Grandma Arrested for Feeding People in Need

In Bullhead City, Arizona, your kindness might cost you your freedom. It nearly did for Norma Thornton, a 78-year-old grandmother who was arrested and criminally charged for feeding those in need in Bullhead City. Under a new ordinance, the city has deemed it a criminal misdemeanor—punishable by fines and even imprisonment—to share prepared food in a public park “for charitable purposes.” As the city attorney clarified, people may freely share food in public parks at “social events, which would include a party.” But be sure your “party” doesn’t include any homeless people, or you might go to jail. 

That’s the city’s lesson for Norma Thornton. Norma operated a restaurant before retiring to Bullhead City in 2017. Bullhead City is a city of 40,000, neighboring the Colorado River on Arizona’s western border. In Bullhead City Community Park, Norma encountered people in need—that is, people who could barely afford housing nearby, as well as people experiencing homelessness. Though no one spends nights at the park (retreating to federal land nearby), some come together in the day in the public park, where they can take advantage of shade, benches, and restrooms. She learned that the nearest shelters and food pantries are miles away, and their resources and availability are limited, leaving dozens hungry each night. So Norma decided to use her career skills to share nutritious, hot, homecooked meals with people in the park. For more than four years, Norma would regularly bring her food to the picnic tables there, sharing with anyone who asked.

That all changed on March 8, 2022. Just as she was performing her usual cleanup of the area, Norma was arrested and criminally charged with violating the city’s ordinance. Norma refused to plead guilty as she felt she’d done nothing wrong; months later (after hearings in criminal court), the city dropped the charge—but only while clarifying that if Norma does it again, the city would throw her in jail. Now, Norma shares her food in a private alley—without shade in the scorching heat, without tables or a seating area, without a place for people to wash their hands, and out of sight of people who could use her help.

Homelessness is, of course, a complicated and serious problem. But criminalizing acts of charity isn’t the solution. What’s more, it’s unconstitutional. That’s why on October 25, 2022, Norma joined with the Institute for Justice (IJ) in filing a new federal lawsuit against Bullhead City. The lawsuit asks the court to strike down the city’s ordinance and allow Norma, and people like her, to share food in the park.

[Julie-iobk]

What a waste of time for police, courts, and taxpayer money to arrest a citizen for sharing food! Hypocrisy!!!!

[sarahdoanpeace]

“The crime of feeding the hungry” we’ve entered a truly evil upside down time.

[zoeemiko]

Punishing people for doing good deeds is despicable. I agree - this video needs to go viral.

[aprildeshazier]

The saddest part of this to me is a bystander had to see her serving food and called the dang police. The heart of the person that called is awful.

[matthewwalker]

When kindness becomes crime, we have truly lost our way as a society.

[terryanderson]

This needs to make national news. She is a hero.

[DavidSanchez-jvee]

Perfect example of how legal/illegal does not equal ethical/unethical.

[eimainittu]

"Im not doing a big impact"
Yes Norma, yes you are. You are the great impact this world needs. Thanks you 🙏🏻❤️

[timlkns]

"im not making a big impact"
No maam you are mistaken, youve changed the lives of every person whom youve feed, you may have not realized that your simple act of being a compassionate human being has now reached millions and those people will take your kind gesture as an example of what we are all supposed to be doing. You my dear, are an angel.

[mooliparsnip]

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals officially ruled that feeding the homeless is “expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment.” No surprise that people are confused by the whole legal set up. God bless this woman, she's an incredible human with a heart as big as the world. More power to her!

[jammy]

"I am not enabling homelessness. I am enabling these people to survive."

[SandyOC]

The people that make these ridiculous laws have never experienced any real hardships in their life. I salute this wonderful woman for doing something meaningful in a world full of selfishness & senselessness 🖖

[Yvo]

She's not enabling homelessness. She's enabling humanity.

[marycote]

This is absolutely insane. She has a heart of gold.

[ikkiAMV]

"I'm not making a big impact, it's not that much"
Ma'am...
it is EVERYTHING to those people you helped and fed, and the impact you have in their lives is HUGE! Thank you for helping those in need.

[ndenkha]

Grandma Norma, you said you don't make much impact, but guess again! At the time I watched this video there were 2.3 Million people who watched it that you've touched their hearts and made a huge impact on them along the poor people that you feed, so trust me you make a HUGE impact! You remember my words, when the day comes in the other life YOU will be the judge to judge the filthy earthly judge/DA/officers who accused of your committing crimes and they will be thrown in eternal jail with no perol. Thank you and God bless you for what you're doing, our justice system and government are truly taken over by pure satans that's why they're labeling good evil and evil good. Justice is in the other world with Jesus Christ, not here.

[iamNtTheGoat]

The fact that she is risking going to jail again to feed people is just beyond stunning, amazing, words that can't even describe those words that I just said. And yet I'm sitting down thinking what I am doing with my life while she is making a big impact. She needs to be recognized even more right now!
Edit: Thank you all for the likes, I am very grateful!

[MrCobbsalad]

We need to identify the people who came up with this law and highlight who they are, what they've done and how they offer nothing to society but hardship and suffering.

[RoyBatty]

If this isn’t proof that the “higher ups” don’t want us to help each other out any way we can I don’t know what is. Bless this human.

[darnelwashinton]

Thank God for the people like this that we share this world with 🙏