Dump truck delivers food donations to New Berlin Food Pantry

A massive food donation will ease the burden of one local pantry to feed the hungry this holiday season.

A three-ton dump truck full of donations arrived at the New Berlin Food Pantry Wednesday morning. The owner of Grounds Maintenance services, Todd Ruedt, organized the event, which brought together 11 local businesses to help those in need.

Over four weeks, they collected a variety of items, including non-perishable food, toiletries, diapers and cleaning supplies. In addition to that, the local fire and police unions stopped by to drop off 90 turkeys.

Director of the food pantry, Jeanne Holden, was overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness. She said she often worries about having enough food to feed everyone, but those worries are now gone.

\"Thank you for your generosity and you're caring,\" she said. \"I hope all of you have a happy Thanksgiving and a happy heart for what they've done today.\"

The first-year food drive was a powerful sight for Ruedt as well.

\"I've grown up in this community my entire life and I never really knew how much need their was local here,\" he said. \"It's just been an incredible experience.\"

Because of the success, Ruedt hopes to make the food drive an annual event. Only next time, he wants to start earlier to collect more donations.