history of meals for millions, soy, and freedom from ... - SoyInfo Center

campaigns since the summer of 1938. The people elected a
new Mayor, City Council, District Attorney, and Governor.
“To these CIVIC efforts for better government, Clifford
Clinton and Clifton’s contributed more than 95% of the
funds. Nelda Clinton and Ransom M. Callicott (Clifford’s
partner) gave extra hours to managing the day-to-day
operations of the business. Clifton’s guests and friends
donated services, learned the political ropes and became a
formidable volunteer citizens’ army. More than 2,200 radio
broadcasts were given and factual material was published in
pamphlets, papers and magazines.
“One of those who became associated with Clifford
Clinton during these CIVIC years, and aided the cause
immeasurably, was Ernest R. Chamberlain. This brilliant
former newspaperman served on after the CIVIC battles
concluded and became one of the founders with Clifford
Clinton of the Meals for Millions Foundation.”
There follows a tribute in poetry written by Nelle
Shuler Fertig, daughter of the Rev. Bob Shuler, Clinton’s
fellow member in CIVIC–titled “To my father’s friend” (In
memory of Clifford E. Clinton).
228. Clifton’s Food for Thot (Los Angeles, California).1970.
In memory of Clifford E. Clinton, our founder (Continued–
Part III, 1942-1970). No. 1985. March 12. 8 p.
• Summary: Continued: 1942–World War II. “At age 42,
leaving business in the capable hands of his wife, his
partner and his associates, Clinton enlisted as a private in
the Army. He was offered training at Officers’ Candidate
School, took it, and became a First Lieutenant in the
Medical Administrative Corp. He was assigned to Fort
Benning, Georgia, where he took charge of all feeding. His
methods, especially his techniques of cutting food waste
drastically, attracted the attention of the Office of the
Quartermaster General in Washington, D.C., and shortly
thereafter Clinton was placed on civilian status and made a
consultant to the Army, the War Food Department, and
UNRRA. He traveled around the country and around the
world advising on food, inspecting conditions and curtailing
waste. In one of the citations he received he is credited with
saving the Army 20 train-carloads of wasted food per
month. Clifford Clinton never could stand waste–not since
his early years as a young boy in China.”
“The ‘No guest need go hungry...’ policy [at Clifton’s
restaurants] was met in this and various ways until the year
1943. Here is Clinton writing about what happened then:
“‘In 1943, when considering our Community Center
expansion program, Clifton’s determined to meet this policy
scientifically and went to Dr. Henry Borsook, an eminent
biochemist in at Cal Tech in Pasadena, with a set of
requirements for the development of a balanced food.’
“Clifton’s put up a research grant and by the end of
1943 Dr. Borsook’s research had resulted in the
development of Multi-Purpose Food (MPF)... Since its
MEALS FOR MILLIONS, SOY, AND FREEDOM FROM HUNGER 100
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development, Clifton’s has been meeting its policy by
serving MPF to those unable to pay (yet needing good
nutrition nonetheless). It is available for 5¢ per portion, or
free to those who need.
“When Clifford Clinton returned to Clifton’s from
World War II, he recalled that when serving as food
consultant to the War Department, he had learned of the
famine and malnutrition which would follow the war. He
tried to get MPF-type foods into service in the cause of
hunger relief. ‘Considerable time was spent in trying to get
agencies to see the value of using inexpensive and
nourishing food in this type of relief feeding,’ he wrote.
Some progress was made, but not much.
1946–So in 1946 Clinton “decided to set up a private,
non-profit Foundation called Meals for Millions, to make
permanent war on hunger and malnutrition in America and
the world.
Clinton actively served as founder-president of MFM
“until his retirement in 1965. Co-founders with him were
Dr. Borsook, Ransom Callicott, Ernest Chamberlain,
Edmond Clinton [Clifford’s son] and Florence Rose.
Florence was a remarkable dedicated, tireless, spirited
dynamo who arrived on the scene from her previous work
with Margaret Sanger and Pearl Buck just about the time
Meals for Millions was being organized. She served as
Executive Director and Ernest Chamberlain served as Co-
Director of the Foundation until they both retired in 1965.
1965–Clifford Clinton, Florence Rose, and Ernest
Chamberlain all retire from the Meals for Millions
Foundation, which they had founded it in 1946.
1969 Nov. 20–Died peacefully at his home in Los
Angeles. Dr. Raymond I. Lindquist, Minister of the First
Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, conducted services.
1970–Today the Foundation’s offices, protein foods
processing plant, and class rooms are located at 1800
Olympic Blvd. in Santa Monica [California]. Col. I.F.
Saunders is Executive Director.
“Meals for Millions participates in emergency relief
programs and has distributed over 15 million pounds of
MPF to people in 129 countries and territories. Special
emphasis today is on helping to eliminate hunger and
malnutrition in America, as well as on training food
technicians from hunger-areas abroad how to establish their
own high protein food processing plants in their own
countries, utilizing their own indigenous crops and food
stuffs. Thus, the concept is helping others to help
themselves.
“All men have the right to eat. The most fundamental
freedom is freedom from hunger. It is the right of every
person to basic nourishment. These are the thoughts and
beacons which animated the life of Clifford E. Clinton. He
was a man who cared, and loved, and served, and tried,
also, to satisfy other human hungers–for friendship, beauty,