Most Jeep enthusiasts are known for their love of off-road trails. But sometimes the best trail isn't one ridden for fun, it is one taken to help those less fortunate......
by Matt Konkle
Quadratec Channel Editor
PHILADELPHIA — HEATHER STEINBERG KNOWS all about hunger. About how, all too often, there is more month left over than money. About fearing the holiday season, cold nights, empty cupboards.
And depression.
She has seen both sides, Steinberg has, of hunger. In 2007, she attended her first Preston and Steve Camp Out For Hunger event in Philadelphia, which is a prominent week long food drive that collects all kinds of canned goods to help the less fortunate.
Steinberg was a donor that year, happily employed and finding her way along in life. She brought 96 pounds of food to drop off and remembers leaving proud to have done her part.
“The atmosphere and overall feel of the event makes you leave feeling great and that your problems are so miniscule compared to what others are going through,” Steinberg said about that day.
Less than one year later she lost her job.
Two years later, with unemployment running out, cupboards empty and depression setting it, she set aside her fear about asking for help and called Philabundance—the Delaware Valley region’s largest hunger relief organization. Camp Out For Hunger accounts for more than half of Philabundance’s food drive donations each year and Steinberg wanted to know if they could help her get through a tough time.
“I found a food pantry after making contact with someone at Philabundance,” Steinberg said. “They told me that there's a church on Tyson Avenue in Northeast Philly and I put my pride aside and headed to the church. Even being there, I knew there were people in a worse situation than I was in and it definitely puts things into perspective. The people at the church were friendly and urged me to take what I needed. I left there with bread, vegetables, and canned goods. I made those last.”
“Philabundance was there to help. I never felt like I was looked down upon due to my situation. They care and they want to help. People need to let them help!”
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THE WEEK-LONG Camp Out For Hunger food drive gets a lot of play on WMMR, one of the city’s most prominent radio stations and employer of top-rated morning drive hosts Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison.
The duo co-host the event, and often refer to it as the biggest of their 'event' year, and arguably most important. Their entire morning show spends the week 'camping' out at the Xfinity Live drop off location in South Philadelphia, while broadcating their show each morning. Over its 19-year run, Elliot and Morrison have also watched Camp Out For Hunger morph from some small gathering in a suburban Philadelphia parking lot, to the country's biggest single-location food drive. This year, a record setting 1,367,384 pounds of food were donated from November 28-December 2. In other words, that means 1,367,384 meals for families, seniors and children in need around the Delaware Valley.
The week is normally filled with all kinds of entertainment for those who come down to the Xfinity Live Complex to drop off food donations. There are midway rides and games, free concerts, comedy shows, live radio broadcasts, and free breakfast, lunch and dinner for all who donate.
Dozens and dozens of yellow-coated volunteers also flit around the drop off site, rain or shine, helping direct traffic and also to drain food out of cars and into boxes that are weighed, then put away into tractor-trailers. At the end of the week, those who have the biggest donation totals (individual and corporate) win prizes.
In times past, the vast majority of individual donations were just that – individuals or families who piled food into their vehicles to drop off. But all that changed a few years ago. And in the process, helped not only grow the event’s overall food total, but helped the needy all over the region.
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PAUL JAXON IS the afternoon radio personality at WMMR. And one thing you learn right after meeting him is that the man loves helping others. No matter if it is local Philadelphia musicians through his Jaxon’s Local Shots program, or area Jeep enthusiasts through Jaxon’s Jeep Club. He even co-owns a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu business where he helps others learn the art of self-defense, get into shape and have fun.
He knows all about Camp Out For Hunger, and has supported the event ever since arriving at the station in 2004. Each year, he would see Jeeps filter through the drop off line here and there donating food and he would smile and wave, happy to see his 4-wheel drive vehicle of choice contribute. Then, two years ago, he saw something different as Porsche after Porsche began staging for a food drop off – all members of the eastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Porsche Club of America. All together, the group combined to donate 7,400 pounds of food that day through its 108-car convoy.
And an idea formed. What if area Jeep enthusiasts could band together to do the same thing? Surely the larger Jeep vehicles could carry more food, right?
Cue the light bulb.
“As you know, the Jeep community is a very tight knit group and if you tell them there is a way to help out their neighbors or any kind of public service, they come out in force,” Jaxon said.
So last year Jaxon, Quadratec, and many Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware area Jeep lovers put together a caravan to drop off much needed food. But to add a bit of spice to the mix, they also challenged that same Porsche club to see who could show up with the most food.
