April 27, 2012

For the first two weeks in May, New Yorkers were able to do good by satisfying their appetite for street food through a new partnership between Citymeals on Wheels and the New York City Food Truck Association. 

From May 1 to 15, 2012, 35 food truck vendors collected donations from their patrons to raise funds that will be used to prepare and deliver weekend, holiday and emergency meals to the homebound elderly throughout the boroughs of New York City.  Additionally, each day two trucks chipped in further by donating 5 percent of that day’s revenue to Citymeals. In total, the trucks raised enough money to deliver about 650 meals and visits to our frail and aged neighbors

Participating in the program are some of New York City’s most in demand truck vendors including:  Andy's Italian Ices, Big D's Grub Truck, Bongo Brothers, Coolhaus, Cupcake Crew, Desi Food Truck, Eddie’s Pizza, Frites’N’Meats, Gorilla Cheese, Green Pirate Juice Truck, Kelvin Natural Slush Co., Kimchi Taco Truck, Luke's Lobster, Marky Ramone’s Cruisin' Kitchen, México Blvd., Mexicue, Mike ‘N’ Willie’s, Milk Truck, Morris Grilled Cheese, Mud Truck, Nuchas Empanadas, Palenque Colombian Food Truck, Pera Turkish Tacos, Phil's Steaks, The Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck, Rickshaw Dumpling Truck, Schnitzel & Things, Shorty's, Souvlaki GR, Sweetery NYC, Taim Mobile, The Treats Truck, Valducci's Original Pizza, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, and Wafels & Dinges.

“There’s a certain poetry to our partnership with Citymeals on Wheels,” said David Weber, President, NYC Food Truck Association.  “We’re both mobile and we both serve food.  Logically, it made a lot of sense, and we are proud to be a part of this important initiative.  To be able to serve good food and help those in need is a perfect combo.” 

“We are thrilled to be embraced by this vibrant young community of brilliant food trucks joining Citymeals in nourishing our city’s oldest neighbors,” Citymeals on Wheels Board Chair Gael Greene said, saluting the ambitious initiative.

 “Food trucks are a significant fixture of New York City culture,” said Beth Shapiro, Executive Director of Citymeals on Wheels.  “Each day hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and tourists alike flock to these eateries to indulge in their fabulous fare.  Thanks to the generosity of the Food Truck Association and each of the participating vendors, customers will also have a chance to give back to the New Yorkers we don’t see -- our homebound elderly neighbors who are in such need of our support.”

Read Citymeals on Wheels founder and restaurant critic Gael Greene’s blog post about our food truck campaign.