Name: Hungry Monk Rescue Truck
What they do: The Hungry Monk Rescue Truck is a Homeless Outreach and Community Response Vehicle associated with the Monkworx organization, a non-profit that offers shelter, rehabilitation programs for homeless individuals, job-training opportunities, and case management for families in need which is based in Queens and services parts of Brooklyn.
How they do it:
In 2017, the truck hit the streets as a mobile homeless outreach vehicle. In 2018, Monkworx expanded its mobile services to include a soup kitchen and distribute food-pantry bags in partnership with local suppliers. Dr. Divina, the Monkworx organization’s doctor, also joined the mobile outreach team in 2018 and began leading street med teams to provide on-the-spot medical evaluations.
Today, the Hungry Monk Rescue Truck operates in Ridgewood, Queens, and communities throughout Brooklyn twice a week. The food pantry proudly serves more than 3,000 families a week with local, fresh, and shelf-stable food.
Core Programs:
The truck’s core programs are their day of delivery and health services, as well as a food pantry at their headquarters in Ridgewood, Queens.
Interesting fact about how it is working to positively affect the food system and current campaign:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, both the Rescue Truck and the food pantry operated seven days a week to provide daily meals to those in need. Monkworx also began working with Habitat for Humanity to deliver meals directly to people’s homes in order to feed patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 as well as Senior Citizens.
Between January 28th and May 31st of 2021, the Rescue Truck team delivered more than 350,000 for the USDA’s Farmers to Families program throughout the five boroughs and Long Island.
FACT SHEET:
Location: Ridgewood, Queens
Areas served: All five boroughs, with a priority to the Queens communities
Year Started: 2017
Contact Information: See contact page here or email at admin@monkworx.org
