SeedsofFreedom

StorybyJackKelly PhotosbyKevinMinderhaut

It’slateafternooninEugene,Oregon.Timetocallitaday.Ariverofdowntownbusinesspeoplebeginsitsexodus,

emptyingtheofGicebuildingsanddaytimeserviceestablishmentsandjoiningtheGlowoftrafGicgoingelsewhere.Some

lingerattheafter­workbars,liketheHorseheadortheSteelheadBrewery.They’llbegoingsoon.Astheday­timersleave,

thepeopleofthestreetemerge,seemingly,“outofthewoodwork.”Walkinginthealleyways,upfromtheirsafeplacesbythe

river,oronthebuttebetweenthetracksandtheriver,maybewalkingdownthetracksfromthenorthwheretheyjustcame

inwiththefreightontheUnionPaciGic.ThehomelessinEugenecomefromallover,andrightnowmanyofthesepathslead

totheFoodforLaneCountyDiningRoomon8thandLincoln.

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ThefolksthatworkorvolunteerattheFFLCkitchenordiningroom,oratoneofthefarms,areascoretothesubcultureofthe

needyastheclientsthemselves.Manyofthesefolkshavebeentouchedbyneedintheirownlives,haveseenfriendsorfamilymembers

suffer,andmaybehaveexperiencedpersonallossrelatedtopoverty,homelessness,drugaddiction,alcoholism;thelistgoeson.Some

ofthemholdavisionofamoresustainable,serviceable,all­inclusivesociety,onethatdoesnotstandpassivelybywhilethe

dispossessedliedrunkinthegutter.Thesearepeoplewhohavefoundabundanceandpeaceinthemagicofservicetoothers,andare

focusedongivingahandtoalltheirbrothersandsisters.Theyarebusyplantingtheseedsoffreedom.

Madesays,“I’mhere

tomakesureeverybody

isOKandnobodygets

hurt.”

Hehasanincredible

energyabouthim;

keepingthepeace,

helpingfolkslockup

theirbikestotheracks

orwatchingtheirpack

foraminute.When

MadeGirstcameto

Eugene,hecametothe

diningroomasaclient.

“Iwantthis

tobeadining

roomnota

soupkitchen,”

saysJosie

McCarthy,

diningroom

manager.

“Ahaven,

wherepeople

canrelaxfrom

therigorsof

their

situation.”

Insidethediningroom

customers,volunteersand

workersmeshintoa

pleasant,happy

communityofrespect.A

trioofmusician’splays

bluegrassnearthedoor,

Vita,thehostess,

welcomesthegueststo

theirtables.Eddie,aguy

whouseskaratetokeep

hisfocusawayfromhis

addictions,iswashingthe

dishes.Eachonehasa

personalconnectionto

thiswork,areasontobe

herehelping.

FoodforLaneCounty,hasamassivedistributioncenteronthewestendoftownandinthatbuildingisa10,000sq.ft

kitchen.Lotsofstainlesssteelandeverythingisbig.Bigsinks,bigcookingutensils,bigpreptables.FFLCpartneredwith

overonehundredsocialserviceagenciesandprogramstodistribute6millionpoundsoffoodto80,000LaneCounty

residentslastyear.Thekitchenisfeedingfrom250to400aday.Itdependsonthetimeofmonth.Peoplerunoutof

moneyandfoodstampsattheendofthemonthandthenumbersgoup.

Thisafternoon’sprepgoesonsixdaysaweek.Atnightfolkscomeinandrepackagedryfoodsandstuffthathasbeendonated.

Thatfoodgoesintofoodboxesthatfolksinneedaccessatoneofseveralfoodpantriesaroundtown.Therearemanyfamilies,

workingfamilies,inLaneCounty,whoattheendofthemonthneedtoavailthemselvesofoneoftheseboxes.

TheSpringGieldYouthFarmsitson

asixteen­acreparcelsurroundedby

subdivisionsthathavesproutedupon

theseMcKenzieRiverfarmlandsin

recentyears.TheYouthFarmgrows

produceforFoodforLaneCounty;

freshfruitandvegetablesthatendup

intheprepkitchen,inmealsatthe

DiningRoom,andinemergencyfood

boxes.

TedPurdyisthefarmerherebuthe’smorethanthat.He’sasocialworker,ateacher,amentorandprovider.Inhislatetwenties,

Tedhasanadvancedmathematicsdegree.“Helpsmecrunchnumbersouthere,”helaughs.Whenhegotoutofcollegehewantedto

dosomethingenvironmental.Leanandtanevenafterfourmonthsofrain,Tedisfocusedonhismission.

FoodforLaneCountyisuniqueinthenationforproducingagoodportionofitsownfood.Andthe

needisgrowing.Inthesehardtimesdonationsaredwindling.Peoplenaturallyhavelesstogive.

WhatTedPurdyandtheFoodfor

LaneCountypeoplearedoing,when

dozensofyoungvolunteersandline

workersplacehundredsofseedlingsin

thelongrichrowsoftheYouthFarm,is

plantingseedsoffreedom.

Teachingyoungpeoplehowtofeed

themselves,theirfamilies,their

neighbors,iskeytoreconnectingsociety

withitsroots.

InmanywaystheEugeneareaisinthevanguardofbringingtheproductionoffoodclosertohome.And

thankstohundredsofcaringcommunitymembers,bringingfresh,real,foodtothehomeless,foodless,and

needyaswell.

Letussitdownsoontoeat

withallthosewhohaven’teaten

Letusspreadgreattablecloths,

putsaltinthelakesoftheworld,

setupplanetarybakeries,

tableswithstrawberriesin

snowAndaplatelikethe

moonitselffromwhichweall

willeat.Fornow,Iaskno

moreThantheJusticeof

Eating‐PabloNeruda