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Moveable Feast is a
nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
based in
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore wa ...
, which provides food and services to individuals suffering from
HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...
,
breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or ...
, and those afflicted with
terminal illness Terminal illness or end-stage disease is a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and is expected to result in the death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer, dementia or advanced h ...
. Its founder
Baltimore City Health Department The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) is the public health agency of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. BCHD convenes and collaborates with other city agencies, health care providers, community organizations and funders to "empower Baltimorea ...
official Robert Mehl recognized a need in the community for such services during the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in the United States. He assembled a committee at the direction of then-Baltimore mayor
Kurt Schmoke Kurt Lidell Schmoke (born December 1, 1949) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 47th mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, from 1987 to 1999, the first African American to be elected to the post. He is the current president of the University ...
, and the organization was founded in 1990. In its first year the organization's staff of three provided food and services to 60 clients biweekly and twice per day. By 2001 this had increased to attending to the nutrition needs of about 550 people in the region. In 2003, the organization launched a program to train people with culinary skills which they could then apply towards gaining employment in the workforce. Trainees in the program included prisoners on
parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
,
homeless shelter Homeless shelters are a type of homeless service agency which provide temporary residence for homeless individuals and families. Shelters exist to provide residents with safety and protection from exposure to the weather while simultaneously r ...
s, and
halfway house A halfway house is an institute for people with criminal backgrounds or substance use disorder problems to learn (or relearn) the necessary skills to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. As well as serving as a ...
s; it graduated 11 people in 2004. By 2004 its staff had grown to 32 with additional volunteers, and gave food to 700 people five days weekly. Initially created with a focus of helping AIDS patients, its service outreach had expanded by 2007 to include those diagnosed with breast cancer and terminal illnesses. It received a $200,000 unrestricted grant from
Bank of America The Bank of America Corporation (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The bank ...
in 2013 which assisted the organization with creation of a new distribution center on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies mostly on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. Nine counties are normally included in the region. The Eastern Shore is part of the larger Delmarva Peninsula tha ...
to help expand their delivery efforts to people throughout the region. ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'' profiled the group early in its existence in 1990, noting it provided vital goods and services to sick people in the region who had difficulty leaving their residences. The ''
Baltimore Afro-American The ''Baltimore Afro-American'', commonly known as ''The Afro'' or ''Afro News'', is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the flagship newspaper of the ''AFRO-American'' chain and the longest-running Africa ...
'' reported on the organization and noted how crucial volunteering was to its success. ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by T ...
'' called it an important group providing sustenance to ill people in the area. Because of their efforts encouraging their employees to volunteer with Moveable Feast, the company SC&H earned the Mayor's Business Recognition Awards for outstanding community service from the mayor of Baltimore in 2014.


