“Growing up for me, unbeknownst to me actually, we were depending on food subsidies.”
Jay Zomberg now owns ZOMburger’s Food Truck in Hamilton.
“My mom did such a good job at hiding that fact from us for so long and then eventually, we learned that a lot of our meals were because of a program called surplus foods out of Grand Rapids.”
Recently, watching news reports of the federal government stopping funds for food assistance, Zomberg became worried about local families in need.
“I posted online that hey I'm going to be out in West Olive later in November. I'd like to offer 50 free meals and there's no questions asked whatsoever. Just come out if you need a hot meal, and I’ll just give it to you for free.”
Response to his social media post was overwhelming as other business owners chimed in with offers to help: more food trucks, crafters, entertainers, pet food and cash donations.
“We're turning this - what was going to be just a free meal event - into the whole community just really embracing those that could use it the most.”
A church in Holland offered its parking lot to host the free food event that now has more than 16 businesses involved.
“It's up to us. We can't just sit back and hope that opportunities present themselves or those that need a hot meal can get one. We can't just assume that every church out there is going to open up their doors or every mission or every shelter is going to be able to provide these. Eventually, we have to be the ones that step up.
The ZOMburger's/IDK Kitchen Free Meal Event is this Saturday, November 8 from 10AM to 2PM in the parking lot of Ridge Point Community Church in Holland.
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