WOOD RIVER, Ill. – It’s described as a lifesaving operation on four wheels.
“There are a lot of people who depend on us,” said Angela Valdes, founder of Churches on the Streets.
Every Monday night for the last 10 years, Churches on the Streets has used its food truck to give back to those in need.
“We’ve changed a lot of lives out here,” said Leslie Pearce, a 10-year volunteer.
The organization delivers clothes, food, and personal hygiene products to more than 100 people a week.
“It just shows that we care, and sometimes that’s all that it takes to change a person’s life,” Pearce said.
On Saturday, it almost all went away.
“It would be very sad to not be able to feed these people,” Valdes said.
The food truck, which they had for 10 years, and their supply box truck were stolen from Wood River early Saturday morning.
“It’s not abnormal these things are happening, but why they would steal from us, I have no idea,” Valdes said.
Churches on the Streets immediately filed a police report with the Wood River Police Department. Luckily, the food truck was only gone for a day. A business owner in St. Charles spotted it on his lot.
“We won’t even miss a night tonight,” Valdes said. “They are already on their way.”
Veteran Mort Leslie was the first person to be helped on Monday by getting food, new shoes, and learning about the stolen truck.
“If you steal from somebody trying to help you, that’s a messed-up situation,” he said. “I’m not messed up because I got family.”
Not only a family but faith. Valdes has hoped the box truck will be found.
“God always wins,” she said. “He’ll always bring good out of bad, always. We stayed positive, determined, but positive in trusting him.”