As Iowans struggle with rising grocery costs, the Iowa Food Bank is doubling its warehouse space to meet the growing demand for assistance.
The organization broke ground Tuesday on a 30,000-square-foot addition to its distribution center on East 17th Street in Des Moines, officials said.
Officials said the renovation will allow the group to store and distribute 50% more food.
The Iowa Food Bank distributes 1.5 million pounds of food a month to 700 pantries and feeding sites, and the organization expects that number to grow to 2 million pounds a month in the next few years, said CEO Michelle Book.
The facility has not expanded since the food bank moved in 1999, spokeswoman Annette Hacker said.
The current 50,000-square-foot building was renovated in 2018 to triple its food storage capacity, but officials say it is no longer large enough for the food bank to handle the increase in food insecurity.
More: Hunger in Iowa: How to find help when you need food assistance
“There’s no room at the Iowa food bank,” Book said. “As the need for food aid soars, we can no longer accept cramped space and unreliable external storage.”
According to the release, the additions include more than 12,500 square feet of cold storage, nearly 16,000 square feet of dry storage space, a loading dock, a small inventory office and a parking lot.
The Iowa Food Bank is seeing a record number of people seeking food assistance in the 55 counties they serve, according to the release. In June, the Iowa Food Bank served 135,300 individuals and 48,262 households, marking the largest number of recipients in the organization’s 40-year history.
More: Iowa food pantries are in high demand due to supply chain shortages
$11 million addition funded through grants, donors
The $11 million project will be funded through existing cash reserves and contributions from donors, as well as a $250,000 Prairie Meadows legacy grant, officials said. This may interest you : Tyson Foods makes large food donations for the Longview rescue mission.
“Expanding our distribution center capacity will allow the Iowa Food Bank to accept more donations, purchase more food, increase on-site cold storage and dry storage capacity, and increase efficiency,” Hacker said in an email.
According to the publication, the project should be completed by June 2023.
How to access the food bank
The Iowa Food Bank offers a variety of services to those looking to put food on the table across Iowa, including a mobile pantry program, school-specific pantry programs, and weekend meals for children during the school year. To see also : California Men’s Colony food drive helps those in need – Inside CDCR.
People in need of food assistance can search for food resources in their communities on the Iowa Food Bank website. The 700 pantries and partners served by the Iowa Food Bank all have different eligibility guidelines, Hacker said. The Iowa Food Bank recommends contacting local pantries directly to inquire about eligibility requirements.
Francesca Block is a news reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3.