Overall, 129 Jeeps showed up on a cold and rainy December 2015 Wednesday night to donate over 12,000 pounds of food. A great total which far surpassed Porsche’s 2014 output. Unfortunately for the Jeep side, the Porsche club also far surpassed its 2014 total and rolled in with 180 cars and 17,000 pounds of food.
“Together we raised over 14 tons of food,” Jaxon said after that 2015 caravan. “No losers in this, just awesome people helping out the less fortunate. I have no doubt that (in 2016) we will absolutely crush these numbers.”
Quadratec, Jaxon, and the area Jeep community soon began the quest to do just that, and Quadratec put the word out it would accept canned food donations throughout the year at its monthly Jeeps and Java get-together events.
“It was a simple thing, really, to set up and get going,” said Quadratec’s Tony Innaurato. “We put the Camp Out logo on a Gaylord box front and center and offered raffle tickets in return for a canned good donation from anyone who wanted to help.”
“As the events took off in popularity this year, so did the food donations.”
Others did similar things throughout the spring and summer, and as the calendar turned into November, Quadratec found itself with about 1,000 pounds of canned food thanks to customer contributions. The company matched those donations, loaded up several Jeeps with bags and bags of food, and set off for the 2016 Camp Out For Hunger with just over 2,000 pounds of food.
But the entire ride down to Xfinity Live, everyone was wondering the same thing: Would the food be enough to give the Jeep side some bragging rights over that Porsche club this year?
“I had no idea,” said Quadratec’s Cory Cole who, along with Innaurato, helped coordinate the company’s Jeeps and Java collection. “Hopeful is a good word, but none of us really knew for sure.”
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ONE IN FOUR Philadelphians live at or below the poverty line, according to statistics from Philabundance. The federal government defines that line as an annual income of $24,300 for a family of four—far below a living wage just about anywhere, let alone in a major metropolitan area.
Twelve percent of the city’s population—somewhere around 183,000 people, according to 2013 census data—live in deep poverty, which is defined as income at 50 percent of the poverty level or less. That means just $12,150 to provide food, clothing and housing for a family of four.
But what is even worse, if that is possible, Steinberg said, is many of these same people refuse to ask for help because of pride, or the stigma attached.
“There's definitely a stigma surrounding anyone who gets free food, welfare, or food stamps,” she said. “The looks from other people, the judgment, and then the guilt that you feel because you are reaching out for help. Well, ya know what? The help is there for a reason - because people need it. I needed it. You might need it. Your friends might need it.”
“People need to realize that the help is there. Do not feel like you are less significant because you are still working, and still have a paycheck every week or every other week. Things happen in our lives that are beyond our control. Deaths in the family, illnesses, an injury, or an accident. Philabundance is not just there to help those who are homeless or in a shelter. They are there to help everyone.”
Preston and Steve’s Camp Out For Hunger certainly plays a huge part in that help, with millions of pounds of food donated to Philabundance since the event first started in 1998.
“It’s a really good cause, one we knew people would rally around,” Elliot said during an interview with Philadelphia Style. “Asking for money for research is not as kinetic. This is a basic thing—you just hand it over.”
And people have for years and years. Sometimes maybe it is just a few cans, or a bag – whatever someone can afford. Other times it can be a Jeep fully stocked with hundreds of pounds of food. It all adds up, it all matters for Camp Out For Hunger and Philabundance.
“You may have been the one who brought a bag of food to donate, and thought it really didn’t matter,” Morrison said Tuesday while announcing the 2016 food drive totals. “But it does matter. It all matters – and it especially matters to the family who will be helped by that donation.”
Said Steinberg, “The following years (after Philabunance helped), while still struggling financially – even if I could donate a huge tub of peanut butter or 10 cans of tuna, I knew it would help someone else.”
Following food drives such as Camp Out For Hunger, Philabundance takes the donated food to its various warehouses, where it is sorted, labeled, and stored for repacking. The organization then identifies where the food is needed most, and distributes it through member agencies such as food pantries, shelters, and emergency kitchens. Overall, Philabundance distributed more than 30 million pounds of food last year.
“Philabundance is extremely grateful to 93.3 WMMR’s Preston & Steve for generously hosting Camp Out for Hunger for 19 years in a row, and to its volunteers and donors, like Jaxon’s Jeep Club and the Porsche Club,” said Glenn Bergman, Executive Director of Philabundance. “With their collective support, we’re able to provide more than 1.36 million meals to our hungry neighbors this year.”