History

During the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in the United States,
Baltimore City Health Department The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) is the public health agency of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. BCHD convenes and collaborates with other city agencies, health care providers, community organizations and funders to "empower Baltimorea ...
official Robert Mehl persuaded the city's mayor at the time,
Kurt Schmoke Kurt Lidell Schmoke (born December 1, 1949) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 47th mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, from 1987 to 1999, the first African American to be elected to the post. He is the current president of the University ...
, to direct him to form a committee to address the ongoing crisis within their region. Mehl, original founder of the organization, was himself diagnosed with AIDS in 1985. Members of the founding committee included Robert Mehl, Joseph Lawrence Myers III, Skip Harting, David Glasser, Yvonne Veney, Esther Baker, and Sean Carriler. Services to the community based on this initiative first began in 1989. After deliberations within the committee, the organization Moveable Feast was formed in 1990. The organization was structured as a
nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
with the aim of benefiting the local community through
social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or adminis ...
. It signed a US$3,000 contract in 1990 with the Baltimore City Health Department to bring food to AIDS patients. It operated in 1990 out of the Heritage United Church of Christ located in Northwest Baltimore. That year, the organization began providing services of two food portions biweekly to their 60 total clients, with a staff of three people. Its 1990 operating budget was $54,000, and they were provided both office space and telecommunications services via Baltimore's health department. Individuals provided services by the organization began at ten and soon thereafter increased to over 150. Delivery of meals was assisted by fellow organizations Groceries to Go, Ryan White Medical Transportation, and People On the Move. In 2001, after seeing publicity about the organization on television, Karen Brewer was inspired to help Moveable Feast. She organized an initiative of volunteers at her home in
Ellicott City, Maryland Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Howard County, Maryland, United States. Part of the Baltimore metropolitan area, its population was 65,834 at the 2010 census, making it the m ...
, to bake monthly desserts which she then delivered to Moveable Feast. Brewer brought together approximately 50 bakers from
Howard County, Maryland Howard County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2010 census, the population was 287,085. As of the 2020 census its population rose to 328,200. Its county seat is Ellicott City. Howard County is included in the Baltimore-C ...
, and the surrounding area to bake goods for her project. In 2001, Moveable Feast provided food and services to about 550 people in Baltimore and 13 additional counties. The organization started an initiative in 2003 to teach individuals how to create meals so as to gain employment in the food services sector themselves. Culinary Arts and Life Skills Training Program training chef William J. Antonio told the ''
Baltimore Afro-American The ''Baltimore Afro-American'', commonly known as ''The Afro'' or ''Afro News'', is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the flagship newspaper of the ''AFRO-American'' chain and the longest-running Africa ...
'' that trainees in the program included prisoners on
parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
,
homeless shelter Homeless shelters are a type of homeless service agency which provide temporary residence for homeless individuals and families. Shelters exist to provide residents with safety and protection from exposure to the weather while simultaneously r ...
s, and
halfway house A halfway house is an institute for people with criminal backgrounds or substance use disorder problems to learn (or relearn) the necessary skills to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. As well as serving as a ...
s. The culinary training program graduated 11 people in 2004. Transportation of meals directly to clients was broadened from HIV/AIDS to those afflicted with
breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or ...
and subsequently other ailments as well. In 2004, Moveable Feast provided food and services to more than 700 people five-days-per-week, and maintained a staff of 32 individuals in addition to volunteers. Victor Basile served as executive director of the organization in 2007.
Dietitian A dietitian, medical dietitian, or dietician is an expert in identifying and treating disease-related malnutrition and in conducting medical nutrition therapy, for example designing an enteral tube feeding regimen or mitigating the effects of ...
s craft the quality of the meals for recipients. Executive director Basile described the clientele of the organization to ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by T ...
'', stating: "These are pretty sick people. They're all poor. They're sick, so they don't have jobs. All of our services are free". Its services in 2007 were focused on clientele suffering from additional diseases including those with a
terminal illness Terminal illness or end-stage disease is a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and is expected to result in the death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer, dementia or advanced h ...
. The organization took up residence in 2008 at 901 N. Milton Avenue in Baltimore. In 2009, the event Gay Expectations Too as part of the
University of Baltimore The University of Baltimore (UBalt, UB) is a public university in Baltimore, Maryland. It is part of the University System of Maryland. UBalt's schools and colleges provide education in business, law, public affairs, and the applied arts and sc ...
live performance series Spotlight UB, helped raise US$2,400 for the organization. By 2010, the organization's region of service had expanded from merely Baltimore to include all of the
Eastern Shore of Maryland The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies mostly on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. Nine counties are normally included in the region. The Eastern Shore is part of the larger Delmarva Peninsula tha ...
. Barcoding Inc.
General counsel A general counsel, also known as chief counsel or chief legal officer (CLO), is the chief in-house lawyer for a company or a governmental department. In a company, the person holding the position typically reports directly to the CEO, and their ...
Jeffery Zinn served on the board of the organization in 2011, and while simultaneously working in its kitchen. He told '' The Daily Record'' it was his favorite activity outside of work. In 2013 the organization received a $200,000 unrestricted grant from
Bank of America The Bank of America Corporation (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The bank ...
. This was given by its charitable foundation arm, through its awards initiative called Neighborhood Builders. Moveable Feast said it would use the funding to create a distribution center on the Eastern Shore of Maryland so as to better service their clients in that area with sustenance. Additionally the grant assisted the organization to obtain new kitchen capital purchases, and train staff with leadership skills.


Commentary

In an early profile in 1990 by ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'', the paper described the initiative as a "Baltimore organization that delivers bountiful portions of healthful meals to AIDS patients who are homebound". The ''
Baltimore Afro-American The ''Baltimore Afro-American'', commonly known as ''The Afro'' or ''Afro News'', is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the flagship newspaper of the ''AFRO-American'' chain and the longest-running Africa ...
'' noted the importance of
volunteering Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serv ...
to the organization, especially after cutbacks by the U.S. federal government in the amount of support they were previously given: "Volunteers at Moveable Feast work as kitchen assistants, delivery drivers, bakers and clerical assistants, and they are even more important now that federal funding cuts have eliminated 5 percent of the organization's annual budget." ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by T ...
'' described it as an important "group that feeds the sick" in the Baltimore area. In December 2014, Baltimore mayor
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake (born March 17, 1970) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 50th Mayor of Baltimore from 2010 to 2016, the second woman to hold that office. She has also served as secretary of the Democratic Nationa ...
recognized the company SC&H as a recipient of the Mayor's Business Recognition Awards for outstanding community service, because of their annual day of service arranging for their employees to volunteer at Moveable Feast and other organizations.


Popular culture

Moveable Feast was featured in the 2013 season premier of the television show ''
The Secret Millionaire ''The Secret Millionaire'' is a reality television show which originated in the UK, in which millionaires go incognito into impoverished communities and agree to give away tens of thousands of pounds (or tens of thousands of dollars in the US and ...
'' in which
Anne Beiler Anne F. Beiler is an American businesswoman and founder of Auntie Anne's pretzels. Early life Beiler was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, one of eight children born into an Old Order Amish family, on January 16, 1949. When she was three ...
, the founder of
Auntie Anne's Auntie Anne's is an American franchised chain of pretzel shops founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages. They also offer Pretzels & More Homemade Baking Mix fo ...
pretzel company, masqueraded as a volunteer, then made a donation to the charity.


See also

* Baltimore Community Foundation * Pride Center of Maryland * Save a Heart Foundation, Baltimore


References


External links

* {{Maryland 1990 establishments in Maryland Organizations based in Baltimore Non-profit organizations based in Maryland Hunger relief organizations