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.
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.
“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
