The Free Food Cart
Donation protected
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” Isaiah 55:1
Summary
All food from this cart is free to those who need it, no exchange of money. All raised funds will go directly towards purchasing food supplies.
Current schedule:
Time: Saturdays from noon-3pm
Location: Location subject to change around the downtown eastside
Background and Context
After living, bussing, and biking throughout Vancouver since I moved here in 2014, it’s been impossible to escape empathizing with the lack of basic food security within many areas in and around the Downtown Eastside. I’ve long asked myself the helpless question of “What can I do?” and left it at that, but it has been an issue that has weighed on me for a long time. I don’t have the political or social influence to create the systemic change that is truly needed to solve the complex issues of inequality in my city. Yet the seeds of change are often small and in the hearts of people, and a warm breakfast does every heart well.
Food is powerful—Jesus not only taught but fed. I have been given talent, time, and finances in varying degrees but each sufficient for myself: how can I use these for others? Cooking for those I love brings me joy and I can extend that to others in this city.
Outcome
I have interest in the three areas of engineering, biking, and cooking. These sparked the idea to design and construct a portable food cart that can be towed by my e-bike. This cart was the result of a dream of cooking free hot food to those in need in the DTES, and in doing so create a space where positive connection can occur. The design consists of a bike trailer, a wooden frame to store propane and food, and a mounted BBQ griddle top—this all fit under my initial budget of $500. (My dream of running a free food *TRUCK* is out of a university student’s budget, so I had to put my engineering training to work!)
It was essential to craft the menu to a single, easily reproducible item. I settled on the classic breakfast burrito: hash browns, cheese, and two fried eggs all melted and wrapped in a warm tortilla shell. The cart is able to produce 72 portions of food at a time given the storage space, operating solely on the cost of food and propane. The money needed for food supplies is estimated to be around $100 a day: 6kg hash browns, 120 eggs, 1kg shredded cheese, 72 tortilla shells, plus miscellaneous costs like hand sanitizer and aluminum foil to wrap the food.
The time and financial investments are my own, but the reality is that the frequency at which I can operate will be limited by my own finances. A network of charitable contributions may be required to sustain this project long-term.
Please consider contributing if you are financially able, any small help can directly impact the success of the cart.
Risk Assessment
Given the current circumstances of COVID-19, I’ve attempted to mitigate as much risk as possible in order to allow operation to progress. This includes providing hand sanitizer to those wishing to eat, encouraging social distancing for those waiting, and myself wearing a mask/gloves while cooking. I've also installed a plastic shield to the front of the cart for safer operation.
Another risk is breakdown of the food cart, I am uncertain of the cost of maintenance and repairs until these events occur. These events could include mechanical issues with my e-bike, the bike trailer, the cook stove, and the structural integrity of the body of the cart itself. Testing has been done during the design process to validate weight, speed, braking, shock absorption, and towing capabilities, and will continue to be done throughout use. Please pray for the protection of this cart.
Social Media
Instagram: thefreefoodcart
Summary
All food from this cart is free to those who need it, no exchange of money. All raised funds will go directly towards purchasing food supplies.
Current schedule:
Time: Saturdays from noon-3pm
Location: Location subject to change around the downtown eastside
Background and Context
After living, bussing, and biking throughout Vancouver since I moved here in 2014, it’s been impossible to escape empathizing with the lack of basic food security within many areas in and around the Downtown Eastside. I’ve long asked myself the helpless question of “What can I do?” and left it at that, but it has been an issue that has weighed on me for a long time. I don’t have the political or social influence to create the systemic change that is truly needed to solve the complex issues of inequality in my city. Yet the seeds of change are often small and in the hearts of people, and a warm breakfast does every heart well.
Food is powerful—Jesus not only taught but fed. I have been given talent, time, and finances in varying degrees but each sufficient for myself: how can I use these for others? Cooking for those I love brings me joy and I can extend that to others in this city.
Outcome
I have interest in the three areas of engineering, biking, and cooking. These sparked the idea to design and construct a portable food cart that can be towed by my e-bike. This cart was the result of a dream of cooking free hot food to those in need in the DTES, and in doing so create a space where positive connection can occur. The design consists of a bike trailer, a wooden frame to store propane and food, and a mounted BBQ griddle top—this all fit under my initial budget of $500. (My dream of running a free food *TRUCK* is out of a university student’s budget, so I had to put my engineering training to work!)
It was essential to craft the menu to a single, easily reproducible item. I settled on the classic breakfast burrito: hash browns, cheese, and two fried eggs all melted and wrapped in a warm tortilla shell. The cart is able to produce 72 portions of food at a time given the storage space, operating solely on the cost of food and propane. The money needed for food supplies is estimated to be around $100 a day: 6kg hash browns, 120 eggs, 1kg shredded cheese, 72 tortilla shells, plus miscellaneous costs like hand sanitizer and aluminum foil to wrap the food.
The time and financial investments are my own, but the reality is that the frequency at which I can operate will be limited by my own finances. A network of charitable contributions may be required to sustain this project long-term.
Please consider contributing if you are financially able, any small help can directly impact the success of the cart.
Risk Assessment
Given the current circumstances of COVID-19, I’ve attempted to mitigate as much risk as possible in order to allow operation to progress. This includes providing hand sanitizer to those wishing to eat, encouraging social distancing for those waiting, and myself wearing a mask/gloves while cooking. I've also installed a plastic shield to the front of the cart for safer operation.
Another risk is breakdown of the food cart, I am uncertain of the cost of maintenance and repairs until these events occur. These events could include mechanical issues with my e-bike, the bike trailer, the cook stove, and the structural integrity of the body of the cart itself. Testing has been done during the design process to validate weight, speed, braking, shock absorption, and towing capabilities, and will continue to be done throughout use. Please pray for the protection of this cart.
Social Media
Instagram: thefreefoodcart
Organizer
Sawyer Payne
Organizer
Vancouver, BC
