New Food Truck Aims to Fight Hunger & Dream Is Close to Reality
By Heide Brandes
© 2015 SPLURGE! Magazine Oklahoma City
Adrian Young has a dream about food and hunger.
In her dream, a food truck holds the answer to not just fighting hunger on the streets, but showing children the right way to eat. This truck also ensures that no child will go hungry, and even as the food truck sells the famous Good Egg Dining food, all its profits will go toward feeding those who cannot feed themselves.
Today, Young’s dream is close to becoming a reality. As one of the co-founders of the new non-profit Made Possible By Us, Young is spearheading an effort to create The Food For All Truck, an innovative idea that combines the culinary genius of the Good Egg Dining Group, food from Whole Foods and support from First National Bank to make a real difference for the Food Bank of Oklahoma.
“Our mission is to have all Oklahomans help feed the hungry forever more,” said Young. “We can face hunger through popular culture and the popularity of food trucks, and this way, hunger becomes a tangible and relevant issue to the public.”
This food truck, once funded, will be present at local events selling meals, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
An Inspired Idea
Young has always been passionate about volunteering and shared a belief that everyone is called to connect with one another and live in community.
“As I became a parent, my time was spent fully invested in my own kids, work, helping extended family and dreaming of doing more good ‘someday’ when the time and money allowed,” Young said. “There was this moment, when I caught the disconnect between my philosophical belief and the practical application in my life.”
About that time, Young met her now business partner, Mike Zserdin. Together with Zserdin, Young was able to utilize her branding background to create a social action organization that provides tangible ways for communities to create good.
Made Possible by Us was born.
“In mid-June, we took to Twitter to engage the Oklahoma City community by asking them what they care about most or are invested in,” Young said. “We posed the question #WhatIfOKC and the response was overwhelming and frankly the most affirming thing we could’ve dreamed of.”
The organization received thousands of idea submission from that two-week effort and knew they were onto something.
“Finding ways to fight hunger was one of the most predominant topics submitted through the #WhatIfOKC, and after meeting with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, it seemed like something we could create a specific solution around,” Young said.
“We immediately approached the brands or businesses that are known for being community-invested and have a natural relationship to food, and A Good Egg Dining Group, Whole Foods Market and First National Bank of Oklahoma were at the top of our list.”
With these partnerships, The Food For All food truck program began to form.
“I think as we continue to grow, we are becoming more serious in how to give back to the community,” said Heather Paul, vice president of Good Egg Dining Group. “Being food people, food is a good way to communicate with others, and we’re very excited to partner with Made Possible and the Regional Food Bank.”
Feeding The Masses
The Food For All truck will provide lifetime funding support with 100 percent of net proceeds from food truck sales going directly to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
In addition, the truck will serve no-cost nutritious meals to Oklahoma’s at-risk children every month as well as provide education about nutrition and balanced eating.
The food truck will also fill a void on the food truck scene by finally having A Good Egg Dining option with foods sourced from sustainable sustenance from Whole Foods Market in Oklahoma City. The Good Egg Dining Group will operate and staff the truck while Whole Foods will provide the food, nutrition information and volunteers.
“That’s the entire goal and intention of the Made Possible social action community—to shape opportunities to participate all together in creating tangible good outcomes,” Young said. “That’s why the Food For All food truck was such a perfectly suited launch project. It takes a cultural norm, street fairs and love of food and attaches to it a meaningful way to have positive impact every time you see it and interact with it. When you participate with Food For All, you play a part in fighting hunger.”
Bringing The Dream Alive
Today, the plan is in place, but the truck isn’t. Donations are still needed to bring The Food For All Truck to life, and the partners are turning to the community that created the idea.
“One in six Oklahomans has inconsistent access to food,” said Rodney Bivens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. “After the truck launches, every dollar raised will provide five meals for chronically hungry children, hardworking families and seniors struggling with hunger.”
To help with The Food for All Truck project, visit madepossibleby.us/projects/food-for-all-truck.
“Each of us, on a small scale, is continually investing in this statistically alarming issue and, over time, the power of impact is tremendous,” said Young. “We also love how it keeps this critical issue top-of-mind and offers a sustaining solution.
“The mission is to have all Oklahomans participate in helping to solve Oklahoma’s hunger issue.”
