08/10/2026
Iām addressing this here on the Compassion First page because our posts were screenshot and shared by someone who has us blocked, which means we are unable to respond directly.
One reasonable question is: If the post was intended to raise a legitimate concern or ask a legitimate question, why not tag Compassion First directly so we have an opportunity to respond and provide the context?
We are always willing to answer genuine questions about what we do. Direct communication would have allowed us to clarify the situation quickly and transparently.
Iām not going to spend much time on the original post itself, but I do want to clarify some of the questions that have come from this post: yes, sometimes we use filters or AI-assisted enhancements on photographs of the real, home-cooked food we prepare.
Why?
1. We are trying to reach people. We are not professional marketers, and sometimes our lighting and phone cameras are terrible. We enhance photographs because social media algorithms determine who sees our announcements.
2. We intentionally don't use people's faces.
We serve people experiencing homelessness and vulnerability. We are not interested in turning someone's hardest moment into publicity. These posts are about communicating that food is availableānot showcasing the people who need it.
3. The posts (unintentionally) help us address food allergies.
People see what we're preparing and can tell us, āI'm here, but I'm allergic to nuts,ā or āI can't eat red sauce.ā That gives us an opportunity to accommodate them whenever possible or avoid wasting food they can not eat.
And that matters because our goal is ZERO WASTE + MAXIMUM ACCESS.
These posts are also not donation solicitations. We're not saying, āLook at our beautiful foodāgive us money.ā
We're saying:
āWe are coming. If we missed you, let us know where you are.ā
Context matters.
Yes. That is real young whole chickens we smoked in the electric smoker to maximize flavor. We separated everything once it was cooked. The filter improved the lighting and took the liberty to add some chives as an embellishment. We thought it looked good - so we kept it.
We care about the quality of our food! The photo of the presentation of the food we serve is for algorithm reasons.
Yes, we're going to continue using appropriate filters when they help us reach additional hungry people. We will not apologize for this tool we have at our disposal.
Here is an idea: if anyone wants unfiltered photographs, come to the kitchen. Take your own pictures. We have absolutely nothing to hideāand we'd actually appreciate the help getting our posts past the algorithm. Once we hit 5,000, I think we will reach a wider audience. THAT IS THE GOAL!
Here is where I am going to speak on the original post: Being blocked while our posts are screenshot and discussed publicly makes it impossible for us to answer questions directly and is interpreted by the Compassion First Recovery Kitchen team as malicious intent. If Justin had simply asked, we would have gladly explained how and why the posts are created. As a freelance reporter, one would think this is a skill he has.
I believe in assuming positive intent and asking questions before assuming the worst. But when the facts are that we have consistently prepared and delivered every meal we've made for the past eight months (since JB & Lynda took over), it's difficult to view this particular accusation as a genuine attempt to understand our work.
So we're going to do what we always try to do:
Turn lemons into lemonade.
If this gets more people volunteering, sharing our distribution posts, or helping us reach someone hungry, then something positive came from it.
We will keep cooking.
We will keep showing up.
We will keep feeding people.
If you want to help, we're always accepting volunteers. The requirements are simple:
Be sober. Show up. Love people where they are.
There is a place for you at Compassion First.
If you see this, please tag anyone who has posted on the original message so we can answer any other questions.
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