It Worked for Us
Between 70 and 80 food trucks are parked throughout Bloomington, Indiana, on any given day. Deciding where to eat lunch can be a tough decision, but not on Fridays.
On Friday, approximately 2,000 people make their way to a food truck festival hosted by The Chocolate Moose in community with Bloomington's First United Methodist Church.
"Food Truck Fridays" started in 2013 when The Chocolate Moose, owned by a member of First Church, decided to rally food trucks in one area. The weekly festival was held in the ice cream parlor's parking lot until 2017 when the church started hosting. The church property offers room for live music and additional food trucks. Now, 12 to 15 trucks gather weekly for the 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. event. "We wanted to support something in our community that went beyond our church walls," says Brandon Pfeiffer, director of communications for the church.
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The church chooses a different charity each month to be represented at the Food Truck Fridays. The organization receives recognition on stage and donations. The charities are usually well known to Bloomington locals. The church hopes to increase the fundraising for the charities by organizing games to get people more involved.
Food Truck Fridays have grown tremendously since 2013 and attract a variety of supporters. Many are members of Bloomington First Church, but others come to support their local musicians, charities and food trucks. "People at the event have said that it makes the church seem more welcoming," says Pfeiffer. "It reaches people who aren't involved with the church otherwise."
Taylor Bush served a six-week summer internship at United Methodist Communications. She is now a sophomore at the University of Georgia majoring in entertainment and media.