The Los Angeles City Council is considering a ban on feeding homeless people in public places. City Coucil members Tom LaBonge and Mitch O'Farrell introduced the ban after residents started complaining about homeless people gathering near their homes, waiting for food to be served. A similar ban was announced in Philadelphia in March 2011, but was blocked in July 2012.
Moving food lines out of sight will not end homelessness, it will only make it easier for people to ignore the suffering of others. Besides their obvious benefits feeding the hungry, public food lines raise awareness and encourage others to make a difference in their community. They may also help curb problems like theft and trash picking, which the hungry often resort to in the absence of public programs. Please sign the petition to urge the Los Angeles City Council to let people feed the homeless in public places!
We are writing to address Los Angeles City Council's proposed ban on feeding homeless people in public places.
We believe that moving food lines out of sight will not end homelessness, it will only make it easier for people to ignore the suffering of others. Besides their obvious benefits feeding the hungry, public food lines raise awareness and encourage others to make a difference in their community. They may also help curb problems like theft and trash picking, which the hungry often resort to in the absence of public programs. We respectfully urge you to halt your plans to stop public food lines in Los Angeles. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
