BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A year ago, St. John’s Bread & Life surpassed its $25,000 “Fill the Truck” fundraising goal, bringing in $27,748.   

This year, St. John’s Bread & Life — an emergency food program serving people in Brooklyn and Queens — has already surpassed last year’s total, with nearly $30,000 pledged as of Sept. 22.  

Still, more work is needed because this year’s goal to Fill the Truck is $50,000. Doubling the effort was intended to help mitigate the inflationary costs of food, drastic cuts in government funding, and accelerating demands for service. 

Sister Caroline Tweedy, the program’s executive director, said the money raised is for St. John’s Bread Life’s hot meal program. $50,000 will help cover 40,000 meals, she said. 

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“Fill the Truck is providing those hot meals that people need right away,” Sister Caroline said. “And 40,000 meals really translates into about two months of hot meals distributed every day for folks in the community.” 

A meal “package” includes breakfast and another hot meal for the day, she explained.  

“So, we really feel that we’re feeding people for the whole day,” Sister Caroline said. 

Fill the Truck began a few years ago to observe Hunger Action Month, held each September. This nationwide initiative is led by Feeding America, a group that encourages people to support local food banks or pantries. 

Sister Caroline explained that Fill the Truck was initially intended to make connections among newcomers to the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in the wake of gentrification. 

“When a community gentrifies, people tend to forget that there are still poor people and there are still hungry people in need,” she said. “And, so, the point was to use social media to reach that population.” 

Over the succeeding years, as St. John’s Bread & Life expanded, it incorporated fundraising goals for Fill the Truck. Funds raised were earmarked for the hot meal program. 

The program expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the volume of requests did not shrink once that emergency had run its course. Instead, demand has remained high as an influx of immigrants has arrived in New York City in recent years. 

Meanwhile, inflation on key foodstuffs, such as eggs, milk, and cooking oil, continues to rise, she said. 

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The organization’s budget for this year is approximately $8 million, with about 90% of the funds raised through corporate and private donations. However, the remaining 10% has dissolved drastically through federal budget cuts resulting from the Trump administration’s austerity measures. 

Yet, despite these added challenges, Sister Caroline and Sister Marie Sorenson, the organization’s associate executive director, are optimistic that the $50,000 goal will be achieved by Sept. 30. 

“I think we’ve had a great response,” Sister Marie said. “And I think we are compatible with past years, but we’re hoping to go past that goal.”