NFL Quarterback and Brother Sharing God’s Love through Thy Kingdom Crumb
When the Philadelphia Eagles drafted quarterback Carson Wentz in 2016, his brother Zach quit his coaching job, uprooted his family in North Dakota, and trekked 1600 miles to the City of Brotherly Love. There, the Wentz brothers launched Thy Kingdom Crumb (TKC), a ministry of Carson’s Audience of One Foundation (AO1). TKC is a mobile food truck that provides free, high-quality meals in food desert areas.
“Food is connected to almost every memory and moment in our lives. There are many Biblical references of God using food to physically nourish and bless people, whether it’s feeding the 5,000 or the woman at the well,” explained Zach, executive director of AO1. “We want to follow God’s example by using food to break down barriers. By using the platform that God has given Carson, we wanted people in underserved areas to tangibly experience the unconditional love of God by meeting their basic needs.”
Recognizing TKC’s catalytic potential and Zach’s commitment to uplifting his community, We Raise Foundation invested in the ministry with a $15,000 Emerging Leader grant earlier this year. A portion of the two-year grant will allow Zach to tap into leadership growth opportunities and resources to strengthen TKC’s effectiveness and maximize capacity building.
“It’s encouraging to meet others who have a heart for ministry and spreading the Gospel. The We Raise grant will help us meet people where they are and infuse hope into at-risk neighborhoods,” 34-year-old Zach said.
In 2021, AO1 relocated and expanded TKC’s reach when Carson joined the Indianapolis Colts. Instead of the midnight green used in Philadelphia, the new 26-foot food truck in Indy is outfitted in bright blue. It is equipped with a custom kitchen and a professionally trained chef who creates a diverse menu of seasonal items. TKC has also hosted cooking classes and delivered meals when the food truck couldn’t be mobilized.
Since its inception, TKC has served over 100,000 meals and distributed thousands of Biblical resources. Volunteers are present at every pop-up location to greet, pray, encourage, and connect those they serve to local organizations, churches, and resources while sharing the gospel. It’s not unusual to spot both the Wentz brothers and their wives chopping up vegetables, serving at the window, striking up conversations with people in the food line, or cleaning up after each event.
“We knew we wanted to start a food truck in Indianapolis the moment we moved here. Over the past few years, we’ve had more and more confirmation that this is needed throughout the city. There are so many at-risk individuals in the city that are overlooked or forgotten,” Carson said. “If we can help reduce hunger and be a conduit to connect people to other local organizations that can bring holistic health, we are winning!”
Part of their winning game plan includes teaming up with local organizations and developing meaningful relationships to identify communities most in need. In 2023, TKC hosted 68 outreaches and served 11,200 meals. One of those outreaches was in the Greenwood, a southside Indianapolis suburb devastated by a June tornado. More than 70 outreaches are scheduled for 2024. With the help of the We Raise grant, TKC plans to ramp up to 90 outreaches and serve 11,500 meals in 2025.
Although Carson is now donning a Kansas City Chiefs jersey, he said TKC is committed to serving Indianapolis and is thankful to align with like-minded organizations like We Raise. Carson added, “This partnership confirms our belief that what we are doing is impactful and making a difference in the lives of the people we serve. We know that we are just getting started in the city of Indianapolis, and more and more life change is coming!”
Your visionary support of We Raise empowers Thy Kingdom Crumb to fulfill the command to love God and their neighbors by feeding the hungry spiritually and physically while interrupting the cycle of poverty and inequality.