insult to

members who have cooked meals for years in the church kitchen without any

problems. " Why do [they] think that the traditional way of fixing a

home-cooked meal is going to poison people off the street? " Fender asked.

She said she will appeal to a higher authority to get the Health Department

to back off. " I'm probably going to be in prayer that something is going to

give on this, " Fender said.

The crackdown has also hit year-round shelters. They prepare their food in

on-site commercial kitchens, but many also accept donations from people who

bring leftover food, home-baked goodies and other products to their doors.

" It takes the personal element out, " said Pam Michell, executive director of

New Hope Housing, which runs three year-round shelters and two wintertime

programs.

" There's something about being able to bring a batch of brownies or being

able to bring a home-cooked casserole to a shelter and feel like you're

doing your part to end homelessness, " she said. " That warm, fuzzy touch is

going to go away.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.

It has removed 477 spam emails to date.

Paying users do not have this message in their emails.

Try SPAMfighter for free now!