Food bank plans for new warehouse

The Hoosier Hills Food Bank is asking local community members to “lend a hand, buy a foot” as part of a capital-raising campaign to fund the purchase of a new warehouse that would greatly expand the agency’s operations.\nFor $48, donors can sponsor a square foot of the 15,623 square-foot facility, which includes a three-quarter acre lot that will allow for future expansion. With the purchase of the new warehouse expected to be finalized in late July or early August and the hope of moving into the space before the end of the year, Hoosier Hills Food Bank Executive Director Julio Alonso said that time is a critical factor in the fundraising effort.\n“We hope to occupy the new warehouse in time for the Thanksgiving season,” Alonso said. “Many things are falling into place, but we still need to raise substantial funding for some site improvements and to keep our mortgage affordable. We still need to raise $150,000 by the end of July.”\nIn addition to financing the purchase of the new property, Alonso said, that money will fund building improvements including a new dock and walk-in freezer that will contribute to the agency’s ability to continue to increase its service to the community.\nAccording to a press release, Hoosier Hills distributed 2.3 million pounds of food last year, an increase of nearly 700,000 pounds over the previous year – and Alonso said that increased need shows no signs of abating. With its current warehouse often filled to capacity, the agency has been forced to rely on donated, off-site space to receive and store food.\n“Without the donated space, we could never have absorbed a 42 percent increase last year,” Alonso said. “But it’s very inefficient to shuttle food and people between two warehouses and it has been difficult to keep pace with the demand for food without adequate space.”\nAlonso said he hopes the current economic climate doesn’t prevent individuals from donating, and asked people to keep in mind those who are facing difficult decisions about how to spend limited resources.\n“These are difficult times to be expanding and seeking support, but they are even more uncertain for the people who are the end users of our product,” he said. “For those facing a decision between buying food and buying gas to get to work, the service we provide is absolutely critical.”\nAccording to the press release, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, a local food pantry and Hoosier Hills’ largest agency, experienced a nearly 100 percent increase in new clients and a 45 percent increase in the overall number of clients served. \n“Economists and political leaders can debate what to call it,” Alonso said, “but the fact is a lot of people are hurting and we are absolutely committed to ensuring that food is always available for them.”\nFor more information about Hoosier Hills and its program, or to make a donation, visit www.hhfb.org or call 334-8374.