Mobile food pantry to serve more of the community

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The Adopt-a-Block food truck isn’t like food trucks you might see at a late-night event. Instead, it brings nutritious food right to those that need it most.

Volunteers have seen the service grow from two days and locations a week to six during the pandemic. Now, they’re preparing for an increase in numbers as unemployment benefits end.

“Our numbers have gone up, so we know that people need it and that’s what we’re here for,” said Adopt-a-Block volunteer Lisa Lausier.

They’re happy to provide low-income families nutritious food donated from local grocery stores.

“If people don’t have any food, they can come to the food truck and get some food,” said 7-year-old volunteer Baylee Lausier.

Jim Barnhardt brought Adopt-a-Block to Bismarck in 2019 as part of his Dream Center non-profit.

“We deal with a very basic product here. Everyone has to eat. We believe that if we take care of that need, they might save enough money to pay for the rent or utilities, or to repair the car,” said Dream Center founder Jim Barnhardt.

The truck helps them reach about 500 households a week.

“Transportation is a really big issue for a lot of people. If you look at the line, we have people that walk to get here, we have people that sometimes take their bike, we have people towing wagons, sometimes even suitcases that we fill with food-product.”

Now they are planning an expansion.

A permanent 24,000 square foot facility at 1805 Park Ave. to expand service is scheduled to open in March of 2022.

The schedule for Bismarck’s Adopt-a-Block can be found on the Dream Center website at Serve at The Dream Center Bismarck.

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