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Patricia De Melo Moreira / AFP - Getty Images
Hunter Halder rides through the streets of Lisbon, Portugal, on Oct. 21, 2001, on a bicycle loaded with food collected from restaurants. Every night, Halder, a 60-year-old American living in Portugal, mounts his bike and picks up food he then distributes to the poor of Lisbon, hit hard by the severe economic crisis in Portugal.
Patricia De Melo Moreira / AFP - Getty Images
Hunter Halder talks to a restaurant owner that contributes to the Re-Food project on October 21, 2011 in Lisbon.
Rafael Marchante / Reuters
Hunter Halder looks at the volunteer schedule inside the Re-Food office in Lisbon October 11, 2011. Halder, from the U.S., started a project called Re-Food to distribute unserved leftover food to hungry people and has the support of 100 volunteers. Since March 2011, the project has been implemented in the neighborhood of Nossa Senhora de Fatima, in the heart of Lisbon, where they have identified about 70 families in need.
Rafael Marchante / Reuters
Hunter Halder and Re-Food volunteers hold bags of food to deliver to needy people in Lisbon October 18, 2011.
Rafael Marchante / Reuters
Hunter Halder knocks on the apartment door of a needy family to deliver them meals in Lisbon October 11, 2011.
I've heard of other similar small-scale efforts in New York City. Are there any in your neighborhood?
Leave a Comment:
Awesome story. We need a million more just like him....giving me ideas on ways to help out the struggling in my own community.
God bless that man.
It's easy, you just do it. We often make too many excuses for not helping others, especially those in need. So - just do it!
It's a great thing to help people who absolutely need it.
It's an absolutely horrible thing to continue to offer someone a crutch for a problem they created on their own, by giving them food they rely on, on a daily basis.
F''ing Right LeftLeaningLisa let 'em starve for what their government has done for them. Starve enough of them and the problem solves itself!!
One question though. Leaning left from where? Joe Stalin?
Wow. Just, Wow. May you never be in need of some compassion, dearie.
LeftLeaningLisa You know something, I sure would hate to take a bite out of you because you are real poison. How could you say that what these people are doing is wrong???? Get a life and think next time before you pour out your caustic nonsense because that is nothing short of hate talk. I guess you would first need to know what it is really like to be poor and not know where your next meal is coming from. What a douche.
Lisa, You are FAR right of left. Just shut up, and stay near your elitist friends. You all can mock the poor at your next cocktail party.
LeftLeaningLisa, I must have missed something about how these poor souls caused all their ills. Sometimes bad things just happen despite our best efforts. Give them a break and feed them daily.
That's not a left position at all...getting paid for this disinformation??
Good thing about it, you stay behind a curtain to talk trash. We just don't see your face while expressing in a nonsensical way. You're heartless!
LeftLeaningLisa -- I guess you'll be voting for one of those Republicans running right now and have a front row pew to show your true christian spirit on Sundays (and Sundays only). Hope you have money in the bank for your later years and good health insurance.
Of course LeftLeaning Lisa, you think the "government" should solve the problem. Lets hire a thousand, liberal voting bureaucrats to deal with it. Like welfare in America. The average welfare recipient in the U.S. receives between 11 and 23 cents of every dollar we pay in taxes earmarked for welfare. So who is on welfare? The recipient or the bureaucrat? Just thinking.
Who decides what someone else has created on their own. Better to just help them and not judge them.
Dear Lisa,
Politics aside, how could you say "It's an absolutely horrible thing to continue to offer someone a crutch for a problem they created on their own, by giving them food they rely on, on a daily basis." ,he is helping them to survive. Also how do you know that these people created this problem themselves? I am sorry but there is no way in hell that you could know that for sure. Obviously you have no compassion for another human being, I truly feel sorry for you. However, let me ask you this; What if you lost your job and became so poor that you could barely get enough food to eat, would you then turn down assistance from someone willing to help?
Human: I hope Lisa is too embarrassed to answer your questions.
The article says he is "an American leaving in Portugal". I'm sorry but that totally cracked me up! LOL - is that because he has an Hispanic accent? "Si senor, I am an American leaving in Portugal!" But seriously, this is a great thing he is doing by helping others. Everyone should give back to society in their own way, and if this is his way of giving back I think it is wonderful!
Even if he is leaving in Portugal. hehehe
Trudy....thanks for picking that up...and for the laugh..I enjoyed...