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ALL KINDS OF Jeeps started rolling into the spacious ‘S’ Lot next to Citizen’s Bank Park on Wednesday afternoon November 30th. Rain welcomed the vehicles into the lot, again, just as it did last year, although this time it was a manageable misty rain for those who gathered around their Jeeps to talk.
Many tuned their radios to WMMR and listened as Jaxon talked on air about his excitement for the night’s Jeep caravan food drop.
“The S lot over there is filling up with great Jeeps,” he said. “It’s going to be a great night.” The crowd, growing by the Jeep each minute, cheered.
As late afternoon changed into evening, just about all breeds looked to be represented in the lot: CJs, Wranglers, Cherokees, Grand Cherokees, Renegades, a Liberty, Grand Wagoneer, and even two J10 trucks. There were also stickers everywhere on the vehicles advertising many area Jeep clubs like 215 Jeep, Delaware State Jeep Association, Wicked Jeeps, Garden State, Nomad, and Jaxon’s Jeep Club. Some even had wreaths over their grille and lights to celebrate the holiday season.
NBC’s local network affiliate also set up in the lot, ironically in their News Force 10 Jeep, which is a retrofitted Willys JK Wrangler. Reporter Tim Furlong, himself a Jeep enthusiast, talked about how the Jeep community pulled together, loaded up their Jeeps with food, and were all out in the parking lot ready for the caravan to help feed their neighbors. He implored all those watching, no matter what type of Jeep they drove, to come down and participate.
Samantha Bell nodded in agreement and watched as Furlong’s cameraman panned through the crowd before signing off. Her Wrangler JK Unlimited was packed with over 300 pounds of food, which she said actually made her vehicle level for the first time she could remember.
“A year ago, I found myself with the opportunity to own a vehicle I have lusted after for 20 years,” Bell said. “And in the last year, I have met people who have dropped everything to help me after a rough day wheeling, I have escorted a fallen soldier home to his family, and collectively with my jeep family, we came together tonight to help feed the great people supported by Philabundance.”
“I work a second job to support my Jeep habit, and made a deal with the Universe that whatever I made the Saturday before campout, was my budget for food. Thankfully it was a great day money-wise. Even better though, I lost track at the grocery store and Philabundance got a little extra.”
“This community, who you are, where you are from, how much you make, none of it matters. A call goes out, regardless of competition, regardless of gain, we come together and get it done.”
At 7:30 PM, the call came down for the announced 142 Jeeps in attendance to get it done. However, there was one hitch remaining.
Water.
Specifically, water on the basketball court that forced the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers to cancel its scheduled basketball game, and sending thousands of fans out the door to flood area streets.
So the 142 Jeeps lined up in caravan formation halted, waited for the throngs to clear, then restarted about 30 minutes later. So did the rain too, heavier now as Jeep after Jeep filtered through the drop off line. The process took nearly an hour, and many Jeep owners blew horns or saluted Jaxon – who stood in the rain and watched nearly the entire time – as they left the line.
“A torrential rain,” Morrison would say the next morning on the radio. “But the Jeeps kept coming and coming. It was a testament to them and to all the volunteers who battled through the rain and got all that food unloaded. It was awesome.”
When the last Jeep owner waved and sped off down 11th Street, attention then turned to the Porsche club which had been massing behind a fire truck escort to begin their drop off. First in line, though, was a Dodge Ram crew cab 3500. Its body was compressed low and just cleared the wheel wells.
“That doesn’t look like a Porsche,” Cole said.
“And it definitely looks pretty full,” someone else added.
Turns out, the truck was one of the club’s support vehicles – they had several – and in the end, the Porsche club rolled 185 vehicles (mostly Porsches) through the line and finished with an impressive 19,903 pounds of delivered food.
Jaxon posted the Jeep caravan totals a bit later in the night.
“The good news is between the two clubs we donated 34,258 pounds (over 17 tons) of food this year. The not so good news is Jeeps: 14,355 lbs, Porsche=19,903 lbs. I am incredibly proud of our Jeep community for coming out in full force today! We raised 2000 more pounds than last year! Thanks to each and every one of you. You're all awesome! I'm going to go plot our attack for next year.”
While the competition between clubs was fun and spirited, Jaxon also added one final thought that pretty much summed up everyone's feelings.
“In the end, it is ultimately the community, Philabundance and the less fortunate that benefit.”
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FOR STEINBERG, WHO has helped donate to Philabundance over the years, and has also been helped when in need, she is just happy the organization exists and that so many willingly support its cause.
“I am just grateful that Philabundance is there, and that the Preston & Steve show has put them in the spotlight for the last 19 years. If they can bring awareness that helps just one person, then they have served their purpose.”
