Kathy Kite, a grandmother from Harrisburg, Missouri, has stated she will not stop serving free homemade breakfasts to her community, despite receiving a letter from county health officials requiring her to obtain a food permit. Kite believes the meals are an act of love and community support, and she considers the recipients to be her family.
Kite began cooking breakfasts for neighbors and friends in May after a local gas station stopped serving the meal. The tradition grew from a few regulars to include more residents of the town, which has fewer than 300 people. Mothers began bringing their children for breakfast before school.
In July, the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department sent Kite a letter. According to Kite, the letter stated she needed to obtain a food permit or face possible legal action, including fines and jail time. The health department, however, has denied threatening jail time and stated that their letter followed a complaint that someone became ill from food served at her home.
The department indicated that signs of a food establishment, such as an open sign, tip jar, social media advertising, and a yard sign, were present at Kite's home when the complaint was received. Officials stated that food permits are not required for serving family and friends, but are necessary when food is offered to the public, citing the Missouri food code.
Kite expressed concern that complying with the department's request would require significant financial investment, potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars, to install a commercial kitchen in her 115-year-old home. She invited health officials to visit her home to observe her practices, asserting that she is not doing anything wrong and that her home is clean.
The Goldwater Institute has become involved, sending a letter to the Boone County health department demanding an explanation of their legal reasoning. Dave Roland, the institute's director of allied litigation, called the situation a "textbook example of bureaucracy run amok," arguing that citizens should not need government permission to offer food to neighbors.
Kite maintains her resolve, stating, "I'm not gonna stop providing for my community... I'm not gonna stop feeding my community cause they are my family." She emphasized that her actions are motivated by love and appreciation for those she serves.