You hear it all the time.
For as long as many of us can remember, it seems as though Salem has lived in Portland’s shadow in many ways. We’ve always been on the heels of our northern neighbor but now, like a long distance runner who has been pacing themselves, we’re beginning to catch up.
One way Salem is catching up is by hopping on the food truck bandwagon that Portland has been driving for years now. These mobile restaurants have been popping up left and right in our humble city and residents have welcomed them with open arms. Authentic tacos? Yum! Classic barbecue? Yes, please! Gourmet sandwiches and salads that come from a truck that is changing the lives of its employees for the better? Absolutely! Wait, what?
That’s right. While Bridgeway Recovery Services has always been in the recovery business, we’re now in the food business as well. We bought a food truck called The Rolling Bridgeway Café and we’re using it to change lives. The goal of our food truck is to hire people in recovery from chemical dependency and mental health struggles. Often when people in recovery don’t have steady, safe, and secure employment, they are more likely to relapse. But we think those who are trying to get their lives back on track deserve the chance to be successful. On the food truck they’ll gain applicable job skills that can be transferred to other employment opportunities.
However, we’re tackling more than unemployment and relapses with this unique job model—we’re combatting the stigma attached to addiction and mental illness as well. In our society, those who have struggled with these very common problems still get ostracized and blamed.
“There shouldn’t be any stigma around recovery,” said John Simmons, Culinary and Facilities Manager at Bridgeway. “Second chances are what Bridgeway is about. We do it every day.” By employing those in recovery, we hope people will see that those working on the Rolling Bridgeway Café are just as capable, responsible, and deserving of respect as anyone else in the community. We encourage those interested in cooking and serving delicious, high quality food in a fun environment to apply. Current job opportunities can be found at www.bridgewayrecovery.com/careers.
Speaking of delicious, high quality food, the Rolling Bridgeway Café serves up some of the tastiest food in town. Currently, our menu consists of sandwiches such as the Bridgeway Barbecue Brisket; a hearty pile of smoked brisket, peach coleslaw, grilled red onions, and horseradish aioli all enveloped in a baguette; and salads like the Sweet and Smoky Chicken Salad: chopped kale and mixed greens tossed with tomatoes, fresh chives, and candied pecans in a house pickled ginger vinaigrette, topped with grilled, smoked chicken breast. “We have fresh ingredients and create flavors that you won’t find anywhere else,” said Simmons.
And where can people find our truck to taste these flavors? The location of our truck changes weekly and the best way for people to find us is by following us on Facebook and Instagram: @rollingbridgewaycafe.
By giving those in recovery a job on The Rolling Bridgeway Café, we hope to increase their chances of a successful recovery and reduce the stigma attached to chemical dependency and mental health struggles. And while a health care organization with a food truck may be unusual, we like to push boundaries. After all, going out on a limb is how you reach the fruit, er, sandwich.
