Thirty-five new refrigerated cargo trucks will rumble away from Madison's Far East Side Tuesday, bound for 35 food banks across the country to deliver food donated by the world's largest retailer.

Better yet for the food banks, there's no return trip.

As part of a holiday giving campaign, Wal-Mart is filling the trucks with its store brand Great Value products and apples and letting the food banks keep not only the food but the trucks, too.

It's the second year Wal-Mart has spearheaded the program, according to Margaret McKenna, president of Wal-Mart's charitable arm, the Wal-Mart Foundation. Last year, the trucks went out to 20 locations.

"The goal that we've had ... is to increase the amount of protein and vegetables and fruits" going to those in need, she said.

She said Wal-Mart spent about $3 million to buy the trucks, which were manufactured in the Madison area. Wal-Mart is having a send-off event Tuesday at Transport Refrigeration Inc. McKenna said only one of the trucks will be filled with food at that time - the one going to Madison's Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin. The other 34 will be loaded at Wal-Mart facilities in the states where the deliveries will be made.

Second Harvest external relations manager Anna Nelson said it was "great to receive this donation in time for Thanksgiving" and that it will help the agency serve some 400 food pantries. The truck will "enable us to expand the food rescue program" at retailers with food to donate.

In addition to the food and trucks, Wal-Mart is donating $2.2 million to the national Meals on Wheels organization, whose 5,000 member programs across the country provide premade meals to people in need, typically homebound seniors.

Enid Borden, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels, said the money will be used to provide "impact grants" to some of the programs so that they can replace outdated ovens, freezers, delivery vehicles and other equipment.

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