Here, Food Is Always Free

A branch of the gift economy sets up shop at the mall

Erin Garrison, co-founder of Food Is Free Albuquerque, poses outside the nonprofit’s new community space, opening May 15 at Cottonwood Mall. Photo by Karie Luidens. Plant photos by Anastasiya Romanova and Markus Spiske on Unsplash

In her book Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer describes “a world full of gifts simply scattered at your feet.” That is, plants like wild strawberries freely offer themselves to anyone who seeks out their tiny red gems.

Kimmerer recognizes plants as beings who participate in a “gift economy.” Their…