In late September, members of the Appleton Area School District took to social media to ask for donations for nearly 300 homeless students.
A study by Wisconsin Policy Forum showed that student homelessness in the state is at a new high, with the number rising to 20,195 for the 2023-24 school year. Several Fox Valley-area vendors heard of the district’s need for donations and wanted to do their part to help.
“Members of the Fork Yeah Food Truck community saw a post that AASD was in dire need of donations and, almost immediately, our group was buzzing with ideas on how we could help,” said Tricia Hermsen, owner of Tria’s Frog Treats.
Fork Yeah – Fox Valley is an organization of local food trucks and vendors, created to bring more visibility to local food options.
The Hunger Task Force Food Truck Night Fundraiser will last from 4 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the parking lot of Area 509 in Appleton.
“Our food truck community thrives on supporting the communities we serve, and it was shocking to learn that nearly 300 students are facing homelessness,” Hermsen said. “We knew we had to come together to make a difference.”
Over 12 local food trucks will gather at 1025 N. Badger Ave. including Caribbean Taste, Hot Biddy’s, Bowlicious, Busted Spud, Tria Frog Treats and The Wandering Table.
“Some trucks will be on-site selling their delicious goods, while others have pledged direct donations,” Hermsen said. “It’s truly an honor and a privilege to be part of such a compassionate and giving community.”
A portion of all vendor sales will go directly to AASD, alongside any specified donations.
For more information, visit Area 509’s Facebook page.
Reach Jelissa Burns at 920-453-5107 or jburns1@gannett.com. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Local food vendors collaborate to help nearly 300 homeless Appleton students
Reporting by Jelissa Burns, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
