Philadelphia Woman's Free Lunches Face Fine From City
A Philadelphia woman just trying to do the right thing by feeding the homeless now faces a steep fine for her good deeds. Angela Prattis donates her time and food provided by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to neighbors, but that may soon come to a stop thanks to a new ordinance by the city.
"You have houses here, the roofs are falling in, and they could be focused on a lot more serious issues than me feeding children," Prattis told Fox News. She started distributing the food to those in need after seeing how many young kids are home from school in the summer.
"We're talking about children. Children. It's unbelievable," she told NBC Philadelphia. "They've never once said anything in reference to what to do to be in the right standing with the township."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Those same kids may not receive solid meals during the summer and rely heavily upon the school system for their nutrition; according to the Post Gazette, nearly 700,000 children receive free or reduced-price lunches at school. Prattis asked the Archdiocese for help, and they readily agreed.
"Angela saw it as a way to contribute to the community in a positive way," Anne Ayella, a member of the Archdiocese, explained. "There was nothing in it for her."
Nothing, except for a $600-per-day fine if she does not stop feeding the children. Philadelphia has recently passed laws preventing handouts for the homeless, angering several organizations that feel the law is uncalled for.
"Providing to those who are hungry must not be about opening the car trunk, handing out a bunch of sandwiches and then driving off into the dark and rainy night," Mayor Michael Nutter told reporters.
"These regulations are clearly designated, not with the intent of protecting the health and dignity of the homeless, but are designed to tuck the homeless in a corner and pretend that the problem does not exist in our city," Reverend Brian Jenkins argued at a city council meeting.
Prattis has said she will continue to feed those who need feeding, regardless of the fine.
