by Cate Hensley, FIMC Project and Communications Associate
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990 and celebrates its 34th anniversary this year. However, the history of this pivotal civil rights law can be traced back much further and is sometimes overlooked. The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in many aspects of public life and its passage can be attributed to the staunch advocacy of countless people with disabilities and their allies.
FIMC celebrates the legacy of community advocacy that informed the civil rights protection achieved through Section 504 and the ADA. FIMC agencies predominantly serve individuals with disabilities today, providing meals to community members with limitations in their activities of daily living or to those with disabling medical conditions, all of whom benefit from tailored nutrition to support their unique health needs.
While the ADA is appropriately lauded for its historic protections, its passage and success was prompted by advocacy surrounding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities in federally funded programs. Though passed in 1973, there was no regulation or implementation timeline for these civil rights protections. Protesting this inaction, in 1977, advocates with disabilities mounted a sit in at the Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) offices in San Francisco to emphasize the urgency of Section 504 enforcement.
The 26-day sit in, the longest peaceful occupation of a federal building in the nation’s history, garnered support from community and access to food played a role in its success. The Black Panther Party expressed their solidarity with the push to enforce Section 504, and when officials attempted to block entry to the HEW offices, delivered food to the activists to support their quest for change. One sit-in participant noted, Corbett O’Toole, who took part in the demonstration, wrote in an unpublished memoir. “Without that food, the sit-in would have collapsed.” As a result of the continued pressure from the 504 sit in, HEW Secretary Joseph Califano signed and implemented guidelines for Section 504 enforcement. Section 504 set the first legal precedent for civil rights protection for individuals with disabilities in the United States, establishing a vital foothold for The Americans with Disabilities Act.
Many Food is Medicine Coalition member agencies, nonprofit medically tailored meal and grocery providers, can trace their roots to the height of the HIV/AIDs epidemic, when community members were dying isolated and alone. Recognizing the power of food, our agencies, grew from the commitment to addressing the unmet needs of all their neighbors. This July, we celebrate our staff, volunteers, clients, and community members nationwide with disabilities, and reassert our commitment to community-centered services to achieve equitable access to the lifesaving MTM intervention.
For more information, check out the ADA Overview Fact Sheet.