While facing struggles of their own amid a persistent freight market downturn, Trucks for Change (T4C) partner fleets remained exceptionally busy over the past year doing good for others.
Those fleets, other T4C supporters, and the charities they assisted over the past year came together for an annual luncheon in Toronto on Oct.15.
They were treated to an inspiring presentation from Elliott Penner, the former French’s president who has since founded The For Good Foundation. It collects surplus crops from Canadian farmers that would otherwise be destroyed, packages them using excess capacity from food suppliers, and then sells them at cost, exclusive to food banks across Canada, at a discount to what they’d normally pay through retail channels.
As he developed the concept, Penner learned about Trucks for Change. Similarly, the organization takes excess capacity within its network of trucking partners and offers it to charities at discounted rates or for free. The partnership has allowed The For Good Foundation to efficiently get its products to food banks right across the country.
And the need has never been greater. Penner said food banks have seen a 40% increase in demand lately.
“We are seeing people that are working now are a new customer to food banks. We never thought this would ever happen,” Penner said. “We have a real issue with food insecurity in Canada. And you know what? We can all do a part to help. We, as individuals, can really make a difference.”
T4C executive director Betsy Sharples gave a recap of what the organization and its member carriers achieved over the past year. Highlights included:
- 2.5 million lb. of freight shipped for charity partners
- 44 transportation partners delivered charitable goods
- 1.4 million meals delivered to families
- 125 unique food banks served
- 2 volunteer-led food packing events
“I also want to point out that I do realize how difficult this year has been for many of our partners at all levels,” Sharples said.
With food insecurity worsening in Canada, Sharples said T4C continues to receive increasing requests for food delivery. Sharples also explained how T4C’s partnership with The For Good Foundation has evolved since they first connected in 2022.
Then, they ran a pilot delivering 1.4 million pounds of food to more than 63 food banks.
“Back in 2022 — just think back to what the supply chain looked like at that time — it was pretty tight. There wasn’t a lot of capacity, but our board members all stepped up and made this happen,” she recalled.
Since the formation of the partnership, the organizations have worked together to create an LTL ordering system for food banks.
“Usually, they get picked up within a day or a couple days from the time we find out it’s available,” Sharples said of that system.
Since January of this year, 24 Trucks for Change fleets have delivered 575,000 lb. of The For Good Foundation food to food banks across Canada. Last year, it delivered 1.2 million pounds for the organization across 191 orders and 630 pallets.
Among its other major contributions in 2024, T4C and 31 of its fleet partners delivered 113,000 food packs to 94 food banks, feeding more than 14,000 children through the After the Bell program that provides healthy meals to children when school is out. The organization also participated in sorting challenges with The Daily Bread Food Bank, packaging the equivalent of 21,600 meals.
Sharples said T4C carriers saved charities more than $150,000 in transportation costs last year, money those charities were able to redirect to their programs. More information on the program can be found at trucksforchange.org.
