Group told to stop feeding homeless in downtown Atlanta
The group was handed a letter demanding they stop feeding the homeless in the area.
ATLANTA - This past Saturday, members of the Atlanta Justice Alliance said they were doing what they do every Saturday - handing out food and other supplies downtown to people experiencing homelessness.
That’s when they said an ambassador from the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District walked to up them and handed them a letter demanding they stop. They then posted it on Twitter, sparking outrage.
"We are making you aware that public feedings are not welcomed throughout the city of Atlanta," the first sentence of the letter said in part. It went on to say that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, giving food to people in need outdoors is dangerous and that they weren’t practicing social distancing.
One of the group’s leaders, who called himself "Black Out," said he believes the letter was written with ulterior motives.
"I think it's all about gentrification. They think the houseless population look dirty," he said in a Zoom interview hours after the incident, adding that all of the volunteers were wearing masks and try to be as safe as possible.
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"That's why we do it outside," he said. "We've been offered spaces before, but we feel it's safer to be in an environment where people can spread out."
The letter included a list of other organizations that provide similar services. Several attempts to reach multiple people at the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District for comment on Sunday afternoon for their response were unsuccessful.
"We're really not out there causing trouble," "Black Out" said. "We're really just looking to help the community that the city of Atlanta has left behind."
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The group said that despite the letter, they plan to return next Saturday to continue giving out food and supplies to those who need it most.
"We'll just roll with the punches. But we're not gonna stop."
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February 01, 2021 at 07:15PM
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Group told to stop feeding homeless in downtown Atlanta - FOX 5 Atlanta
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