New Truck A "Game Changer" For Food Distribution In Bucks County

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Bucks County Opportunity Council announced this week the arrival of a new, refrigerated truck designed to increase its food distribution program in Bucks.

“This truck came about as a partnership with the County of Bucks, utilizing grant funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) designated for COVID relief efforts to help alleviate food-insecurity in the county. After two years of delays, the need still exists and this new truck has arrived to help and expand and support its Retail Rescue food operations,” said Elizabeth Zbinden, the council's food program manager.

Commissioners Diane Ellis-Marseglia and Bob Harvie, along with key Bucks County and BCOC staff, attended the unveiling.

Retail Rescue refers to the practice of recovering and redistributing surplus food that would otherwise be wasted from grocery stores and other retailers. Currently, BCOC works with Wegmans in Yardley and Warrington, Amazon Fresh Bensalem, Acme Markets and Target in Doylestown, and Giant Food Market in Feasterville.

From left are Commissioner Bob Harvie; Bucks County Solicitor Amy Fitzpatrick; Ivone Kovalsky, Community Engagement Officer for the Human Services Division; Rachael Neff, Director of Human Services County of Bucks; Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia; Elizabeth Zbinden, Food Program Manager BCOC; Heather Foor, Director of Client Services BCOC; Joseph Cuozzo, Development Director BCOC; and Rick Mayer, Retail Rescue Coordinator BCOC.

The food is then distributed throughout the county to BCOC’s network of pantry partners, ensuring the food arrives while still fresh and shelf viable, available to residents in need daily.

“We are expecting to be able to serve 20 percent more families with this additional truck," said client services director Heather Foor.

The truck will also be utilized to support the HELP Center and aid in the safe and efficient distribution of food products. The HELP Center is not only a food distribution site for food pantries, but is also designed as a center where individuals and families who are food insecure can come and “shop” for desired food items which includes both shelf-stable and perishable foods.

According to the Opportunity Council, the need to transport food to the most vulnerable populations is a critical operational goal of the HELP Center, allowing for a more effective transfer of food resources between the HELP Center and the 75 emergency food providers the Opportunity Council supports.

“This truck is a game-changer for helping grow and enrich our pantry network distribution efforts,” commented Rick Mayer, Retail Rescue Coordinator.

The truck is a 2024 Mack 24-foot refrigerated box truck. It can hold up to ten pallets of product or up to 15,000 pounds of food. In addition to the grant from the County of Bucks, St. Mary Medical Center provided funding to wrap the truck and to purchase a pallet jack for the truck.

BCOC is the lead anti-poverty, non-profit organization in Bucks County dedicated to ending poverty by connecting people with the resources they need to thrive. BCOC has five major program areas: Housing, Food, Weatherization, Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) and the Economic Self-Sufficiency (ES) Program. Housing includes street outreach, rental and move in aid, and utility shut-off prevention. Food services supply food directly to families through a network of 75 food pantries and distribution sites.

Weatherization services help families in reducing their energy costs. VITA provides free income tax preparation assistance. The ES Program assists individuals and families to leave poverty
permanently through case management, education, and employment.

For 60 years, the Opportunity Council has served low-income families in Bucks County by helping them to stabilize when in crisis, garner resources to achieve a livable wage, gain additional education and training, and work towards economic self-sufficiency.