Kids Cruisin' Kitchen: A Food Truck Just for Kids
Long before food trucks became popular, The Salvation Army and Food Bank for the Heartland launched a mobile food service just for kids. For the eighth consecutive summer, Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen is making the rounds in the Omaha metro with food trucks visiting parks, playgrounds, libraries, apartment complexes and elementary schools to ensure that kids get the nutritious food they need to thrive.
“Many of us don’t think about hunger during the summer, but it is an especially difficult time for families who are struggling financially,” said Brian Barks, president and CEO of Food Bank for the Heartland. “Children are not eating meals in school, and parents must factor additional food and often child care costs into their already strained budgets. Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen is providing critical meals to combat summer hunger for children.”
The Salvation Army repurposes its four mobile canteens, typically used for disaster relief, to deliver meals to 15 sites Monday through Friday from early June through Aug. 10 throughout the Omaha metro area. Last year more than 81,000 meals were distributed by Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen to children in need.
In Nebraska, 1 in 5 children is considered food insecure, which means they might not know where they will get their next meal.
“The hard truth is many children and families battle hunger in our communities,” said Joel Arthur, director of emergency disaster services for The Salvation Army Western Division. “Because of this collaborative effort with Food Bank for the Heartland, Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen is ‘building hope’ in the lives of these children.”