July 7, 2016

Food truck wishes

Patients, families and staff at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt were treated to lunch recently at a food truck event provided by Chef Lucas Food, a nonprofit started by a Minneapolis, Minnesota, teen who is a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor and food truck fanatic.

(photo by Bekah Gannon)
(photo by Bekah Gannon)

Patients, families and staff at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt were treated to lunch recently at a food truck event provided by Chef Lucas Food, a nonprofit started by a Minneapolis, Minnesota, teen who is a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor and food truck fanatic.

When founder Lucas Hobbs, 13, center, had the opportunity to make a wish with Make-a-Wish, an organization that grants wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, he asked for a food truck to come and feed the Minneapolis hospital staff who helped him battle cancer.

Today, Hobbs is cancer free, and he and his family aim to take Chef Lucas Food events around the country to provide meals and support to families in medical crisis. Approximately 1,000 Children’s Hospital patients, family members and staff enjoyed food from four Nashville-based food trucks, including Crepe A Diem, Lil Choo Choo BBQ, Music City Brisket and Rita’s Italian Ice. The event was sponsored by the Vidalia Onion Committee and the National Turkey Federation, and live entertainment was provided by former American Idol finalist Reed Grimm.