Hitskin.com

Good for her.

Quote :: Every day during the summer, Angela Prattis’ driveway turns into a dining room for 60 children desperate for a meal. But if the Philadelphia woman can’t come up with $1,000 for a permit, these hungry kids may have nowhere to turn.

The 41-year-old mother of three’s food program is funded by the state department of education and is administered by the archdiocese of Philadelphia, which drops off the lunches, NBC 10 reports. While Prattis thought she had followed the proper protocol, the Chester Township recently informed her that because she’s operating out of a residential area, she has to apply for a variance, which costs $1,000 for the zoning hearing. Officials also said they would fine her $600 a day until she stopped distributing free food, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Nobody's against the program,” Township Manager William Piserik, told the news outlet, “but folks don't want the program set up in the lady's front driveway."

After heeding to media pressure, the township withdrew the fines, but it’s still insisting that Prattis cough up the funds for the variance, a steep expense she can’t afford, and believes shouldn’t apply to her. The do-gooder told delcotimes.com that she believes she should be exempt from such zoning laws because she isn’t cooking or selling food.

“We’re talking about children,” Prattis told NBC 10. “Children. “It’s unbelievable. They’ve never once said anything to me in reference to what to do to be in the right standing with the township.”

Gratis meal programs like Prattis’ are critical during the summer months when 21 million children are at risk for hunger once they lose out on their free breakfast and lunch at school.

However, Prattis refuses to give up on her mission. She plans on attending the next Chester Township Council meeting and she will continue serving the kids that need her services, NBC 10 reports.

“I’m not stopping,” she told delcotimes.com. “These kids are hungry. I’m not tearing down the community. I’m keeping the children out of harm’s way.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/angela-prattis-philadelphia-free-lunch_n_1778784.html

That's fucked up. I hope she doesn't have to pay.

Good for her! clapping

This is the kind of community activist who DOES THE RIGHT THING, despite her 'community' wanting to keep up appearances. Hope she manages to shame them at the next Township meeting - maybe get them on record as the selfish shallow ppl they really are.

I can understand a community not wanting a herd of noisy kids hanging out on someone's lawn or driveway every day. But some ppl can't fast for 3 months waiting for a meals at school. Why doesn't the township step in, rent the school cafeteria in the summer to provide meals. Do they have a park with a pavilion? There seems to be all sorts of compromise solutions here not explored or at least not reported.

The woman I worked for in the '80s was involved with a mobile feeding program for the homeless in Miami thru her church. My wife accompanied them each night that they drove a company van to all the hangouts and handed out plates of food and drink. Since then, Miami has made this act illegal. They want all the homeless to move out of downtown to some shelter. They ignore the fact that many, many ppl are homeless because they have psych or adjustment problems and do not fit in some shelter but fare better sleeping in doorways on cardboard. Guess they just starve - why should the City of Miami care about that.

Nystyle709 wrote:: That's fucked up. I hope she doesn't have to pay.

The fines were withdrawn.

You would think the city would in fact help her feed those children! I am glad to read that she won't be fined (thanks Alan).

Wow. People are just too damn selfish. You know neighbors are complaining about the kids' presence. Since she is not profiting from this, I see no reason why she should have to pay that $1000 for the variance. I'm glad they withdrew the fines. It's all very senseless to go against her like this.

Bravo!!!!! She should not have to pay.

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Hitskin.com

Angela Prattis, Philadelphia Woman Who Gives Free Lunch To Poor Kids, Gets Huge Fine