Volunteers and Friends of the Food Ministry and Community Food Trucks, I thought y'all would like to hear this.
The transmission went out in one of our trucks during what is one of our busiest times of the year with truckloads of free corn, tomatoes and green beans available from area farmers.
The repairs cost $3,300 we don't have. We could rent trucks, but we don't have extra money for that either.
We have money for budgeted fuel, storage, salaries, etc., but an emergency $3,300 was not something we are prepared for.
Where would we get it?
We emailed a local foundation that does a lot of good work in the community to ask if they had any emergency funds. They kindly explained that their specialty is not food or capital expenses such as repairs. They wished us well and suggested another foundation that does specialize in infrastructure kind of expenses.
But I was hesitatnt to call them because they have already helped us twice in the past year.
A couple of hours later the first foundation called back.
They explained that it bothered them to hear that free local, nutritious, tasty produce might go to waste and might not get to hungry local residents.
They said they had looked in the cushions of their couch and could help.
Then they asked is they could mail a check for the entire $3,300 to us that afternoon so we could have early next week.
Thank you, God!
PS: Last Saturday we picked up almost 14,000 pounds of corn in cooperation with our friends at CROS Ministries and gave it out to 32 agencies (and we distributed 4,000 pounds of sugar given to us through our friends at the Community Food Alliance). This week we got thousands of pounds of spinach and spring mix and gave it to 13 agencies. Friday we got 43 cases of pizza and will take to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Today with CROS we are getting corn again.
PSPS: Next Saturday is a work day, and y'al will see an email invitation you can reply to tomorrow.