PHOTOS COURTESY SAVING GRACE PERISHABLE FOOD RESCUE AND DELIVERY A grant helped Saving Grace purchase


its second truck, a 2015 Isuzu NPR, which took six months to construct and went into operation last summer. Unfortunately a driver ran a red light and hit the truck in October, knocking it out of commission. But after negotiating with her insurance


company, Smith was able to purchase a 2016 chassis and cut the refrigerator box off the 2015 to install on the 2016, a process she admittedly didn’t get to experience while in the travel industry.


2007 & 2015 Saving Grace Trucks Te second truck was important because


of the growth Smith sees on the food rescue movement’s horizon. “I anticipate getting a new truck to replace


our 2007 this year,” Smith said, and forecast possible getting a third truck by the third quarter of the year, assuming the growth continues as expected. By reducing the food costs for local agencies,


Smith said, it allows more resources to be spent on empowerment services like education and job training. And while the long-term benefits of


Beth Ostdiek Smith with Veggie Momma at Food Day 2013


food rescue are clear, there are some unexpected but welcome daily surprises too. Smith noted that Trader Joe’s recently


threw in its excess flowers with its food donation, and she described the sight of people in shelters and places like Ronald McDonald House walking away not only with nourishing food, but a bouquet of smile-nourishing flowers. “It’s just perfect,” Smith said. NT


NEBRASKA TRUCKER — ISSUE 6, 2015 — www.nebtrucking.com


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