Approximately 37 million Americans currently live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. Many of these impoverished individuals did not have the lavish Thanksgiving meals that some of us were so fortunate to have. However, Food Not Bombs (FNB) is an international organization with a chapter located in Greensboro that provides free, vegetarian meals open to the public on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for every week of the year, including Thanksgiving Day.

A group of anti-nuclear activists formed the first FNB group 26 years ago in Cambridge, MA. The overall mission of the organization is to recover food that would otherwise be thrown out. From these salvaged items, vegetarian meals are made and served in public spaces open to anyone who wishes to partake.

In addition to making a statement against hunger, FNB has political undertones. According to its website, FNB promotes movements that “stop the globalization of the economy, end exploitation, and the destruction of the earth.”

“I like to call Food Not Bombs the ‘gateway drug to activism,'” longtime FNB volunteer Liz Seymour told YES! Weekly.

By means of grassroots networking, the organization has gained momentum throughout the world. Today, hundreds of FNB chapters operate on every continent with the exception of Antarctica.

“Food Not Bombs is fun and [is] also a great way to get a free meal,” said Guilford graduate and regular participant Zack Habbr.

The Greensboro FNB chapter meets Mondays at the Church of the Covenant and Tuesdays and Thursday at St. Mary’s House. Cooking starts at 4:30 p.m. and the meals are served at 6:00 p.m. A group of Guilford students meet outside of Dana at 4 p.m. on each of these days to carpool over to the sites to prepare the meals.

Many local establishments donate food to FNB, such as the Deep Roots Market, Panera Bread, Outback Steakhouse, and Bear Rock Caf.

“We also recently got some stuff from the Guilford cafeteria,” said sophomore Nick Smith. “We asked Michael Watts and he gave us some spices and flour and told us to come back anytime.”

FNB operates with the belief that people should not go hungry when so much food is thrown out daily. By saving edible food that would be wasted otherwise, FNB turns “waste” into wholesome meals for the people who need them.

I joined FNB on Thursday afternoon and we turned a box of produce donated by Deep Roots Market into an impressive spread of roasted potatoes, curry vegetable soup, vegetable stir fry, green salad, fruit salad, and garlic bread in an hour and a half.

“I love cooking here,” said Habbr. “When I’m cooking, I’m in the zone and I don’t think or worry about daily problems.”

While the age and background of the cooks varied, most of them were students at Guilford and UNC Greensboro. Among those who came to eat were the homeless, the hungry, and those just interested in FNB.

“One of the best things about FNB is that it unites the Greensboro community,” said Habbr. “I’ve had the unique opportunity to talk to homeless people and hear their stories and see where they’re coming from.”

Robert Kennedy once said, “While each of us may not be poor, poverty affects all of us.” Living without enough money to eat is an unfortunate reality in our country which many people face. Particularly at the time of Thanksgiving, where sharing and food is emphasized, the importance of organizations like FNB is illuminated.