DENVER — For years, Metro Caring has served the Denver community, helping people from all walks of life have access to fresh, healthy food. But two weekends ago, the nonprofit, known for its grocery-store-style fresh food market, took a hit.
Someone stole one of the trucks the nonprofit uses daily to pick up about a ton of donated food and bring it to the facility's headquarters on East 18th Avenue. Denver police recovered it a week later.
"It's basically totaled, and we can't use it," communications and marketing specialist Brandon McKinley said Monday.
For now, the staff has been using its urban agriculture truck, which is a smaller pickup truck, to haul the food. Since it's a smaller truck, multiple trips are needed, and it's still used for other needs during the day.
"I think we're still picking up the food that we need to pick up, but it's not really sustainable," McKinley said.
Without that truck, there may be less food on the shelves and, in turn, less food in the pantries of those the nonprofit serves.
"If we were not able to pick up that food, I mean, that's 2,000 pounds of food less a day that's available in the fresh food market," McKinley said.
The nonprofit is going to file a claim with insurance, but organizers are concerned that whatever they get won't be enough.
"The car market right now is expensive, so it will be a little bit challenging to buy a new one," McKinley said.
Denver7 Gives is collecting money for Metro Caring to, at the very least, help pay for a rental truck while staff figure out next steps. To donate, visit the Denver7 Gives website and select "Metro Denver Stolen Truck" from the dropdown menu.
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