Free Food Truck serves Seattle community every week via it’s free Vegetarian food truck which is parked in the University district to serve hot meals to the homeless during this unprecedented national emergency caused by Coronavirus. The free food truck pilot has been started in April 2018 and in its 3rd year has grown to serving roughly 200 plates being distribute
dfour times a week. We started with the University district where several homeless people wander the streets. Based on success of the pilot over three years, we are expanding with a second food truck with service in many areas of the Puget sound. The food truck is currently exempt from food inspection as food is served out free, is prepared hot on premises, and served in a hygienic environment. Periodic safety checks are conducted to ensure safety of cooking equipment.
Northwest Share (NW Share) has been feeding people in need since 2002 in the Seattle area through its free restaurant in the University-district called My Sweet Lord (closed in April 2015). Since 2018, NW Share distributes from its Free Vegetarian Food Truck (FVFT) healthy Vegetarian and Vegan cuisine. The FVFT is certified by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), and the King County Health Department. It has a full kitchen with a steam table, a large propane stove and another four burner stove, an Indian flat bread cooker, pizza oven, a large hot hold cabinet, refrigerator, three well sink, hand wash basin, a toilet with a hand wash sink, a commercial hood with fire safety sprinklers, an electric generator, and a large propane tank inside our new Ford 350 box truck. The infrastructure of the FVFT is to guarantee that the vegetarian meals are served following the health department’s rules concerning food safety. NW Share is committed to purchase only clean, quality food ingredients as well as using fresh organic vegetables from Goloka farm in Redmond, Washington. The vegetarian diet is especially suited to maintain health, vitality and mental clarity.
Presently, the FVFT has permission to park at the University Heights Community Center in the U-District, 50th and University Way. At least 180 persons come for nutritious meals on scheduled days. NW Share is seeking other places to legally park its food truck and distribute fresh meals to the public.
The Coronavirus Pandemic has caused people to loose their jobs and put them in a situation where they may need access to healthy food. Northwest Share’s free food truck answers this need in this difficult time.