The Black Faculty and Staff Association has sponsored a food drive since October 14 in support of Moveable Feast, a Baltimore non-profit that provides free meals to Marylanders with life-threatening illnesses. Beginning in 1989 as the only free meal delivery program in Maryland for persons suffering from HIV/AIDS and breast cancer, Moveable Feast has since expanded its services to provide nutritional counseling and delivery programs for the homeless and those unable to work.
This page supports the work of Moveable Feast and commends the Black Faculty and Staff Association for getting involved in their cause. We hope that the Hopkins community will continue to solidify this bond with Moveable Feast to help bring free meals to those who so desperately need them.
As students living in Baltimore, we must acknowledge the fact that this city is not an easy place to live for the ill. Many of those suffering with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses are also contending with the specter of unemployment, poverty and a family to feed. Baltimore currently ranks tenth among metropolitan areas for new reports of HIV/AIDS cases a year. Over 86 percent of those suffering from the disease are black. Moreover, Baltimore has a poverty rate of 21 percent, more than six percentage points higher than the national average. When measured for disabled persons, the poverty rate jumps to 27 percent.
These are statistics that simply cannot be ignored. People are suffering unimaginable hardships in our city, and we must do all that we can to help. Because Moveable Feast is the only free meal delivery program in Baltimore for homebound individuals, we strongly believe that the Hopkins community will be able to make a difference by supporting their cause.
Furthermore, throughout Hopkins's history, we have come to understand that we can't educate ourselves while turning a blind eye to the stark truths of our city. As President Daniels has said, "the University was founded, supported and kept alive by the men and women of Baltimore." We are a part of the city of Baltimore and we must continue our efforts to give back to the community. Supporting programs like Moveable Feast is a step in the right direction.
