'One Meal' canceled due to begging law

MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) - The Mobile City Council passed a citywide ban on begging. And because of that, a man and his daughter are now canceling their charity event.

About two years ago, a gentleman by the name of Mike McKinley and his daughter participated in the gumbo cook-off at Cooper-Riverside Park.

When they were leaving the event, McKinley's 12-year-old daughter asked how she could help all the homeless people she had seen looking for food.

That's how 'One Meal' started.

Every single Sunday afternoon since then, the McKinley's have come to Bienville Square to feed about 150 people. They either pay for the food themselves or collect donations in order to feed the hungry.

"Folks who come down here are afraid they might get arrested, and I'm afraid I'm going to get fined for doing something I don't know about, and all we are doing is trying to feed some people that need some food on Sunday afternoon and there is nowhere else for them to go to and anywhere else we got to they are going to want us to leave," McKinley said.

Now that panhandling has been outlawed, McKinley fears his crowd will be in danger if they continue to gather in Beinville Square. He said he's tired of fighting the city over the issue.

"Right now, I'm up in arms. Maybe stopping the whole thing altogether if I cant find another place to do it. Obviously we are not welcomed downtown Mobile," added McKinley.

McKinley will serve one last 'One Meal' in Bienville Sqaure this coming Sunday.