Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A local nonprofit is trying to stay afloat, but they need some new rides to do it.
On Monday, Vicky Schnoes piled crates of food in the back of a rented truck in the Amtrak Southampton Yard in Boston. She is the general manager of Brookline Food Rescue (BFR), a non-profit that takes perfectly good food bound for the dumpster and gives it to the people who need it most.
“A lot of our clients haven’t purchased food for themselves for the longest time,” said Schnoes.
Schnoes has dedicated decades of her life to BFR, which provides thousands of people with free food each month. She and her team of volunteers have a full schedule to fill the stomachs of those who need a little help.
“[It’s] seven days a week, often 14 hours a day, so that puts a lot of wear and tear on vehicles,” said Schnoes. “We don’t retire a vehicle. It gets dead before we go to the next one.”
BFR’s fleet of vans broke down and became too pricey to maintain during the pandemic. A friend gave them the money to rent some trucks, but those are becoming too expensive.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do in the near future. We’ve pretty much maxed out his card,” said Schnoes.
Her dream is to raise enough money to buy some trucks of their own, preferably big enough to keep serving thousands for free. Shutting down would mean the loss of what has become her whole life.
“In order to continue to live, this is what I need to do,” said Schnoes.
Since BFR does not receive grants from the state or federal government, they rely on donations for all expenses.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.
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