It was a ride that went only a little more than a block, but for Kim Reid, the first spin in On Rock Community Services seemed lightyears away from where the organization was at this time two months ago.
“My initial thought is, ‘Thank God,'” he said to Global News on Friday morning.
In January, the ceiling of On Rock’s warehouse space for its food bank caved in during an unseasonal melt. And then at a time when the West Island food bank’s client base was rising due in large part to an influx of refugees, its van completely broke down.
After Global ran a story explaining On Rock’s plight, the Tenequip Foundation pledged to donate up to $20,000 for a new van. When the estimate came in at $25,000, the foundation didn’t flinch. “I said we want to buy you a van, so we’re going to buy you a van,” said Michael Fitzgerald, who heads the foundation.
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The need for deliveries is huge for a community food bank that serves people and like to place a name with a face. “Having a truck means that our drivers can go to those families they have a relationship with,” he told Global News.
On Rock got a huge shot in the arm in February when QA Courier volunteered to help with deliveries. Now with the van, Reid told Global News he plans on making up to 300 deliveries a week.
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