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There is a "Free Lunch"

This story is a class assignment in JN 325, a class on writing across media (Radio, TV, Web,) taught by Dr. George Daniels and APR news director Pat Duggins. The students are coached by Duggins, APR assistant news director Stan Ingold, and Morning Edition host Alex AuBuchon.

JN 325 Wrap Script

American Lunch

Lauren Fuller

With the growing popularity of food trucks, you can find food nearly anywhere you go. APR’s Lauren Fuller has the story about a food truck based charity that is bringing a truly free lunch to those in need with their mobile soup kitchen.

THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IS CALLED AMERICAN LUNCH AND ITS VOLUNTEERS ARE WORKING TO BRING A FREE LUNCH TO ALL THOSE IN NEED IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. AMERICAN LUNCH WAS STARTED AND IS SPONSORED BY CHUCK’S FISH AND FIVE BAR IN TUSCALOOSA, AND OPERATES SOLELY OFF OF DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEER WORK. THEIR SLOGAN IS “THERE REALLY IS A FREE LUNCH” AND BY TAKING THEIR SOUP KITCHEN TO THE PEOPLE, THEY TRULY DELIVER. AMERICAN LUNCH VOLUNTEER TARA SPATH SAYS THEIR FOOD TRUCK BASED SOUP KITCHEN IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND…

“according to Food Network Magazine we are the only mobile soup kitchen in the country, there’s nothing likes us out there anywhere”

AMERICAN LUNCH STARTED AS A WAY TO SERVE THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST BUT THAT MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION. THE FOOD TRUCK RUNS THREE DAYS A WEEK TRAVELING LOCALLY TO LOW-INCOME AREAS AND WHILE THE NONPROFIT STARTED WITH ONE TRUCK IN TUSCALOOSA, AFTER A FEW YEARS OF OPERATION, IT CONTINUES TO GROW TO HELP THOSE IN NEED. SPATH SAYS THE ORGANIZATION HAS TAKEN ON TWO MORE LOCATIONS JUST IN THE LAST YEAR.

“we’ve acquired two other trucks so our locations now are Tuscaloosa, Knoxville, Tennessee and Chattanooga, Tennessee.”

FOR APR NEWS, I’M LAUREN FULLER IN TUSCALOOSA.

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