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Missouri Grandma Refuses To Back Down After Being Ordered To Stop Serving Her Neighbors Free Breakfasts
What began as a simple act of kindness for her community evolved into a dispute for Kathy Kite.
The Missouri grandmother, who had been handing out free homemade breakfasts to her neighbors, was ordered to stop in a July letter from the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department.
Despite the warning, however, she remains determined to continue the tradition, calling those she feeds her family.
Highlights
- Kathy Kite serves free homemade breakfasts to around 25 neighbors a day.
- County health officials ordered her to stop, citing a complaint that food served at her home had made someone ill and saying a permit is required to serve the public.
- The Goldwater Institute has threatened legal action, while supporters online have rallied behind Kite and questioned who filed the complaint.
The Goldwater Institute, a conservative public policy think tank, has since stepped in to support Kite and threatened to sue the regional administration.
RELATED:
Kathy Kite claimed she was warned of jail time for serving free breakfasts
In an August 26 interview with Fox News, Kite said she began cooking burritos and bacon for her neighbors after a gas station stopped selling breakfast following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Initially, only a few people took her up on the offer of free food, however, her service gained traction in May, and she now tends to about 25 per day.
She shared that visitors not only stop by for food but also stay to talk about farming, the weather, and childhood memories.
The connections Kite was building with the locals motivated her to wake up as early as 3:30 a.m. to cook.
However, that motivation was replaced by disappointment last month when she received the aforementioned letter.
“It upset me because I didn’t understand what I was doing wrong,” Kite said.
She added that the letter “stated that if I didn’t stop making breakfast, I was facing fines and jail.”
Expressing her determination to continue, though, Kite said, “I’m not gonna stop providing for my community. I wouldn’t stop feeding my children, I wouldn’t stop feeding my family.”
According to Kite, the letter offered to permit her to continue her service if she installed a commercial kitchen in her home, something she has refused to do.
“I live in a 115-year-old home. It’s a beautiful home. I’m not gonna jeopardize the integrity of my home to make some free burritos,” she said.
Columbia/Boone County says it sent the letter after receiving a complaint about food-related illness
The Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services Department rejected Kite’s characterization of the letter as a cease-and-desist notice in their conversation with Fox News.
The department also denied her claim that the letter threatened her with jail time.
Elaborating on the purpose of the letter, they said, “We sent a letter to Ms. Kite following a complaint we received that food served in her establishment made someone ill.”
They also explained that while a permit is not required when providing food for family and friends, obtaining one is essential when serving food to the public, citing the Missouri Food Code.
“At the time the complaint was received, Ms. Kite’s home had an open sign, tip jar, advertised food on social media and all things that are typically associated with food establishments,” the county claimed.
The Goldwater Institute sees the letter as an administrative overreach
Dave Roland, the Goldwater Institute’s director of allied litigation, said in a statement: “Kathy’s story is a textbook example of bureaucracy run amok.”
“Citizens should not be required to get the government’s permission before offering passers-by some coffee and a bite to eat while they socialize,” he added.
“The government exists to protect this sort of neighborly kindness, not to punish it.”
Goldwater sent a letter demanding that Columbia/Boone County explain its legal reasoning by Friday, August 28.
While no lawsuit has been filed in a similar case to date, the group said legal action remains a possibility.
Kite’s story reached the institute after she spoke about it on Facebook.
Netizens rallied behind Kathy Kite, demanding the county reveal who filed the complaint
“I’m willing to bet money they did not receive a complaint about someone getting ill. They just want that permit fee,” one person wrote.
“No one sent a complaint. The government just wants their piece of the pie,” echoed another.
“They should name the complainant at this point. Kathy has the right to know her accuser,” advised a third.
Several commenters suspected that a local business was involved in the controversy.
“I’m sure there is a restaurant in the area that feels this woman is hurting their bottom line,” one person said.
“Someone needs to check if anyone on the board of the county department has ties with any of the eateries there,” added another.
Others joked about Kathy being asked to secure a permit.
“All the 5-year-olds who sell lemonade should also stand in line for the same then,” one quipped.
“Do I need a permit to host thanksgiving?” asked another
Social media users continued to voice their support for Kite
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What do you think ?
Lee Gilliland 4 days ago
The reason those laws are written as they are is the more people who eat your food, the better the chances someone gets sick, but 25 people isn't even a coffee stands worth. The idea a commercial kitchen is required for that few people is ridiculous.
Scott Kuechenmeister 1 day ago
Public Health is a legitimate concern, but a simple "eat at your own risk" should cover it. In other news, Ukraine is still at war and Trump is not the World Peace President.
Load More Replies...
CP 4 days ago (edited)
There is no reason she can't keep doing what she is doing while the local government assists her with food safety. I never understood why we treat things like this as black and white. Yes she is doing a good thing, but it is good to know she is doing it safely. The government should care about public health.
AmyBcat 4 days ago
It is deadly obvious that the current government does give 2squats about public health
Load More Replies...
Jacqueline Flowers 3 days ago
You know with all the hate in this world and all the bad that happens you want to shut down a woman who is trying to help people and her community and show some love for her fellow human beings whoever is doing this you're a horrible horrible group of people
Scott Kuechenmeister 1 day ago
America 🇺🇸 under Republicans is a terrorist state. "The corporate-state alliance we see today isn't a malfunction of the system—it is the system working exactly as designed since the first Gilded Age. As Howard Zinn documented, robber barons like Vanderbilt and Carnegie didn’t succeed through pure rugged individualism; they succeeded because the state deployed laws, subsidies, and armed force to crush labor competition and guarantee monopoly profits. In return, that wealth funneled right back into the pockets of compliant politicians. It was a de facto one-party system of property over people, mirrored today by a bipartisan consensus of corporate Republicans and centrist Democrats. Today, the real 'welfare queens' aren't struggling families; they are billionaire oligopolies. We pour billions in public subsidies into oil and gas, write blank checks to the military-industrial complex, and hand out corporate welfare to tech tycoons like Elon Musk.
