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Dietary Need/Asian Food Truck

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I am a high school teacher (of 20 years) at a school in a rural community. I love my students and area and have stuck with teaching as it is my dream. I’ve done different jobs during the summer to help supplement my income and help me meet the financial needs of my family. The most recent was fighting fires during the summer, but this took me away from my family and being age 51 has its disadvantages; plus my wife has started going back to school year round and so I need to be home with those of my children still at home.  

This food trailer will be a huge benefit for my family as I will be able to work with my children during the summer and after school and the income will supplement my finances so we don’t have to take loans out for my wife to get her degree. Others this will benefit are those with dietary restrictions. My wife can’t eat gluten, so I have needed to alter recipes to help her—which is challenging with foods from Asia. I have had other friends and family that have other restrictions as well—such as no sugar, no soy, no dairy. I have been able to create new recipes that meet any dietary restriction and love to help people that can never go out to eat have that opportunity. I plan to offer meals that meet all dietary restrictions, and hope to get to know people with restrictions so that I can have specific meals added to the menu for them. I also feel my community would benefit as the food I plan to make would introduce them to authentic dishes found all over Asia.  Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Philippines, Korea, Myanmar, China, Taiwan to name a few.

These funds will help me buy a trailer, hood, special wok stove, sinks, freshwater tank, gray tank, refrigeration units and other supplies. Most estimates say trailers/trucks will cost between $50k-$120K. I plan to do most of the set up on my own—saving thousands of dollars.  

I’m hoping to have the trailer up and running by May/June when school lets out. This will give me the entire summer to earn the money I need to help my family and hopefully avoid borrowing money for my wife's tuition. As a teacher, my salary is right on the border of poverty—I'm not complaining, but trying to display that I can’t qualify for a loan (I don’t have the collateral needed), nor can I save up enough money to get a food trailer within a reasonable time frame. I thought of applying for a federal grant, but the money for a grant will come from taxes forced upon citizens, and I don’t feel right about that—so I decided to come to go fund me where people can donate money if they want to. 

As a teacher, I see the good in my students and see them give and give and give. They give because it’s Christmas and others don’t have. They give when others have losses in their families. They give both emotionally and financially. I’ve seen them raise money for a janitor whose husband was in a bad accident and needed help with bills. I’ve seen them make over 35 quilts for low income families over Christmas, as well as buy presents every year for underprivileged kids. I’ve seen the great desire in those students to do all they can to help others. I’ve seen them make great sacrifices to help others. This has always had a great effect on me. I get emotional and feel honored to even witness these great acts of compassion and love. Any money from go fund me will always be this kind of unselfish aid. My family will treat this money and what it will provide us as sacred. To be able to work with my son every day the summer before his senior year, and my 13-year-old daughter for the remaining 5 years  before she leaves my home
will be a truly amazing opportunity that I will cherish every day. My wife is jealous at the thought. She's mad I put that in. 

I'm hoping to give something in return. I can send recipes with seasoning packets to people that would like to try making delicious Indian recipes in their homes. For $100 you'll get 3 packets. For $75 you'll get 2 and for $50 you'll get 1. All I need is your address and any dietary restrictions your family may have.
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Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $20 
    • 4 yrs
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Organizer

Ron Lagerstrom
Organizer
Rexburg, ID

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