HOUSTON – With tears in her eyes.. Aliene Wingate-Adams walked out of the courtroom with her paper, showing her case was dismissed.
“It just really made me happy. These are tears of joy,” said Adams.
She hugged her fellow Food Not Bombs volunteer, Sherie Dore, who had 16 cases dismissed.
“I am elated about it,” said Dore.
Adams and Dore were among roughly 45 volunteers cited for feeding the homeless outside the public library in March. The judge dismissed their cases since the officers who cited Adams and Dore did not appear in court to testify Thursday morning. Helping the homeless has been their passion for years.
“I was helping homeless before I ever got involved with Food Not Bombs. I’m a nurse and I worked around the city and I would make food bags,” said Adams.
“I am there rain or shine almost every food sharing, Four nights a week for the last 12 years,” said Dore.
The ordinance has been in place since 2012.
“The city has not enforced an ordinance at this location or they haven’t enforced this ordinance anywhere for the last 12 years. And then something happened in February of this year, where now this is public enemy number one,” said Attorney Paul Kubosh.
The city sent KPRC 2 a statement on Sunday saying:
“The City of Houston intends to vigorously pursue violations of its ordinance relating to feeding of the homeless. It is a health and safety issue for the protection of Houston’s residents. There have been complaints and incidents regarding the congregation of the homeless around the library, even during off hours.”
The city offered Food Not Bombs to serve at 61 Riesner Street instead of the Library, but volunteers opposed.
“They’re criminalizing people that are trying to help people. Well I’ll keep feeding the homeless,” said Adams.
Adams said she invites the Mayor and the city to come see what Food Not Bombs does to avoid citing anymore people.