Mobile food pantry brings meals and hope to communities

The Food Bank of Delaware received a $50,000 donation from Bank of America for its mobile food pantry truck.

Community members in Wilmington had a chance to check out the food pantry truck today when it made a stop at the Northeast State Service Center for the check presentation ceremony.

The truck, which has been in operation since March, travels up and down the state to distribute food to families who can’t always find transportation to a pantry.

“With one in four Delawareans utilizing our network, the arrival of this truck could not have come at a better time,” explained Food Bank of Delaware CEO Patricia Beebe. “The mobile pantry truck is a sigh of relief for households with limited transportation because we can go into the neighborhoods that they live in. With this vehicle we are able to drive into these communities and provide direct relief to those in need.”

Beebe estimated that within one year, the organization will be able to provide 780,000 meals to people in need through the truck service.

Bank of America has been a partner with the food bank for several years and has donated more than $400,000 to the organization in the past three years.

“A few months ago, we reviewed our critical needs, food being one of those things, and we’re pleased today to present Pat a check for $50,000 from the Bank of America in support of the mobile pantry,” said Chip Rossi, Delaware market president for BofA.

Additionally, Rossi said, BofA employees regularly volunteer with the Food Bank.

He added that one new thing they’re doing is distributing financial educational information to those receiving assistance through the mobile food pantry.

During the stop in Wilmington, BofA employees held a seminar with interested community members to discuss the basics of banking, including how to choose and maintain an account.

Councilman Darius Brown said he’s glad to see the service come to his district.

“For me, one of my priorities is to look at how we can create pathways out of poverty and, in doing so, make sure we address hunger,” Brown said.

Since the mobile pantry hit the road earlier this year, it has made 79 distribution stops, delivering nearly 150,000 pounds of food to needy families.