The Coastal Bend Food Bank is steadily advancing the construction of its latest facility, which it anticipates completing soon.
According to the directors of this non-profit organization, the project has been in the works for several years. However, the urgency to expand became evident during the pandemic when the demand for their services increased substantially.
James Burnett, the Director of Operations, expressed how the COVID-19 crisis highlighted the need for more space to accommodate the growing volume of donations. The existing facilities lacked sufficient room, resulting in the need to pay for off-site storage for frozen and dry products. This realization prompted the decision to construct a new facility.
Groundbreaking for the construction commenced in April 2022, with the project costing nearly $30 million and covering an impressive 108,000 square feet. This new building will be five times larger than the current one situated at 826 Krill Street.
The primary objective of this expansion was to create ample storage space, particularly for nutritious perishable items. With the current building’s limitations, they ensured that the new facility would have sufficient room to store an abundant supply of food for the next 15 years or so.
Beyond increased storage capacity, the Coastal Bend Food Bank plans to leverage the new space to enhance its nutrition education and outreach programs.
The address of the upcoming facility will be 5442 Bear Lane. They expect to conclude construction by the end of September and schedule operations to commence in the first week of October.
For those interested in getting involved, whether through volunteering, donating, or seeking assistance, additional information is available on their website.