Some of the area’s best food trucks and live music will be available Sunday afternoon for local residents to enjoy while helping a worthy cause that depends on the community’s support.
The Food Truck Rally in the Valley will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on the 200 block of South Allen Street to benefit Housing Transitions and its Centre House shelter. Providing shelter and food for Centre County individuals and families experiencing homelessness or crisis, Centre House is open and staffed 24 hours a day year round.
About 80 percent of Centre House’s funding comes from fundraising and private donations, Housing Transitions executive director Morgan Wasikonis said.
Board member Amanda DiPolvere had been to a food truck festival elsewhere and last winter suggested it would make a good fundraiser for Housing Transitions.
‘We knew there were some local food trucks and more have popped up since then, so she started reaching out to them and seeing if they would participate,’ Wasikonis said. ‘Once we were able to get a hold of them they were all really supportive.’
Sunday’s food truck lineup includes World’s Fare Catering, Street Meat, El Gringo taco truck, Nittany Chef Pizza Oven, Lewistown Creamery, Wiener Wagon, Nomad Kitchen and Rosie’s Pierogies.
The trucks will be donating part of their proceeds from the day to Housing Transitions.
Pure Cane Sugar will perform from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and The Makery will be on hand with its mobile craft table. The Penn State sorority Alpha Omicron Pi is organizing carnival games and face painting for kids.
An information table will be available for anyone who wants to learn about Housing Transitions and its various programs to provide services for families and individuals facing housing insecurity to help them reach stability.
People who stay at Centre House have access to many of Housing Transitions other services, and Wasikonis explained it’s more than a shelter.
‘Centre House is the shelter in Centre County that’s available 24/7 for individuals and families, so we’re able to house children with their parents or guardians here,’ Wasikonis said. ‘It’s a program. It’s not a come-and-go-as-you-please kind of place. We consider the people who are staying here residents and they work with our case managers to address whatever causes the homelessness or housing insecurity they’re experiencing.
‘They set goals and work toward more permanent, stable housing.’
Additional fundraisers for Centre House are coming up this fall. Alpha Omicron Pi and fraternity Beta Sigma Beta will host a spaghetti dinner fundraiser from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 11 at the Beta Sig house, 255 E. Fairmount Ave. Dinners will be $5 each.
‘Everyone is invited. We really want to make this a town and gown event,’ Wasikonis said.
Money raised from the spaghetti dinner will go to the overall fundraising from the Run for Shelter 5k, which starts at 9 a.m. on Nov. 4 at Centre House, 217 E. Nittany Ave., and follows a route through the Highlands neighborhood.
On Sunday, though, Wasikonis hopes people will turn out just to enjoy the afternoon with fellow community members.
‘It’s just a time for the community to come together and really enjoy some live music, great food and a nice afternoon,’ Wasikonis said. ‘It’s a perfect place to go for lunch…. We’re really excited about it. We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback and just hope people come, have fun and really enjoy it.
For more on Housing Transitions, visit housingtransitions.org.
