PRESS RELEASE
New Refrigerated Truck Allows The Salvation Army to
Deliver 800,000 Extra Pounds of Food
ROSEVILLE, Minn. – September 14 – For the first time ever, the Twin Cities Salvation Army can offer fresh meats and produce to the thousands of people served by its metro area food shelves.
View photos of the new truck.
It’s all thanks to a new refrigerated truck. The vehicle will allow The Salvation Army to double the amount of perishable food donations it receives from Twin Cities metro area Lunds, Byerly’s and Coborn’s grocery stores. Currently, The Salvation Army annually receives from the stores about 850,000 pounds of bread, vegetables and other foods that do not require refrigeration. With the new refrigerated truck, The Salvation Army will be able to annually pick up an extra 800,000 pounds of perishable foods such as meat, eggs and dairy products.
“The new truck will allow The Salvation Army to keep its food supplies much higher – lately we’ve been running out at the end of the month,” said Major Darryl Leedom, Commander of the Twin Cities Salvation Army. “It will also allow us to provide healthier food products. Often times, the poor must rely on non-nutritious food because it is often cheaper to buy than fresh meats and produce.”
The Salvation Army bought the $100,000 vehicle using grant funds and private donations made specifically toward the purchase of the truck.
The added food service will also benefit the 150-plus residents of Booth Manor, The Salvation Army’s 21-story senior living facility in downtown Minneapolis. Residents of the high-rise, many of whom are on fixed incomes and rely on Salvation Army food shelves, can now spend less on perishable food and more on necessities such as medical aid and supplies.
The truck will make its maiden voyage on Monday, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m., departing from The Salvation Army Divisional Headquarters in Roseville (2445 Prior Ave. N.) to pick up frozen chicken at the Emergency Food Shelf Network in Minneapolis (8501 54th Ave. N.). The chicken will then be dropped off at two Salvation Army locations in Minneapolis: 2024 Lyndale Ave. N. and 53 Glenwood Ave.
The Salvation Army serves more than 200,000 people in the Twin Cities and is a safety net for those with no place to turn. It serves 2,100 hot meals a day and houses more than 850 people every night.
To volunteer with The Salvation Army or to make a credit card donation, call 651-746-3400 or 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Checks made out to The Salvation Army may be sent to 2445 Prior Ave., Roseville, MN 55113. Click below to make an online donation.
