Food Truck Staffed By Former Inmates Gives Out Free Food

What if you could serve delicious maple syrup-drenched food truck fare and pave the way for social change at the same time? That's the idea behind Drive Change's Snowday food trucks, all operated by the formerly incarcerated youths who were once housed at Riker's Island prison, and prepare them for a smooth assimilation into society and the work force. The food truck launched today, with the free distribution of mouthwatering free maple foods, including maple-drenched grilled cheese, maple pulled pork sliders, and maple bacon popcorn.

The concept is the brainchild of Jordyn Lexton, a former prison teacher who is looking to make a difference in the lives of incarcerated youths. Minors can be imprisoned at Riker's as young as 16, according to Fast Co Exist. According to Lexton, a felony on a kid's record could seriously impact his or her chances of finding a job as an adult, and she wanted to change that. That was two years ago. After deciding she wanted to focus on maple syrup-themed foods, Lexton began working for the popular Kimchi food truck, and absorbed any and all information she could learn about the ins and outs of the food truck world. After a successful IndieGoGo campaign, she bought a food truck with the raised funds.

Today, Snowday is a reality, and joins New York's impressive fleet of food trucks. You can get your free maple grilled cheese and pulled pork sliders throughout the day on December 17, or make your own with the official recipes for Snowday's Maple Syrup Popcorn, Maple Grilled Cheese, and Maple Snow Cone on The Daily Meal recipe page.