Mystery Solved – Charity Receives Grant

Perhaps you have seen these food trucks mounted on posts in both Troy and Tipp City and wondered what they were for. They represent a bridge between people in need and people who care – a bridge that does not fail. The Community Food Truck Blessing Box is committed to anonymously making food available to those in need regardless of their circumstances. With community support each blessing box provides reassurance that food security is just a blessing box away.

In recognition of their impact on Miami County communities, the Community Food Truck Blessing Box was awarded a grant from Give Where You Live of Miami County (GWYL). GWYL meets four times a year to review nominations from members about Miami County charities. After reviewing the nominations, GWYL members vote for the charity they deem most worthy of receiving a grant. The average GWYL grant since the start of the pandemic has been $6,900.

The idea for the Community Food Truck Blessing Box came from Troy Christian High School Senior, Maiya Dilbone. The food trucks and boxes are filled with free food for people to anonymously take what they need. Maiya was inspired to create these boxes after volunteering at a soup kitchen and realizing there was a food insecurity problem. “One thing that caught my eye was that the teenagers were no different than me and the embarrassment that they had from needing help was just not necessary, so I created the Free Food Community Food Truck,” Dilbone said. “Accepting help can be hard for people, which is why it’s so awesome that this is anonymous,” she said. “But also, it’s really gratifying to know you can be on this side of things and then you also can be that person for other people.” A Free Community Food Truck can be found across 11 locations in Troy and Tipp City. Dilbone said she’s happy to see her initiative expand over this short period. “When we first had our first few food trucks, I thought I could do it on my own with a little bit of help from my family, and quickly realized it was going to take a whole village,” she said. “So, I am so blessed to have the community jump on board and just truly grateful.” More information about the Community Food Truck Blessing Box can be found at: https://www.thecommunityfoodtruck.com/

One of the advantages of becoming a member of GWYL, is the opportunity to learn about charities operating in Miami County such as the Community Food Truck Blessing Box, and once this knowledge is gained, to take action to support selected charities with a grant. GWYL operates on the premise that alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much.