Story's like this are too far and few between. When we do get to see something like this it helps to bolster my flagging faith in the goodness of humanity. Well Done Mr. Halder!
Just let the poor starve. Social Darwinism has started a real revolution in the U.S. yet, so there's no fallout to letting the weak fade out. I feel bad for them, but propping up those ill-equipped to handle life are just doomed long-term and are likely to spawn kids in the same position. Still, really nice dude.
heartless dolt.
Back to my original view of humanity. Oh Well, sigh.
Wow! This guy and many like him have hearts of gold and are just trying to make the lives of others who are suffering a little easier. Who is anyone to sit in judgement of those people? We don't know the circumstances that keep them in misery and poverty . . . . LL Lisa and Adam W. Lisa, do you actually know your left from your right? Adam, if Social Darwinism actually has started a revolution in this country, I bet you are very lonely. I'd hate to meet up with either of you if my life depended on your help! Thank God I don't know you and I hope I never have the misfortune to do so.
It sounds similar to City Harvest in NYC
http://www.cityharvest.org/
Start with your own family and circle of friends; this recession has hit so many people it's hard NOT to know someone who's out of work or struggling with paying bills or dealing with not enough good food for themselves and their kids, even with food stamps. Ask local restaurants if they participate in something like "Second Helpings" (example: www.secondhelpings.org) Take advantage of BOGO specials at the grocery store; one local store runs the occasional twofer with packages of beef, pork and chicken. I have several siblings living close to the edge so for them I bake huge casseroles (beef stew, chili, pulled pork, chicken noodle casserole) so there is extra to give to them, and we have a few cupboards off the kitchen where we store extra canned goods, pasta and sauces, peanut butter, vegetables, tuna etc. After all, there but for the grace of whomever.....
Wow! God Bless you, Sir!
To my understanding, we here in the U.S. have health safety laws that prohibit 're-fooding'. My brother tried to do this many years ago in New Mexico, and just as the program was getting off the ground, the state came in and stopped it. So unfortunately, as so much food is being wasted every day in every town while people go hungry. Maybe laws can be enacted to somehow allow this food to be eaten!
Adam and Lisa - related I'm guessing. How do people like you look in the mirror each day? I'm stunned at your lack of any type of civility and compassion. But, I do believe in that Karma Bitch so I'd kind of watch out if I were you!!!!
Lisa... what would you suggest? That we ask for references before we feed their children?
I'm so weary of the excuses people use not to help one another. We suffer from copious social ills in this country, none more so than selfishness (disguised as "not helping someone who created their own problem") rather than looking at the bigger picture. When they come to my door to collect for the local food project, I hadn't though to ask if the recipients really deserve it.
I truly thank God that Adam W & LL Lisa are not kin to me.
Amen
its sad that people are shocked and appalled by genuine kindness and compassion instead of being shocked and appalled by the atrocities of most people in today's numb society. bless his heart and the hearts of those like him.
Job well done sir! Kudos! If citizens of the world would do more of this...governments wouldn't have to play mommy/daddy so much. Civic duty, helping your fellow man, charity...has become a lost art.
First he is not leaving he is living in Portugal second he is a good person and last but not least everyone should help out give to your local food banks they are feeding more people than ever.
If he rode a bicycle in my Northern California town, the cops would label him a SOB (Scum on bicycles), a term coined by the Manteca Police Department according to the Manteca Bulletin. I know. I'm a 62 year old bicycle rider whom the cops took a picture of for the sole reason of riding my bicycle to fend off diabetes.
The suit and hat is a nice touch.
feedamerica.org feeds 7 people on $1. a worthy charity and DESPERATELY in need of support as we go into winter...
This is the behavior that will save our society. Actually helping somebody with no expectation except to be of service in God's eyes.
this sister benjamjamin you dont no how your blessing in comeing when god in heaven want to bless you there is angel in the world who have the hear of god aman thanks
this sister benjamin there no mistak god in heaven told me to pray for his peoples if you need pray cal me i have a 24 hours prayerline an my prayers in free. 402 261-9037
How very interesting - an American (and we are the most giving / generous nation on the planet) and not the Spanish citizens is doing something to help the needy in their country - does no one get the irony of that? Of course that kind of behavior is common among U.S. citizens, but the spanish? Obviously, not so much. Typical. They like to bash us - maybe they should look deeper into their own souls.
It's Portugal!
“Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” --Mother Teresa
Yes, love the one in front of you...
Amen. It is Good Samaritan act.
Thanks. And he cares his poor neighbors.