IJ: Fighting for a Grandmother Who Was Arrested for Feeding the Homeless

Norma Thornton was arrested in March 2022 at 78 years old. 

Her crime? 

Feeding the homeless. 

The City Council in Bullhead City, Arizona, adopted an ordinance in 2021 that prohibits people from sharing prepared food in public parks, making it illegal to feed the homeless, unless the person receives a government permit. 

Someone who wants to feed the homeless must apply for the permit at least 5 days in advance, provide the city with a $250 deposit for maintenance and cleaning, and acquire $1,000,000 worth of general liability insurance. 

Anyone who jumps through those absurd hoops and receives a permit to distribute food to the homeless is only allowed to do so once a month for two hours. 

As someone who has lived through homelessness and hunger, Norma “considers it her responsibility to help anyone she encounters in need” according to the lawsuit filed by the Institute for Justice. 

When she tried to carry out that responsibility on March 8, 2022, the Police Chief cited her, told her she had been arrested but let go, and threatened that he would throw her in jail the next time she fed homeless people a prepared meal in the park. 

When Norma showed up at court to deal with the citation, she was told that she could be fined up to $750 and jailed for four months. 

Those charges have since been dismissed at the request of the prosecutor, but the ordinance that caused Norma to go through all that trouble is still in effect. 

The Institute for Justice has filed a lawsuit on Norma’s behalf, standing up to the bullies in Bullhead City, Arizona who have criminalized feeding the homeless. 

All too often, the government’s ill-conceived attempts to “help” get in the way of everyday people and make situations worse.