Long-overdue Updates

It's been a while since I've posted.  I've been extraordinarily busy with school, work, and an internship.  But enough excuses!


FNB Peoria is eternally grateful to the Junior High class at the UU Church for their kind and substantial donation to help us buy food and sundries.  The money helped us cook up and share a special batch of shrimp scampi this past Sunday.  It was delicious and a big hit!  


On a more personal note, my family has become more involved with FNB Peoria.  In the past few months, my younger brother and sister both expressed interest in coming along to share food.  They've been coming along with me every time recently, and they really enjoy it.  My other younger sister and her boyfriend, and my girlfriend, and the other two siblings all came with me this past Sunday.  It was so fulfilling to have everyone together to participate in something like that.  It was a bit cramped with 6 people in that tiny kitchen, but we had a great time!


Spring is almost here, and we're still accepting donations for the following items:

Salad dressing (Ranch is the most popular)

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder (to make garlic bread with)

Barbeque sauce

Backpacks/duffel bags/messenger bags/etc

Forks (they disappear at an incredible rate)

Dish soap

Sponges

Dishrags

Hand towels

Plastic wrap

Aluminum foil

Ziplock baggies 

Cups (plastic, if you have a choice, but not the disposable kind, though we'll gladly take them too)

One or two cookie sheets

Any and all tupper-ware

A portable water cooler with a push-valve

Oh, and cash is always welcome ;)

Finally, I'm moving to Bloomington-Normal (or as I call it, "Blormalton") this July.  As such, my participation in FNB Peoria will be curtailed, but I'm going to try to start a FNB in Blormalton.  If you're interested, email us at fnbpeoria[at]gmail.com  As that situation develops, I'll post additional information.  

Remember we're serving this Sunday at Peoria Community Connections around 4:30PM.  Hope to see you there!!

- FNB'er Ryan

Coats hats and backpacks and soap tied with strings, these are a few of our favorite things.

The Winter Wish-List was a great success, in large part due to the kind folks at APO of UIUC.  They came through and donated enough soap, backpacks, coats, and warm clothing to fill my trunk, backseats, and passenger seat with all manner of cold-weather goodies.  We distributed them to folks that needed them at Peoria Community Connections, Times Center of Champaign, and Peoria Rescue Ministries.  The last donations will be made to Peoria area organizations helping victims of domestic violence and substance addiction.  A big thank-you to all who helped and donated!

One thing we learned:  XL and XXL sizes are in higher demand than you might imagine.  Smaller sized coats aren't suitable when one is already layering t-shirts and sweatshirts underneath.  With that in mind, any additional donations of XL coats and larger would be greatly appreciated!  Contact us via email at fnbpeoria[at]gmail[dot]com and we'll take it from there.

I'm also looking to explore the possibility of organizing a RRFM this spring once it warms up.  A Really Really Free Market is a temporary zone in which people engage in a gift economy.  It's a potluck consisting of everything you want to bring for others to have, and it's full of things other people brought for you.  Services are often offered at RRFM's too, like haircuts.  And, more than that, it's a glimpse into an economy driven not by greed, but by caring for one's community and one's neighbors as well as oneself.  If you care for either, then this is for you!  If you're interested in helping, shoot us an email!

Our foodshare last Sunday ran out of food (only at the very end, thankfully!), which means the Winter share season is upon us.  The Winter share season is when we have the greatest number of hungry folks that we share food with.  If you're interested in giving food or other items, click here and then email us at fnbpeoria[at]gmail[dot]com and we'll arrange to pick them up from you.

In solidarity,

Ryan

"The right to adequate food is indivisibly linked to the inherent dignity of the human person."

While browsing the Long Island FNB website, I came across an interesting report detailing the varying attitudes cities in the United States take towards sharing food with the homeless.  They range from outright hostility to earnest cooperation.  It might make for some meaningful conversation during your Thanksgiving dinner.

Just before you sit down to your dining room table teeming with tasty food, remember that some have neither abundant and wholesome food to devour, nor a dining room in which to put a table.  In that moment, be thankful for the wealth you enjoy.  I know I will.


