By Barbara Lyon, Stepping Stones of Dunn County
Acquiring a truck was at the top of Stepping Stones of Dunn County’s wish list for many years.
The need was undeniably clear. Ever since the organization’s food rescue program began, volunteers equipped with freezer blankets provided their own vehicles to pick up soon-to-expire groceries and produce from local markets.
After that, transporting food to the weekly “pop-up” pantries in Colfax, Downsville, Ridgeland and Sand Creek involved either borrowing – or sometimes renting – a box truck.
Last November, the nonprofit’s long-held dream finally came to fruition courtesy of focused government funding combined with a contribution from Jim and Gail Haemmerle, through the Community Foundation of Dunn County. After searching for the best deal, Stepping Stones Executive Director Padraig Gallagher found a 2014 Freightliner truck, complete with a 24-foot refrigerated box and a 3,000-pound lift gate.
“It is a game-changer for our food pantry programs. It allows us to serve the food insecure of Dunn County in ways that we haven’t been able to before,” Gallagher said. It “will allow us to transport and distribute food throughout Dunn County!”
Next steps
By early December, the bright white truck was parked at Stepping Stones in full view of passersby on Stout Road. Since the vehicle was visible to up to 18,000 passing vehicles a day – and even more when in use – applying a logo to the box of the truck and soliciting sponsorship became important next steps in the process.
So Gallagher reached out to several local businesses.
“We looked for one sponsor to help ensure that Stepping Stones keeps a reliable and safe vehicle on the road for years to come. Funding will be used for preventive maintenance, repairs and the eventual replacement of the current truck,” he said.
“WESTconsin Credit Union quickly responded and was a joy to work with,” Gallagher said. “Stepping Stones is delighted by the support that WESTconsin has shown to our programs and the community.
Pledging the credit union’s ongoing support to Stepping Stones, WESTconsin’s Chief Experience Officer Stephanie Rasmussen said, “We are pleased to have the opportunity to sponsor the Stepping Stones food delivery program for those in need.”
The three-year contract comes with an option to extend the agreement and includes the sponsor’s logo on the truck.
NOTE: Barbara Lyon is the communications specialist for Stepping Stones of Dunn County. She can be reached at 715-235-2920 or development@steppingstonesdc.org. She took the photo that appears on the home page, which shows Executive Director Padraig Gallagher at the wheel of Stepping Stones of Dunn County’s 2014 Freightliner that displays the organization’s distinctive logo.