County backs Whitehall food-truck festival as workforce and wellness hub with $175,000 grant

The Board of Commissioners on June 17 approved a $175,000 grant agreement with the City of Whitehall to support the 2025 Food Truck & Fun Fest, which county staff presented as a workforce and wellness pavilion connecting attendees with employers, health services and small-business opportunities.

Perla Martinez, administrator for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, said the festival — established in 2013 and projected to attract more than 25,000 attendees — will include a Workforce and Wellness Pavilion to connect residents to employers and career-training resources. "Through the Workforce And Wellness Pavilion, the festival will provide attendees with direct access to employers and connections to career training and upskilling programs," Martinez said.

Diana Hannah, executive assistant to the mayor of Whitehall, told the board that last year the pavilion connected attendees with more than 26 employers and six wellness partners and that roughly 42% of those screened for employment received job offers. She urged continued county support, noting the city’s high poverty rates and the event’s role in connecting residents to living-wage jobs and health services.

Board discussion focused on logistics and whether the funding would be used for job-fair operations (tents, tables, security, advertising and staffing); city staff explained costs are mostly logistical as the event moves to a larger park.

What’s next

The city will proceed with event logistics and workforce programming, and county staff will finalize the grant agreement and disbursement schedule.