Gary Krech 3 days ago
When all said and done, I think they just want to shut her down because they're jealous and they don't want nobody to be happy and helpful and kind and loving and compassionate; when they don't have compassion or love are kindness in their hearts all they can try to do is to shut the person down that is doing all of this on her own. I would take down the tip jar and put up a grocery fund jar to take the burden of paying for it all herself with the help of the people that eat there maybe she can also engage The help of a couple of people that eat there to help her keep the kitchen top notch or spotless! The board of directors that's trying to shut her down should be compassionate enough to get her the things that she needs out of the board's funding, then it would be a win-win And I would like to know where this is at myself so I can come and have a breakfast with y'all if it isn't too far away and making grocery donation God bless you And I can see Jesus is probably blessing you too!
Purple Gurl 3 days ago
Then the triple chocolate brownies I make for the church folk in hospital need a permit, as well as the cookies I make for every FD and PD house in my town every holiday
Peter Bear 4 days ago
Food, clothing, and shelter are the fundamental basic needs and therefore basic rights of all human beings. To give those things freely is a gift, and is the duty of ANY government. A government that refuses, and worse chooses to punish those who to that job, should not exist.
FeliC 4 days ago
Anonymous complaint? Anonymous vague illness? No, sir. That's harassment. She only needs to change "tip" to "God Bless You" on the jar to make it A-okay with the government hacks!
Load More Replies...
FreeTheUnicorn 4 days ago
People weren't going to a restaurant, they were going to her home, and this isn't a cottage industry, it's giving away food, which is usually protected in good Samaritan laws. Missouri doesn't persecute when people get sick at a revival barbecue, even when it's not just donation only.
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 4 days ago
The reason those laws are written as they are is the more people who eat your food, the better the chances someone gets sick, but 25 people isn't even a coffee stands worth. The idea a commercial kitchen is required for that few people is ridiculous.
Scott Kuechenmeister 1 day ago
Public Health is a legitimate concern, but a simple "eat at your own risk" should cover it. In other news, Ukraine is still at war and Trump is not the World Peace President.
Load More Replies... CP 4 days ago (edited)
There is no reason she can't keep doing what she is doing while the local government assists her with food safety. I never understood why we treat things like this as black and white. Yes she is doing a good thing, but it is good to know she is doing it safely. The government should care about public health.
AmyBcat 4 days ago
It is deadly obvious that the current government does give 2squats about public health
Load More Replies... Jacqueline Flowers 3 days ago
You know with all the hate in this world and all the bad that happens you want to shut down a woman who is trying to help people and her community and show some love for her fellow human beings whoever is doing this you're a horrible horrible group of people
Scott Kuechenmeister 1 day ago
America 🇺🇸 under Republicans is a terrorist state. "The corporate-state alliance we see today isn't a malfunction of the system—it is the system working exactly as designed since the first Gilded Age. As Howard Zinn documented, robber barons like Vanderbilt and Carnegie didn’t succeed through pure rugged individualism; they succeeded because the state deployed laws, subsidies, and armed force to crush labor competition and guarantee monopoly profits. In return, that wealth funneled right back into the pockets of compliant politicians. It was a de facto one-party system of property over people, mirrored today by a bipartisan consensus of corporate Republicans and centrist Democrats. Today, the real 'welfare queens' aren't struggling families; they are billionaire oligopolies. We pour billions in public subsidies into oil and gas, write blank checks to the military-industrial complex, and hand out corporate welfare to tech tycoons like Elon Musk.
Gary Krech 3 days ago
When all said and done, I think they just want to shut her down because they're jealous and they don't want nobody to be happy and helpful and kind and loving and compassionate; when they don't have compassion or love are kindness in their hearts all they can try to do is to shut the person down that is doing all of this on her own. I would take down the tip jar and put up a grocery fund jar to take the burden of paying for it all herself with the help of the people that eat there maybe she can also engage The help of a couple of people that eat there to help her keep the kitchen top notch or spotless! The board of directors that's trying to shut her down should be compassionate enough to get her the things that she needs out of the board's funding, then it would be a win-win And I would like to know where this is at myself so I can come and have a breakfast with y'all if it isn't too far away and making grocery donation God bless you And I can see Jesus is probably blessing you too!
Purple Gurl 3 days ago
Then the triple chocolate brownies I make for the church folk in hospital need a permit, as well as the cookies I make for every FD and PD house in my town every holiday
Peter Bear 4 days ago
Food, clothing, and shelter are the fundamental basic needs and therefore basic rights of all human beings. To give those things freely is a gift, and is the duty of ANY government. A government that refuses, and worse chooses to punish those who to that job, should not exist.
FeliC 4 days ago
Anonymous complaint? Anonymous vague illness? No, sir. That's harassment. She only needs to change "tip" to "God Bless You" on the jar to make it A-okay with the government hacks!
Load More Replies... FreeTheUnicorn 4 days ago
People weren't going to a restaurant, they were going to her home, and this isn't a cottage industry, it's giving away food, which is usually protected in good Samaritan laws. Missouri doesn't persecute when people get sick at a revival barbecue, even when it's not just donation only.
Load More Replies...
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