Our dream at PFC is to have our own leased van. Many of our neighbours-in-need have mobility issues and would not receive food assistance without transportation to/from the Centre from our staff and volunteers . This becomes particularly essential during the winter. Staff and volunteers have also been using their own vehicles to collect large food donations, frequently from distant suburban or rural locations. In both cases, this results in poor or unreliable access to the Centre for our neighbours-in-need and food donors alike and makes program planning as well as delivery difficult.
We are very excited that the Taggart Parkes Foundation has given us a 3 year commitment to lease a van for PFC that would allow us to pick up our clients, take them to the Centre and back home again, as well as transport large food donations coming from a distance. We are also planning to potentially share the van with neighbouring food banks for similar purposes.
This van is also going to be a “reverse food truck,” accepting food donations at community events. This clever concept has already met with great success in a number of cities, and we had an opportunity this past summer to try this experiment ourselves with a food truck generously loaned by our community partner, Hintonburger. Based on the incredible response, we are now keen to manage our own reverse food truck. A van would make this possible and gives us a “vehicle” to collect community donations and engage the public about community food needs.
Now we need to raise the money to get this van on the road. We aren’t able to use the money donated to us for food to fund this project, so we have added some items to our Reverse Food Truck online in the hopes of raising the money we need through specific donations. Unless we can fund a $6,000 gap, we won’t be able to move forward with this project. The levels are:
Friend $25
Supporter $100
Patron $250 – name on the van (if you wish!)
Sponsor $500 – name and logo on the van (if you wish!)
If you could help us get this truck on the road we know it would make a difference to our neighbours in need. Check out the Reverse Food Truck online to donate at one of the levels above, and help raise enough money to cover the ongoing costs of the van.
Update [January 23, 2015] : WOW! After Karen spoke on CBC Ottawa Morning radio on January 22 to talk about our need to raise $6,000 to get the truck on the road, something amazing happened. That very morning a young local neighbourhood family called her up and then delivered a cheque for the entire amount in the afternoon. The Board met that evening and we are full steam ahead and very grateful to be able to move forward with the truck immediately. It will be popping up at events and being shared with other local organizations just as soon as we can order it and get it on the road. This is wonderful news for our neighbours in need with mobility issues. Receiving the entire amount we needed in less than 24 hours from the launch of the appeal is still causing us to stop and smile. What a wonderfully generous community we live in!
