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Food trucks pitch in to help federal government shutdown victims
Food trucks nationwide have responded to the need to help out federal employes who have gone without paychecks due to the partial government shutdown.
January 23, 2019 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times
When people need food, food trucks never turn a blind eye.
The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, now more than a month old, has caused hardships for an untold number of Americans. Hundreds of thousands of businesses and organizations have responded with offers to help furloughed employees, including many food truck operators throughout the country.
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| Sean Gilliam and his wife, Nilse, prepare meals in their kitchen for furloughed government employees. |
Sean Gilliam, who operates the Memphis Chef food truck in Memphis, Tennessee, has been cooking and delivering free meals for the past week after reading about families' struggles. Employees of the IRS and TSA, and members of the U.S. Coast Guard have been furloughed in his area.
"I hate seeing the symptoms of what this shutdown is doing to our fellow citizens," Gilliam told Food Truck Operator. He posted a note on Facebook offering to help anyone in need. The next day, there were hundreds of requests.
Gilliam has since spent five full days cooking food and delivering it to 84 people in the Memphis area. He has provided families with chicken stir fry, pasta, salads and roasted chicken with vegetables and mashed potatoes.
After he spent $700 for the food, his wife, Nilse, suggested that he launch a GoFundMe campaign to see if others would be willing to contribute to the effort.
Gilliam listened to his wife and, as of this writing, the GoFundMe campaign he started on Jan. 8 has raised $6,645.
Gilliam has not required food recipients to show their government IDs. "I decided to trust them," he said. "So far that trust has not let me down. If they are reaching out to me the way they are, something is going on where they need a meal." He plans to continue helping people as long as the need exists.
Shutdown hits hard in Washingon, D.C.
The effects of the shutdown have been especially severe in Washington, D.C., where food trucks have lost a lot of business. But that hasn't stopped some from doing what they can to alleviate the financial hit to others.
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| BBQ Bus Smokehouse & Catering is offering discounts to furloughed government workers in Washington, D.C. |
BBQ Bus Smokehouse & Catering has responded with a 25 percent discount for furloughed workers, despite the fact that the company's own food truck sales have dropped 40 percent.
The food truck serves many government employees in public parks near government buildings in the D.C. area. Those government employees who are still coming to work are buying less expensive meals as a result of the situation, Che Ruddell-Tabisola said.
"They've been very loyal and longtime supporters of ours," he said of his customers. "They're the whole reason we're here. We've all got to get through this together."
The company's brick-and-mortar restaurant, which is not located in the heart of the district, has not experienced as dramatic an impact from the shutdown as the food truck, Ruddell-Tabisola said. The restaurant is also offering government employees the discount.
Renovations put on hold
The hit has caused Che and his partner Tadd Ruddell-Tabisola to postpone renovation plans for their restaurant. And, in a "multiplier" effect, BBQ Bus Smokehouse & Catering is buying less from its food suppliers.
This isn't the first shutdown the business has weathered. A shutdown in 2013 actually affected more government workers than the current one, but it lasted only two weeks.
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| Partners Che and Tadd Ruddell-Tabisola felt the need to help those who have helped make them successful. |
Ruddell-Tabisola said he is frustrated to see the government making little effort to end the shutdown. The misfortune has given rise to an overall feeling of anxiety for the community, according to Ruddell-Tabisola. "It's not a good thing," he said.
The one bright spot is the response from the hospitality industry in helping out furloughed workers. Many restaurants and bars are offering free and discounted food.
"The whole hospitality industry is trying to do something to help alleviate the burden," Ruddell-Tabisola said.
Other operators 'do their part'
Last week, M.L. Rose Craft Beer & Burgers in Nashville, Tennessee, announced the limited-time offer at its downtown location of a free cheeseburger and waffle fries for federal employees affected by the shutdown.
"There are thousands of federal employees in Nashville who are affected by the shutdown, and they've been on my mind," owner Austin Ray told Food Truck Operator via email. "M.L.Rose is a neighborhood spot, and this is a good opportunity to be a good neighbor."
The first 100 employees to show their government ID received the free burger and fries, according to a report. After the free food is gone, a specially priced $5 combo will be available to affected workers through Jan. 31.
In Houston, Doing Our Part, a nonprofit group that normally feeds hungry kids during school breaks, served 300 lunches last Thursday to TSA agents who were showing up to work despite not getting paid. The group planned to continue to feed the workers this week.
Scott Benny's food truck in West Columbia, South Carolina, has also offered to provide free meals to federal employees affected by the partial government shutdown, according to a Facebook post.
Photos courtesy of Memphis Chef and BBQ Bus Smokehouse & Catering.
About Elliot Maras
Elliot Maras is the editor of Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times. He brings three decades covering unattended retail and commercial foodservice.
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