Dallas Restrictions On Feeding Homeless Challenged

Today's Dallas (TX) Morning News reports that Rip Parker Memorial Homeless Ministry and Big Heart Ministries have filed a federal lawsuit to have Dallas' food distribution ordinance declared unconstitutional. The ordinance, which the city has enforced since February 2006, limits the places where groups can distribute food to the hungry. The primary permissible location is the city's downtown Day Resource Center. The ordinance stopped stopped charitable groups from serving food in vacant lots and cardboard box encampments under bridges. The suit claims that the ordinance violates the plaintiffs' free exercise of religion.