KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Knoxville Area Rescue Mission (KARM) has launched a food truck called Urban Table.
Liz Galloway, KARM’s director of Food Service, said it took a while for the plans to come together, but now the truck will be able to provide free meals to people living in what KARM calls “food deserts.”
“Food deserts are just areas in Knoxville that are, you know, food insecure. People who may be working 2 and 3 jobs to put food on the table for their 3 or 4 kids and it’s the end of the month and money is tight and tight and I think food deserts have grown during the pandemic in the Knoxville area. Earnings from events and food truck parks and the like. The money raised from that will go to the service department where we can go into poor communities and food deserts in the Knoxville area and we can serve them quality meals that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to get,” Galloway said.
Galloway said the pandemic and supply chain shortages have delayed plans for a food truck.
Urban Table will also help people within KARM get back on their feet.
“It will be an opportunity for training. We do a 16-week training program for our guests at KARM to help them come back job ready, so this will be another tool to prepare them for employment,” Galloway shared.
Chef Howard Agnew, catering manager for Urban Table, has a unique food truck menu, including Southern egg rolls and grilled cheese waffles.
“She’s making homemade pimento cheese that she’s going to make into fritters, and they’re amazing. He also makes Southern Egg Rolls. Which is just a twist here in the south. He makes stewed greens and beans and pork in them. It’s wonderful,” Galloway explained.
Galloway said it’s an honor to be able to serve the community in more ways than one.
“Every once in a while I just have to go and put my hands on it. Just being able to touch people’s lives and hopefully impact their day to day. To be able to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the community and feed hungry bellies,” Galloway said.
If people want to reserve the Urban Table food truck for the event, you can email urbantable@karm.org
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