Put Down That Plate

Arnold of Love Thy Neighbor Fund

I read this story back in November of 2014. Have watched it unfold here and there, across the country. Remember that 90 year old man in Florida that got arrested for feeding the homeless? He is known as Chef Arnold.

"In 1991, Arnold P. Abbott created Love Thy Neighbor Fund, Inc. (LTN) as a loving, living tribute to his beloved late wife Maureen, to continue, on a larger scale, the work they had done together. Its purpose has always been to recycle and preserve the integrity of our most precious natural resource: human beings — Broward County’s more than 10,000 homeless men, women, and children — helping them to help themselves."

In order for society to find a way to live with poverty, those not in that situation, do all sorts of crazy things.

We make it: 
illegal to sit on the sidewalk (when it's already illegal to block the sidewalk), 
illegal to sleep in the open, and 
illegal to beg, etc. 

Jesus said, "You'll always have the poor." Matthew 26:11

Maybe we should embrace that and discover that the poor can be a big blessing and even an asset? Maybe we could even empower them to do helpful, ennobling things while they are poor? 

Don't get me wrong, everyone in a neighborhood should be able to be safe. Illegal actions, and seriously infringing on one's ability to enjoy property and personal right, should be illegal no matter who you are. 

But we don't have to make laws against being impoverished.


A 90-Year-Old and Two Reverends Cited for Feeding the Homeless in Fort Lauderdale from Voice Media Group on Vimeo.
At least four police cruisers and a half dozen uniformed cops were ready and waiting for Love Thy Neighbor when the group showed up at its spot adjacent to Stranahan Park as it does every Sunday at 1pm, in a white van armed with trays of hot food. The group's 90-year old founder, Arnold Abbot, previously had announced that Ft. Lauderdale's new ordinance would not deter him from sharing food as he's done for the past 23 years.