Food Truck Provider, Medford Council Spar Over PTO Fundraiser

MEDFORD, MA — A provider of food trucks withdrew its application for a PTO fundraiser after facing criticism from the Medford City Council. Food Truck Ventures, founder of the Neighborhood StrEATS program that helps PTOs fundraise during the COVID-19 pandemic, had sought two food trucks for a March 3 event at Andrews Middle School.

At a Feb. 23 City Council meeting, several councilors were blunt in their disdain for using food trucks to raise money for the school. Councilor Adam Knight accused Food Truck Ventures of price gouging – the provider acknowledged the cost of menu items was raised 16 percent, but founder Anne-Marie Aigner said it was necessary to offset operating costs for the trucks – and for using the event as a "data mining initiative."

Knight said he was concerned Food Truck Ventures would "use people's personal information, emails and the like to start a marketing campaign," motioning to prohibit the company from collecting people's personal data.

"Personally, I'm not too crazy about doing business with them, but I don't want to stand in the way of the PTO getting the fundraiser," Knight said.

Councilor George Scarpelli claimed the company – and food trucks in general – skirt local ordinances around permit fees and taxes. He said the city should focus on supporting local brick-and-mortar businesses by having them hold fundraisers.

"Ten percent of all people that go in there, not just the people from that school, would go directly to that fundraising organization," Scarpelli said. "I think that's the true meaning of a true fundraiser."

Aigner said her food trucks do pay a permit fee. She objected to the distinction drawn between hers and other local businesses.

"I think the accusations I'm hearing tonight are extremely unfair," Aigner said. "No one is making any money."

In a follow-up letter to the Medford Patch, Aigner said her company earns a booking fee of $100; the food trucks make a "small" profit and the PTO gains a "few hundred dollars."

"The truck arrives with the meals prepared and the supporters pick up and take home," Aigner wrote. "If a meal from the truck normally costs $10, he would charge $11.60 and the PTO gets that difference. For 200 meals, the PTO makes more than $300."

The program has been successfully run in Waltham, Newton, Canton, Tewksbury, Watertown, Belmont and other communities, generating thousands of dollars for PTOs. Aigner apologized at the meeting to the Andrews Middle School and Vivian Su of the PTO as she withdrew her application.

Later, she decried her treatment by the City Council, saying she had never experienced a meeting "as nasty as this."

"They even managed to accuse us of 'stealing from poor kids' who cannot afford to come out to the trucks to buy their lunches if they have to pay the extra 16 percent," Aigner wrote. "We don't sell meals to kids – we sell to their parents who are interested in supporting their children's schools by buying a meal and adding a little for their PTO."

Aigner said Food Truck Ventures will no longer consider holding fundraisers in Medford.