ROCHELLE — The Rochelle Community Action Network (C.A.N.) will host its annual Food Truck Fair on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held at the downtown gazebo, located at 400 N. Main St. in Rochelle.
The Food Truck Fair will be a grab-and-go event this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Three food trucks will be present including Ralfie’s BBQ, Tacos al Pastor #1 and Big D’s Hot Dogs. Each vendor will donate $100 to C.A.N. to support its various programs.
“Guests can pick up one or several to-go lunches,” said Michelle Pease, community development director for the City of Rochelle. “This is an annual fundraiser for the Rochelle Community Action Network, which provides the annual holiday shopping trip for low-income Rochelle children, as well as the backpack program for Rochelle children and the coat drive.”

The Food Truck Fair raises funds for several C.A.N. programs including the annual holiday shopping trip, which matches adult shoppers with low-income children in Rochelle. Normally, the Lee Ogle Transportation System shuttles the shoppers from First Presbyterian Church to the Rochelle Walmart, with each shopping pair receiving gift cards and a list of items.
Each child also typically receives one toy, with many additional toys being donated through the Hub City Cruisers. Pease said the event will be run differently this year due to COVID-19, with children and parents meeting C.A.N. members at Walmart before entering the store.
Two more events made possible with the help of funds from the Food Truck Fair are the annual backpack program and coat drive. The backpacks, which are filled with a variety of school supplies and additional essentials each spring, are given to Rochelle children during registration before the upcoming school year. The coat drive, which takes place each winter, provides children with clothing such as coats, mittens, gloves, scarfs and more.
“The fair is a great way to get those food truck vendors out there and provide a safe way for people to get out of the house and grab a meal,” Pease said. “It’s also a great way to raise funds for C.A.N. and the events C.A.N. provides for the City of Rochelle… We could potentially have kids in our community who have the opportunity to go Christmas shopping, receive a backpack and a winter coat. That way, we can help our kids have a really good year.”