The Fort Wayne Chapter of Food Not Bombs celebrated its fourth anniversary Sunday with live poetry, music and other activities.

The event emphasized the organization’s weekly dinners at Freimann Square, where free meals are offered to homeless people and anyone else who may need a meal. According to the chapter’s Facebook page, Food Not Bombs is a global independent collective that strives to reduce food waste and meet the needs of the community.

"No one should need to rely on a soup kitchen or charity when we have so much abundance," the group’s Facebook page states. "It is a matter of ending the domination of corporate power and providing access to participating in the making of decisions that affect our life and future."

The current group is the third incarnation of the Fort Wayne chapter, said volunteer Lavell Stabler, who described the work as satisfying and rewarding.

"This last year and a half, we haven’t missed a single week of sharing food," he said. "There’s just been so much support."

Stabler said the group’s weekly meals see a lot of regular visitors.

While Food Not Bombs offers food to any hungry person, Stabler said one of the group’s goals is to help feed people, including homeless residents and low-income families, who may not be able to eat otherwise.

Anyone interested in learning more about Food Not Bombs Fort Wayne can visit the group’s Facebook page, or email

foodnotbombsfortwayne@gmail.com.

The group serves meals at Freimann Square at 2 p.m. each Sunday.

dgong@jg.net