Regional Food Bank cut the ribbon on a newly constructed 50,000-square-foot distribution center in Montgomery, New York, on Dec. 4 to boost its service in the Hudson Valley region.
With expanded cold storage and sorting spaces, the facility will bump up the food bank’s reach in the six-county region to nearly 180,000 people.
Tom Nardacci, CEO of Regional Food Bank, said at the grand opening ceremony that the need for food bank services has steadily risen following a brief dip after the pandemic year.
Last year, the food bank distributed close to 48 million pounds of meals through more than 1,000 food pantry partners across 23 New York counties.
In the food bank’s latest annual report, Nardacci linked the growing need to post-pandemic challenges such as high costs of living, underemployment, and inflation.
Funding for the new facility comes from a special $10.7 million community development block grant addressing pandemic-related challenges under the state agency of Homes and Community Renewal, $9 million in private donations, a $3.7 million capital grant recommended by the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council, and $1.9 million from the food bank.
“This brand-new facility will better ensure families and communities in the Hudson Valley have reliable access to fresh and nutritious food,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
RuthAnne Visnauskas, state Housing and Community Renewal commissioner, spoke at the grand opening ceremony.
“We all believe our families should not make decisions between paying rent or putting food on the table,” she said. “No seniors should choose between paying for medications and meals—this is why the project is so important.”
Empire State Development Commissioner Hope Knight said in a statement, “The new Hudson Valley distribution center reflects our continued support for strategic community development investments, which help to create jobs and generate regional economic growth.”
Much of the construction work has been carried out by local labor in the Hudson Valley.
At the grand opening ceremony, Nardacci also thanked supportive state representatives, local officials in the town of Montgomery, and current and past food bank board members and CEOs.
They included his immediate predecessor, Molly Nicol, whom he called the driving force behind the new facility, and longtime former food bank CEO Mark Quandt, who guided the organization’s development for 38 years through innovative programs and partnerships.
Students form a major beneficiary group of the food bank services. Sandra Gerry, the founding chair of Sullivan 180, which partners with the food bank in school-based pantries and backpack programs, said the effort is about not only feeding but also nourishing the next generation.
“We want to educate and empower our children to make healthier choices,” Gerry said at the grand opening ceremony. “‘You either pay a farmer now or a pharmacy later.’”
