SAN FRANCISCO, CA, July 13, 2010
/24-7PressRelease/ -- The San Francisco Food Bank is set to roll out their first hybrid truck, which will deliver thousands of pounds of food each day to those at risk of hunger. The arrival of this first hybrid truck marks the beginning of a comprehensive Food Bank campaign to replace existing trucks with hybrid and electric vehicles.
The addition of hybrid technology to the Food Bank's fleet will reduce air pollution, meet statewide emissions standards, and allow the Food Bank to distribute increased amounts of food to low-income families and individuals. Over the next five years, the San Francisco Food Bank aims to replace 11 diesel trucks in their fleet with hybrid and electric vehicles which will meet state mandated regulations.
In addition to dramatic environmental and health benefits created by greening the Food Bank's fleet, hybrid trucks allow for significant long-term savings due to reduction in fuel usage and maintenance. Each hybrid will reduce the Food Bank's fuel usage by an average of 38 percent and will reduce emissions by nearly 90 percent. Once the transition to hybrid and electric vehicles is complete, the Food Bank will save approximately $25,842 in fuel costs* each year. This translates into 103,000 pounds of food—or more than 80,700 meals—each year for low-income children, senior citizens and others in San Francisco and Mari¬¬n who live with the daily threat of hunger.
Food Bank trucks allow for distribution of millions of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables that would otherwise linger unpicked in the fields, to local residents most at risk of hunger. The San Francisco Food Bank has distributed more than 39 million pounds of food to the community so far this year.
In these tough economic times, the Food Bank is working to ensure that operations continue to be as cost-effective and environmentally sustainable as possible. The San Francisco Food Bank has a history of environmental sustainability projects such as diversion of waste from landfills and the use of solar panels. The Food Bank is dedicated to improving the lives and health of low-income people in our community through food assistance while lessening the negative impact our trucks have on the environment and air quality. The Food Bank welcomes any community partners who would like to support the efforts to convert existing trucks over to hybrid and electric vehicles.
The Food Bank has chosen to move their trucks to hybrid and electric vehicles to meet the requirement and benefit the community. This undertaking will be costly but will have a significant and positive impact on the environment through reduced emissions. The Food Bank welcomes any community partners who would like to support the efforts to convert existing trucks over to hybrid and electric vehicles.
Thanks to the support of the Trustees' Philanthropy Fund of the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund who provided the $100,000 lead gift, the San Francisco Food Bank was able to procure their first hybrid truck. The purchase of this truck was also made possible through a $30,000 voucher from the California Air Resources Board's Hybrid Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). The San Francisco Food Bank is grateful to all of the community partners supporting its effort to green its fleet: CALSTART, Eaton, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Coast Counties Peterbilt and Peterbilt Motors Company.
"The San Francisco Food Bank cares about the environment and the health of the community we serve. This hybrid truck, and future clean air trucks we aim to incorporate into our fleet, will save us money we can use instead to feed hungry people in San Francisco and Marin. We are grateful to the partners who have helped us take this first step to acquire the first truck and for supporting our efforts to meet the requirements," said Paul Ash, executive director for the San Francisco Food Bank.
For more information, visit http://www.SFFoodBank.org
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