Interested in supporting food trucks for social justice? Read below for information from Jordyn Lexton ’08, and definitely watch a video of the project here.
“Dear Friends,
Love food trucks?? Have an appetite for social change?? Feed your hunger by investing in a new social enterprise called Drive Change, a NYC based food truck business that employs, trains and empowers young people (ages 16-25) who have recently come out of jail or prison, and helps them build pathways to futures filled with opportunity.
My friend, and Wesleyan alum, Jordyn Lexton taught incarcerated teens on Rikers Island for three years and she saw the detrimental effects of the system on youth first hand. She soon learned that her young students, full of potential and eager to live crime free productive lives after jail, were returning to the system at the rate of 70%.
It didn’t add up, but then Jordyn learned that New York is one of two states to automatically treat 16 year olds as adults: thus, her young students, leave jail with open felony records rather than sealed juvenile adjudications and are often bared from future employment and/or educational opportunities. The lack of options lead to young people capable of bright futures back into the criminal justice system.
Jordyn just launched an IndieGoGo campaign to help raise costs to buy, build and design their first food truck, which will be serving a maple-syrup inspired, locally sourced menu. All sales from the truck recycle back into Drive Change. With our help, they will be “serving delicious food with a side of social justice” on the streets of NYC by fall of 2013.
Please consider making a donation today. In addition to helping a population in need, you could get some of the quirky and delicious perks they’re offering – including your name permanently inscribed onto the truck itself, a sandwich named in your honor, or just something delicious off the truck once it’s open for business.
Read more and Donate on IndieGoGo here:
igg.me/at/drivechangenyc
For Facebook:
Invest in Drive Change on their IndieGoGo campaign! Help them build a food truck that will train, hire and empower young people coming out of jail/prison. Serving delicious food with a side of social justice: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/drive-change-building-a-food-truck-for-social-justice/x/3560717
For Twitter:
Invest in @DriveChangeNYC! Help them build a food truck that will hire, train & empower youth coming out of jail:igg.me/at/drivechangenyc“