OPB Covers Inequality Dichotomy in Orange County

The newly infamous Orange County is the backdrop to some of the most egregious and over-the-top television shows on air (The O.C., Housewives of Orange County, Laguna Beach). The O.C. has become synonymous with gratuitous wealth and excess; OPB named it the richest city in the United States. Yes, above New York. And so again we’re struck by the abrupt injustice when 17 miles inland there are 150,000 hungry children living in one of the densest areas in the United States. Yes, as dense as New York.

Eric Handler, an Orange County Public Health Officer, thought that this rift would be the perfect catalyst to jumpstart a gleaning operation to feed hungry kids. Handler targeted the biggest names first, the venues and corporations that could have the largest impact on hunger and stand as trendsetters. Handler canvassed Disneyland, Angel Stadium, the Anaheim Convention Center, and the Honda Center asking for any prepared and unprepared food that was still edible but no longer “servable” or salable. Handler met with mixed success. Large corporations are slow to respond and often throw up “liability issues” as a stop gap before giving an outright “no”. Handler however, has a response to that; food donated in good faith is protected by federal and often state good samaritan laws .

Handler’s biggest coup to date? The Cheesecake factory. The restaurant donates nearly 200 pounds of prepared food a month, which is funneled directly through the Orange County Food Bank. The county health officer will continue to personally canvass businesses until their seems to be a tidal change; the goal is to change the strict parameters we’ve developed to think about, talk about and prepare food with.

This is great news for the gleaning movement. Whenever a movement stands on the precipice between operating in the periphery and entering mainstream culture, it’s very vulnerable to political restructuring. There are often questions of accountability, questions about whose watching/managing/directing the movement. Even if the gleaning movement looks different on the other end of city or even nationwide scrutiny, this can only be seen as a step forward. We offer out kudos to Orange County for joining the cause.