WASHINGTON, July 30, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Capital Area Food Bank is responding to the growing hunger crisis facing the Washington metro area by moving to a larger, newly-constructedfood distribution center in Northeast DC that will enable it to double its food storage and distribution capacity over time and foster healthy eating. The food bank opens its new Northeast Washington facility today.
Lynn Brantley, CAFB's President and CEO, said, " Despite the fact that we are distributing 33 million pounds of food annually – half of which is fresh produce – we are not able to meet the growing demand. Poverty is on the rise in our region and nationally. The middle class is under stress and many people who have never needed emergency food services find themselves at the doors of neighborhood food pantries which depend on the Capital Area Food Bank for food and household items."
The new $37 million food distribution center, which is fully paid for, is located at 4900 Puerto Rico Avenue, NE near the food bank's former location for 21 years on Taylor Street, NE. Brantley added, "Since our founding 32 years ago as a temporary hunger relief operation, we are dismayed to watch the need grow. We had hoped to see poverty and hunger
diminish, but today more than 680,000 individuals, including 200,000 children, in the Washington metro area look to us for help. We are currently only able to meet the needs
of 75 percent of those going without one or more meals a day."
Due to the uncertain economy and the dire situation it has created, the Capital Area Food Bank embarked on a capital campaign five years ago under the leadership of co-chairs
Donald E. Graham, J.W. Marriott Jr., the late Abe Pollin and Bennett Zier. Hilary Salmon, the food bank's director of special projects, played a leading role in the capital campaign
and transition into the new facility.
The campaign concluded in November of 2010 with a capstone grant of $5 million from Mr. and Mrs. William E. Conway Jr. through their charitable trust, The Bedford Falls Foundation.
Christel Hair, the food bank's chief development officer, said, "The food bank will use $500,000 from that grant to match future donations for nutritious food that will stock the new
distribution center."
William Conway, who is the Co-CEO of The Carlyle Group, said, "It's important to celebrate that more people will get the food they need, but it saddens me to see so great a need."
Construction of the new facility began in January of 2011. The architectural firm, Epstein; the general contractor, Turner Construction Company; and development manager,
the Jair Lynch Development Partners; have spent the past year and a half renovating a 23,000 square foot office portion of an existing building and constructing a 100,000 square foot
warehouse named The Bedford Falls Foundation Distribution Center in recognition of the capstone grant.
The Capital Area Food Bank's dietitian, Jodi Balis, said, "The new facility will allow the food bank to renew its commitment to distributing nutritious food and focus on programs that will
showcase how food bank ingredients can be transformed into healthy meals. The new space also provides for commercial and teaching kitchens and classrooms which will be used for
more nutrition education and cooking classes to help those who receive food learn how to stretch their dollars even farther."
The move will enable the Capital Area Food Bank to continue leading the hunger relief effort in the Washington metro area. For example, the new facility will be the size of two football
fields, twice the size of the former warehouse. Increased refrigerator and freezer capacity will enable the food bank to provide more nutritious fruits and vegetables, as well.
Special features and fixtures such as energy efficient lighting, low-flow faucets, and solar panels, donated by BP, will result in over $70,000 in energy cost savings per year, thus providing
a bigger return to the community.
There will be room to increase the food bank's volunteer base – currently more than 15,000 annually – so they will be able to sort food into small containers for more convenient client
distribution.
Brantley said, "Our partnership with the community over the years has been central to our role in educating, empowering and enlightening our neighbors about the issues of hunger
and nutrition. The community's continued support of the Capital Area Food Bank will go far beyond the doors of the new and improved facility as we stand behind our mission to serve
others 'til no one is hungry."
The Capital Area Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, was founded on January 15, 1980 on Martin Luther King's birthday and takes a comprehensive approach to addressing
hunger by increasing access to nutritious food, initiating change through skill-building and advocacy, and creating sustainability with outreach and training for those at risk of hunger.
The CAFB is the Washington metro area's largest nonprofit food and nutrition education resource. To learn more about the new food distribution center,
go to http://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/
What: Capital Area Food Bank is moving to new food distribution center at 4900 Puerto Rico Ave. NE, near current facility on Taylor Street, NE
Featuring
- $37 million new facility
- 123,000 square feet enabling CAFB to double its storage and distribution over time
- Commercial and teaching kitchens providing more nutrition education and cooking classes
- Energy efficient lighting, low-flow faucets and solar panels donated by BP for $70,000 in energy cost savings per year
- Architectural firm is Epstein
- General Contractor is Turner Construction Company
- Development manager is the Jair Lynch Development Partners
When: Thursday, July 26 – Saturday, July 28, 2012;
Will open for business, Tuesday, July 31
Where: 4900 Puerto Rico Ave, NE Washington, DC 20017-2063
Why: Washington metro area is facing a growing hunger crisis. More than 680,000 area residents, including 200,00 children, are facing persistent hunger and malnutrition, a 25 percent increase since 2006. The CAFB provides individuals and families with nutrition education and outreach programs designed to address the root cause of hunger.
The Capital Area Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, was founded on January 15, Martin Luther King's birthday, in 1980 and takes a comprehensive approach to addressing hunger by increasing access to nutritious food, initiating change through skill-building and advocacy, and creating sustainability with outreach and training for those at risk of hunger. The CAFB is the Washington metro area's largest public, nonprofit food and nutrition education resource To learn more about the new food distribution center, go to http://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/
WE'RE MOVING
Effective July 31, the Capital Area Food Bank will be open for business in its new food distribution center located at 4900 Puerto Rico Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20017. During the move beginning on July 25, the best way to reach me is by email.