Old vans threaten food bank mission

The loading bay door rolls up inside the Community Action Partnership food bank warehouse in northwest Coeur d’Alene. Volunteers spring into action, unloading a van stuffed with donations from Albertsons, Safeway, Fred Meyer, Starbucks, Red Lobster and Davis Donuts. In come boxes of cantaloupe, yams, meats, cereal and bread, graham crackers and more – all perfectly good food diverted from the waste stream to help feed Kootenai County families in need. To keep this rescue mission going five days a week, the food bank relies on three aging cargo vans – from 16 to 24 years old – and volunteer drivers. The volunteers are doing fine, but the vans are wearing out/ Scott Maben , SR. More here.