Staff from The Olive Tree and ADM took part in a photo op at ADM on Friday to celebrate the purchase of a new refrigerated food rescue van. The Ford van was purchased last summer thanks in part to a $32,000 donation from the ADM Cares program and a $46,000 grant from Food Banks Canada. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
It’s a game-changer. That’s what Rebecka Lett, a food rescue co-ordinator with The Olive Tree is calling the local charity’s new refrigerated food rescue van.
Lett has been driving the van since last summer and gave it her endorsement at the official rollout at ADM Lloydminster on Friday.
“It’s a game changer because we are actually able to do pick-ups from Edmonton that we wouldn’t have been able to do before because we can’t always get stuff shipped to us from there,” said Lett.
“So now, we can go and pick up eggs in donations like 10 to 15 cases of eggs that keeps us going for a month and a half.”
Last year alone, The Olive Tree distributed more than $1,149,000 worth of food throughout the community and to more than 20 different local agencies, schools and non-profits.
The new delivery van sports of the logo decals of The Olive Tree and its funding sponsors, ADM and Food Banks Canada.
ADM awarded the charity $32,000 through the company’s ADM Cares program and Food Banks Canada contributed a $46,000 Community Boost Grant toward the purchase cost.
“That is one of the goals of our ADM Cares program to help support food security and local organizations such as the Olive Tree,” said plant manager, Peter Polansky.
ADM Cares also funds programs that support education, hunger relief, and safe responsible and environmentally sound agriculture practices in critical growing regions around the world.
As for the look of the van, including the ADM logo, Polansky said, “It looks very nice, very sharp.”
Lett took her turn running through some of the features of the van, starting with the refrigerated unit mounted on the top.
“It’s already been amazing. We’ve had it since the summertime and we’ve had some hot flashes (weather) and we’ve been able to turn on the cooler taking trips to Edmonton on our longer pickups,” she said.
“The amount of space inside of it is fantastic.”
“It’s got double-backed doors and they also open to the side farther, so it’s wonderful for backing up and getting into spaces.”
The Olive Tree has retired its oldest van and has a smaller one in use, but Lett says it doesn’t hold a lot.
‘It’s climate-controlled as well, but it’s quite small. We use that one for food bank deliveries for seniors homes,” she said.
Lett says the new one is great for large pickups in the Edmonton area.
The Olive Tree partners with Rosenau Transport, which delivers only dry goods to them from the Edmonton area as they don’t have refrigerated units.
“So when we want something picked up in Edmonton, we have to go there ourselves and get it,” said Lett.
Since they got the new van, they’ve been able to pick up frozen meats and cases of eggs themselves from Food Banks Alberta in Leduc every other month.
“They offer it to food banks all around,” said Lett.
