Grand Crossing church says they paid more than $50K for food truck they never received

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Pastor John Hannah of The New Life Covenant Southeast Church was ready to fulfill the congregation's goal of addressing hunger in Chicago.

"We were prepared to feed the hungry," Hannah said. "Let's go around the city of Chicago and find where people are hungry. Make sure they get a good meal."

Pastor Hannah's congregation raised more than $50,000 to buy the food truck and paid hundreds of dollars in extra fees for food, volunteer training and legal fees.

"The bill just goes on and on," Hannah said.

Hannah told ABC7 the truck was purchased from a business called Rolling Restaurants LLC in Granite City, Ill.

"Everything was in place-- the only thing missing was the truck," Hannah said.

When the congregation applied for a food truck license, the truck did not pass inspection, so they asked the company to make some changes.

The pastor said he never saw the truck or the more than $50,000 again.

"We do not even have the keys. He has everything," Hannah said.

According to court documents, The New Life Covenant Southeast Church filed a claim in Cook County against Rolling Restaurants.

The owner of the company never showed up to court, and the judge ruled in favor of the church.

"But, nevertheless- you can not collect what you do not see," Hannah said.

ABC7 reached out to the owner of the Rolling Restaurants LLC who said, "I've told them several times to come pick up their truck. Then they filed a lawsuit stating I was not willing to return the truck, which was not true. There was a misunderstanding as to what the invoice included and I provided everything per our contract"

"I think that he should refund us. Give us everything back that we lost, and allow us to go and do what we want to do," Hannah said.

The church said they received a call that the food truck with their name on it was spotted around southern Illinois. The church is working to track the truck down.