City Team Christmas Meals Rescued in SJ Thanks to Community Partners

After a COVID-19 case at a South Bay nonprofit threatened to cancel Christmas meals for hundreds of unhoused people, other businesses and community members stepped up to complete the program on schedule.

For 60 years, City Team of San Jose has been serving hot meals to those in need on Christmas Day. But after a positive COVID-19 case closed the kitchen, they had to get creative.

City Team is now partnering with a company that doesn’t traditionally do non-profit work. Moveable is a San Jose-based event company that normally connects local food trucks with festivals and corporate parties that need catering.

“I put a shout out on social media, asking people to donate, contribute, and not only is it helping small business, it’s providing a hot meal to someone that doesn’t have a home,” said Darlene Tenes of City Team.

The pandemic has stopped that kind of business, so the company is pairing City Team with local mom and pop food trucks who will make the Christmas meals.

“She’s like, I know you work with a lot of food trucks, it’s hundreds of meals, can you do it? … I was like, let’s do it, let’s get it done,” said Ryan Sebastian of Moveable.

One of the food trucks that pitched in Friday was the Waffle Roost.

“I just got a call from Moveable Feast and said let me know when you need us,” Waffle Roost’s Justin Funamura said.

It’s a win for everyone. City Team didn’t have to cancel Christmas dinner, and the food trucks got a chance to make up for lost revenue.

City Team typically provides about 500 meals on Christmas Day. This year, City Team needs a lot more help than usual to make this a reality.

Each food truck meal will cost around $12, so they’re asking for donations.

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