Steady demand has Ottawa Mission expanding food truck project to 13 local communities

The Ottawa Mission is expanded its food truck project to serve warm meals to residents in need across the city, as demand has continued to climb since its launch in September.

After Pelican Seafood Market and Grill donated the use of its truck to the Mission, the shelter began providing 100 meals per day for each of the five communities in need.

The demand quickly rose to 200 meals per day for each of the communities. The Mission is now serving 400 peals per day, across 13 communities in Ottawa.

Chef Ric Allen-Watson, director of the Mission's meal and food service training programs, says the shelter sees the level of hunger currently in the capital and is doing everything it can to keep the project going.

“We're hoping it's sustainable,” Allen-Watson explains. “The community has been generous, hopefully they'll continue that. The need is just overwhelming, that we need to be there for these guys.”

He adds, the food truck is working perfectly right now since it helping provide meals to more residents in need than the shelter typically would be able to just from its downtown location.