Back on Track America Inc., a nonprofit student-led volunteer organization, hosted its first monthly drive-thru food pantry on Saturday to help those with food insecurity and to offer support to local communities.
At 9:30 a.m., volunteers gathered outside of the Hoda Center at 5220 SW 13th St., a mosque for North Central Florida and Gainesville area, as they prepared for the swell of cars to arrive at the drive-thru food pantry.
“I feel kind of embarrassed sometimes. I just bought this truck,” said Elizabeth Flanagan, who was there to pick up some food staples. “Just because you have a vehicle that is not about to break down does not mean that you are not in need of help.”
The food drive was funded through a partnership between Bread of the Mighty, a food bank that distributes food around Alachua County for 130 partners, and Back on Track.
“It honestly warmed my heart so much. I think that made it so worth everything,” said Nuha Haque, president of Islam On Campus at UF.
Around 500 pounds of food was provided by Bread of the Mighty, and Back on Track only had to pay $50 for the delivery fee. The rest was covered by Bread of the Mighty, which receives funding through donations and grants.
“To me, it means that [the volunteers] are willing to help anyone if they feel that they need help,” said Flanagan.
Around 11:30 a.m., as the line of cars started to dwindle, Back on Track wrapped up its first drive-thru pantry. Volunteers plan on holding a drive-thru pantry on the first Saturday of every month.
Back on Track started in Tampa, cofounded by Yusuf Qureshi, to give back to the community. It is now a national organization that has locations around the country, including in Colorado, Missouri, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.
"We didn't have money, so we decided that the best impact we could have is using our time," Qureshi said.
The Gainesville president of Back on Track, which has gained around 224 members, is Maheer Patel.
“One of the greatest feelings for me is talking to the community members... a lot of people don't have that outlet, don't have that many people to talk to," said Patel.
The drive-thru food pantry is accessible by RTS bus Route No. 13 for those without a vehicle. The bus travels along Southwest 13th Street and stops a half-mile from the Hoda Center on U.S. 441 South.
"We're all human at the end of the day; we're all the same people. We all bleed and therefore, we're all one and equal," said Patel.