– More meals, more places. That was the goal Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) set on March 18, 2024 – the day they put the TASK food truck on the road for the first time.
Since then, the truck has become a staple throughout Trenton, bringing TASK’s signature hot meals directly into neighborhoods across the Capital City that need them most. On its own, the TASK food truck has served more than 36,000 meals in its first year, part of TASK’s greater efforts which included nearly 600,000 meals prepared and served across Greater Mercer County.
“At TASK, we believe that access to food means more than just availability,” says TASK CEO Amy Flynn. “TASK believes that our responsibility to the community – and the key to achieving food security – involves overcoming barriers to make healthy, nourishing meals conveniently accessible to everyone who needs them.”
By adding mobile meal stops, TASK has been able to expand its community meal site program to 43 total sites across the area. In addition, they have been able to enhance access to food by addressing some of the barriers that prevented people from going to an existing site, including issues like transportation, timing and even stigma.
“We have learned so much in this first year,” says TASK COO Paul Jensen. “We knew the truck would serve families with children, seniors and people experiencing chronic homelessness. We have been pleased to see that the truck has also been able to serve so many hardworking residents who are struggling with food insecurity.”
“Some people think the main hurdle to food security is the decision to go to the soup kitchen,” explains TASK Food Truck Coordinator Max Gatto. “But because of challenges posed by things like transportation, physical disabilities, childcare and many other barriers, it’s not that simple. The TASK Truck makes food more accessible, conveniently bringing free hot meals to people in the neighborhoods where they live and work.”
In addition to meal service, another significant achievement has been co-locating with a handful of mobile partners across the city including WIC services (to address the health of women, infants and children) in partnership with The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey, addiction outreach, homelessness prevention and other critical supportive services.
“We are more than just a truck that drops off food,” says Gatto. “Each site is like its own community hub. One big surprise has been how quickly we became an integral part of hundreds of people’s weekly schedules. So many families can breathe a little easier knowing that a few days a week they have a reliable source of food for themselves and their children, allowing them time to focus on the other important aspects of their busy lives.”
TASK’s community partners are key. Whether it’s a fellow nonprofit mobile unit that co-locates with the truck, organizations like Capital Health that offer their lot for a site, or the dedicated volunteers who accompany Gatto and TASK staff on their outings, TASK is working alongside the community to help serve neighbors in need.
“After our first year on the road, we have learned a lot and are ready to enhance our program,” says Jensen. “We have some sites where we serve 300-400 meals in just two hours and new sites waiting to come online. Thanks to the support we receive from donors and volunteers, we look forward to reporting even more meals served in our second year!”
TASK, which has been serving the Mercer County region since 1982, serves more than 11,000 meals, six days per week, in Trenton and more than 40 community meal sites throughout Greater Mercer County. In addition, TASK offers a multitude of resources to encourage self-sufficiency and improve quality of life including case management, education, workforce development, creative arts and the provision of basic necessities.