Food Rescue needs funds to fix truck

One thousand pounds of donated food arrives at Crisis Ministries each morning in a dying old truck threatened by disrepair and summer heat.

Its on-board refrigeration system failed mid-winter, sparking a campaign to raise money for a new truck. Without funding, the food rescue service will collapse.

Because of the refrigeration problem, Food Rescue Program driver Linda Blanchard makes shorter food runs to deliver cold food. This leads to more trips and increased mileage. With rising gas prices, it isn't uncommon to spend around $500 each week for fuel.

"I've been trying not to go back and forth so much," said Blanchard, who has been with Crisis Ministries for years. "I don't mind going smaller, we can always stack things higher."

The eight-year-old truck putters across greater Charleston every day, collecting the fresh produce, meats and dairy products donated by local restaurants and grocery stores. More than 1,400 hungry people eat each week because of the food rescue service.

Together, the Exchange Club and Bi-Lo Foods granted $18,000 for a new vehicle, now Crisis Ministries is asking the community for $20,000 in hopes of raising enough money by the end of June, before the Charleston summer renders the current truck useless.

Since the 1980s a food rescue truck has collected food donations. Because of the kitchen's location near Meeting and King streets and several bus stops, it experiences high foot-traffic. Volunteer servers, such as James Hawkins, serve an estimated 190,000 meals every year.

He teams with Mike Barnes, the food service director, to create the daily menu.

"When I come through the door I go to Mike and I say, 'Mike, what do you got?' " Hawkins said.

Monday's menu consisted of fresh salad, rice and four entree choices, including a beef stew with steak donated by Longhorn Steakhouse.

Barnes said it's a day-to-day process; they never know what the truck will bring to the kitchen. Without the truck, Barnes said, there would be no soup kitchen.

For information, call Community Relations Director Nicole Bulone at 723-9477, ext. 139, or visit www.charlestonhomeless.org.

Reach Chase Purdy at cpurdy@postandcourier.com or 937-5709.