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Gas for Goodness

Nicole Ebat

OMAHA (KPTM)- We all know it takes more cash these days to get around town. But that hasn't stopped some people from hopping in the car to help needy folks.

And now, those big hearts are being rewarded with a little gas.

"I guess you know, if we don't do it, it goes in the garbage and there's people that can use it and uh it's helping people whether they're low income or homeless or whatever," said Bob Fenner.

Bob Fenner and his wife Elaine go to the grocery store four or five times a week, but they're not there for what's on display: they're shopping for the food on its way to the dumpster.

 "It's going to go in the garbage! So, we have a place for it," said Elaine Fenner. "This is for people that really need to have food on their table immediately, they just don't have anything"

 The couple takes food that's expired or past its "best by" date.

They sort it in their garage and home and prepare it for different homeless shelters, churches and community centers, but there's one catch: they have to take everything.

 "I tried to throw it in the dumpster at Super Saver but they caught me. So I had to take it all, they said ‘Elaine you've got to take it all or none' and I said ok, so we took it all."

A lot of the food is still good, but some of it is slimy, rotted or has mold.

"Some days I truly have to wear gloves because it gets so bad," said Elaine.

Even the bad food isn't wasted. The Fenners put that in a compost pile behind their house.

One day a gift card for $50 in gas showed up at their house.

 For all their work sorting and sifting through putrid produce, someone nominated the couple for the tanks of thanks program run by Cenex.

 "It's to help our communities show the people who do something good—either big or little—it's our way of saying thank you for what you do for you community," said Lezlie Maguire, supervisor for a Cenex gas station.

And when you have to drive around to get the food to the people, even $50 can come in handy.

 "We were just totally amazed by it and it will help a lot too, because um, we have given gas cards ourselves to some of the people that pick up here, especially the Sudanese. We'll fill him up with gas when he comes because he can barely make it home and you know, it's one thing to have the stuff but if you can't get it to people what good is it?" said Elaine.

The couple has been honored for their work before, but they haven't let that go to their heads.

"You know we're just one person doing one thing and you look at the community of Omaha and here and what we're doing is very little really, but I hope to think at least it's helping," said Bob.

 For some people who have food on their table tonight, they know this couple's work is helping—a lot.

If you know somebody who you think deserves some extra special thanks you can visit the tanks of thanks web site.