The Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation awarded $42,500 to the Vineyard Committee on Hunger to purchase a 26-foot refrigerated truck on Monday. This truck will provide transportation of food to Martha’s Vineyard organizations that address hunger.
“This truck is a much-needed addition to the Island food security infrastructure,” said Betty Burton, president of the Vineyard Committee on Hunger and supervisor of Serving Hands. “In these uncertain and unsettling times, demand for services is increasing significantly due to the pandemic. We are incredibly grateful to the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation for making it happen.”
The Vineyard Committee on Hunger (VCOH) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to alleviate hunger on the Island through self-help initiative and raising awareness. Island Grown Initiative and Food Baskets MV will be two of several no-cost food providers on the Island to use the truck.
“The new Hino 26-foot refrigerated truck is truly a great addition to the food distribution programs,” said Joe Capobianco, director of the Food Baskets MV program at Good Shepherd Parish. “This refrigerated truck keeps food fresher, longer, and with almost no spoilage. At 26 feet, its size increases the amount of food we can pick up, and enables us to provide greater amounts and a wider variety of food to those in need.”
This food truck was donated by the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation, which provides philanthropic support for nonprofit community service organizations through an endowment and support from the bank.
“We need to help fellow Islanders facing food insecurity,” said Rebecca Haag, executive director of Island Grown Initiative. “The ability to use this new food truck to achieve our goals of helping feed the community is a gift.”
