Salvation Army Unveils New Bed and Bread Trucks

Photo: Andrew Mullin ~ 760 WJR

DETROIT, May 14, 2025 ~ The Salvation Army Great Lakes Division celebrated the launch of three new Bed and Bread trucks, unveiling a brand new fleet donated by Ford Philanthropy and The Artichoke Garlic Foundation to continue the fight against hunger and homelessness in Detroit.

These two monetary donations comprised of the funds to purchase the trucks, and were made during the 2023 Bed & Bread Club Radiothon the Salvation Army hosts in partnership with WJR. Replacing the nonprofit’s existing trucks, these three vehicles enhances the Salvation Army Bed & Bread Club Program’s capacity to provide meals and essentials to Detroiters in need.

“These three new trucks are an innovative solution to the need we see every day in the community,” said Major Andrew Shiels, associate general secretary of The Salvation Army Great Lakes Division. “Not only will we feed thousands of meals to Detroiters in need, but we’ll be able to provide them more nutritious meals in a significantly more efficient process.“

PODCAST:

May 14, 2025 ~ The Salvation Army in Detroit is launching three new, customized “Bed and Bread” trucks to combat hunger and homelessness, thanks to donations from Ford Philanthropy and the Artichoke Garlic Foundation. Major Charolotte Koehler joins Lloyd Jackson, Jamie Edmonds, and Chris Renwick to share how these trucks will help meet the needs of the community.

(CONTINUED) All three Ford vehicles were designed in collaboration between Ford Philanthropy, Morgan Olson, and Embassy, equipped with state-of-the-art technology to enable The Salvation Army’s Bed and Bread Program to respond to the community in greater ways than ever before. This includes generators, heat wells, upgraded hot and cold storage, and more.

The Salvation Army’s Bed and Bread Program serves more than 3,800 meals each day to men, women, and children who would otherwise go without. That’s more than 1.4 million meals every year. In addition, the program provides more than 37,000 nights of shelter annually. WJR hosts the Bed and Bread Marathon annually, raising millions of dollars for the program.