Here's the report.

The FNB Peoria Winter Wish-List is going well.  APO of UIUC has provided a TON of soap.  Not literally, but I have two grocery bags of soap from them, and that's about a fourth of what they have.  They're also collecting coats and mittens and other lovely winter-wear, so those will be along soon.  I procured about 9 or so very nice leather coats.  The only problem is that the [expletive deleted] people at Burlington Coat Factory sliced them up with a razor before throwing them out.  They can be sewn up and look good, but it's time-consuming, so here's the deal - I'm bringing down some heavy-duty thread, a needle or two, some sewing scissors, and if the folks down there want to sew one up for themselves, then they're welcome to do so.

If you care to, send them an email asking why they slice up usable coats before throwing them away, rather than giving them to those in need.

If you care to donate anything, email us at fnbpeoria[at]gmail[dot]com.

In solidarity,

Ryan L.

Wintertime Donations

Due to the great response to my Facebook status about needed items for the cold weather coming soon, a special post is in order.

Most of the people we share food with on Sundays are homeless.  We haven't taken any polls or anything, but after being there most Sundays for almost two years, you kind of get an idea.

Where I work I sometimes procure things people leave behind when they move out.  I've brought some items that they didn't have much use for, and some they did, which I had to distribute at random, there being no other fair way to do so.  The following items were met with enthusiasm when I brought them:

Coats
Backpacks/messenger bags/duffel bags/etc
Bars of soap

I haven't outright asked them what sort of stuff they could use, but I will do so on Sunday and post what they say.  A big thank you to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chapter of APO and Tough Love of Washington Community High School for jumping on this opportunity to help the underclass of America.

For more information about FNB Peoria or Food Not Bombs in general, click the link on your left or click here.

In solidarity,

Ryan L.

Networking

I attended a screening of "Anarchism in America" at Illinois State University on Tuesday, organized by Common Action, a new student organization there.  I met Stefan while he and some other members were tabling to promote the event, and fielded the idea of a Food Not Bombs in Bloomington/Normal.  He was receptive to the idea, so I'm going to see if B/N has a need for a Food Not Bombs, and if there are enough interested people to do a weekly feed like we do in Peoria.

Also, David Hilliard, a founding member of the Black Panthers, will be giving a talk at Illinois Wesleyan on Thursday at 7pm.  More about that event here.  I have to work, but if you're coming, don't pull a Forrest Gump and ruin their Black Panther party.







  In addition, Common Action has organized a panel discussion about "The Future of Class Struggle", to be held this Saturday at 3pm at The Coffee House (114 E Beufort St) in Blormalton.  One ISU sociology professor, one member of Laborers Local 362, and two Wobblies will be panelists.  Come if you can!


For a regular email of local and regional events of interest to the peace movement, anarchists, and other activists, email fnbpeoria@gmail.com and we'll add you to the list.  This regular update isn't composed or sent by FNB Peoria, but by an ally and member of the Peoria Peace Network.

One last note before I wrap this up:  with winter approaching, the homeless population of Peoria will be quite chilly.  As such, FNB Peoria is soliciting local humanitarians to donate old coats or blankets.  Also, they're always in need of backpacks/duffel bags and related miscellanea.  If you have anything to donate, respond to this craigslist post.  If you have any of these items that you'd care to donate, drop us a line at fnbpeoria@gmail.com.

In solidarity,

Ryan

Anarchists Against the Wall coming to Peoria Theater

AATW are conducting a speaking tour to raise money for legal fees and penalties levied against them for their direct actions against the wall Israel is constructing in the Occupied West Bank.  They're going to be speaking about their work in Palestine & Israel this Wednesday.

More info here.

New flier for FNB Peoria

My girlfriend and FNB ally designed this nifty flyer for us to use!  Feedback is welcome.  She said she might revise it because it looks too busy.  What do you think?

She's also making a version like this without our specific information for use by other FNB groups.

-Ryan