The Houston Food Bank is expanding its reach in Northwest Houston with a new 310,000-square-foot facility.<\/p>\n
Officials broke ground on the building during a ceremony Sept. 1, marking the latest expansion of the region\u2019s food bank.<\/p>\n
The gist<\/p>\n
The new facility will expand the food bank\u2019s distribution capacity and community engagement, according to a news release.<\/p>\n
HFB President and CEO Brian Greene said the food bank is expected to double its output once the building is open in two years. The increased output is equivalent to an additional $250 million in community resources, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea is we\u2019re going to continue to service the community, have more capacity to distribute significantly more food, but do it in a way that is transformative for neighbors\u2019 lives,\u201d Greene said.<\/p>\n
Located at Hwy. 249 and Ella Boulevard, the building will offer cold storage and disaster response, as well as a federally-qualified health center and full-service recreational facility, according to the news release.<\/p>\n
It will also have a community lobby with a food hall to showcase local vendors, a commercial kitchen and a conference center, according to the release.<\/p>\n
The details<\/p>\n
The 52-acre site, donated by Chevron, is valued at $10 million and will allow the HFB to combat food insecurity on a greater scale. The HFB is a nonprofit, serving 18 counties in southeast Texas and providing food and programs for nutrition education and health management.<\/p>\n