On Saturday, October 29, the Lubbock Food Truck Alliance will be hosting its first annual “Truckin’ it at the Park,” an event that aims to raise over 1,000 pounds of food for local families in need. The event will take place at McAllister Park, next to the Legacy Play Village from 11am to 5pm. Admission to the event will be one canned item per person. The boy and girl to donate the most weight in food will be given a new bicycle.

According to the South Plains Food Bank, 1 in 8 people across the South Plains are considered foodinsecure, which means they don’t know where their next meal will come from. However, food-insecurity among children is at 25 percent. After hearing the statistics, JoAnn Guerrero, public relations representative with the Lubbock Food Truck Alliance says the decision to start an event that directly combats childhood hunger was an easy one.

“After we heard about the amount of children in our area who struggle with hunger, we knew the Alliance needed to get involved” Guerrero says. “Our members are excited about this opportunity to create a fun environment for the community to come together, and enjoy a fun filled day at the park with games, prizes, shopping, food, and lots and lots of candy, while teaching children the importance of ‘giving back.'”

This year’s event comes at a key time as the food bank heads into the holiday season, says David Weaver, Chief Executive Officer of the South Plains Food Bank.

“We are so excited about this opportunity to rally the community to donate food to feed the hungry across our area while enjoying a great time with the Lubbock Food Truck Alliance,” says David Weaver, Chief Executive Officer for the South Plains Food Bank. “1 in 8 people across the South Plains are affected by food-insecurity, and I know this event will go a long way to help us feed more people this upcoming holiday season.”

Wonder what foods are great to donate to the food drive? Here are a few non-perishable food items requested by the South Plains Food Bank:

  • Cereal
  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • Canned fruits and vegetables
  • Canned meals such as soups, chili, pasta
  • 100% juice
  • Peanut butter
  • Pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce
  • Macaroni & cheese
  • Canned protein – tuna, chicken, turkey
  • Beans – canned or dry

(News release from the South Plains Food Bank)