Even before the pandemic disproportionately impacted our kids and families and folks who are struggling, Southeast Nebraska’s needs have outgrown our present facility. The pandemic magnified this reality.
We are called to raise our response to hunger.
Together, we will elevate our standards for healthier food distribution. We will connect more people to more meals. We will uphold our efforts to shorten the lines through our agency and school partnerships. We will work to raise awareness and mobilize our community.
There are kids and families, seniors, veterans, people in shelter, those battling addiction, who all need us. Please join us because together we all rise.
We are grateful.
The estimated meal gap in Southeast Nebraska is 9.4 million meals. The new Distribution Center and enhanced transportation logistics will connect more people to more food.
Docks will be added to expedite loading and unloading; and a technology upgrade will be implemented to better accommodate inventory efficiency and ultimately increase deliveries.
According to the USDA, food waste in the U.S. is estimated at 30-40 percent of the food supply. The new Distribution Center will enable us to work with producers and retailers to reduce food waste.
Enhanced and energy-efficient freezer and cooler spaces, with full racking inside, will allow us to accept much larger donations of frozen meat, fresh produce, dairy and eggs—the most nutritious products we distribute.
We believe in the value of shortening food lines through educational programs that encourage stability for individuals and families. The new facility will include more space for educational opportunities.
Our current facility has suffered from inefficient insulation, windows and HVAC. The new facility will focus on a more sustainable and efficient space to learn, volunteer and work.
Two decades ago, people only went to food pantries for short-term, emergency situations. Today, food assistance is essential for many people when there’s more month than money.
When the Food Bank of Lincoln moved into its current facility in 1997, the space seemed large enough for needs far into the future. Ten years later, we had outgrown the space. The hunger to help that mobilized community leaders to launch the Food Bank of Lincoln is the same spirit of service that will lead us to our 40th anniversary and beyond.
There are an estimated 57,510 food-insecure people living in the 16 counties we serve, 16,980 of them are kids under the age of 18. The Food Bank of Lincoln works to alleviate food insecurity in Southeast Nebraska by linking our neighbors who struggle to make ends meet to the generosity of people, like you, who can provide a lift.
Mobile Food DistributionsFree food transported to our neighbors, especially veterans and seniors, facing hunger in Lincoln and rural communities across the 9,300 square miles of Southeast Nebraska.
Schools offer a natural opportunity to provide kids with access to food. Through BackPack Programs, School Food Markets and School Pantry Programs, we connect children and families to meals.
Through a network of 50+ nonprofit and community partners, we connect neighbors to meals. Thanks to our partner agencies, we are able to distribute food free of charge to people in need.
Federal Food ProgramsWe work diligently to manage a portion of these federal food programs: Commodity Supplemental Food Program, Summer Food Service Program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the food stamp program.
Training opportunities like “Bridges Out of Poverty” workshops and “Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’ By World” classes are offered to increase financial and emotional stability for individuals and families.
Over the last five to 10 years, we have put a much greater emphasis on providing more and higher quality protein and fresh produce. This is critically important as we strive to provide fresh, healthy produce to our clients, agencies, and school partners. That focus on our mobile food distributions, along with the launch of the Lincoln Fresh program and expanded services have created an even greater need for additional cooler and freezer space.
We are committed to providing a safer, brighter space in which our dedicated volunteers can work to help us in the pursuit of our mission. We will also build classroom space for our Bridges Out of Poverty Program, and our Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World classes.
The distribution center will have 40,000 square feet including: expanded freezer and cooler space, designated area for agency partners with extended area for loading and unloading, dedicated, climate-controlled space for volunteer food sorting and packing activities.
The new Food Bank, located at 4201 NW 12th Street in Lincoln, Neb., will have expanded indoor and outdoor green space for on-site learning, meetings and events; and updated workspace to accommodate staff growth. We will offer accessible walkways and simple landscaping, including small outdoor greenspace. The total finished space of the new facility, including distribution center and administrative space, will be 60,000 square feet.
Despite consistent years of 9-10 million meals connected, the current space limits our on-site storage capabilities and decreases our overall product movement efficiency.
Our system is 23 years old with notable signs of strain and struggle to keep up with the demand. The typical lifespan on such a system is approximately 25 years.
While the current cooler and freezer space offers a tight 29,755 cu. ft., the new space will provide 76,160 cu. ft. of climate-controlled storage, which includes an additional five feet of storage height throughout.
During the pandemic and other periods of high volume, we have had to rent on-and-off-site cooler space at an average annual expense of $48,408. To that expense, add $276,080 for a three-year lease for dry product storage.
A new facility will eliminate approximately $421,304 in a three-year timeframe required for these additional storage spaces alone.
Retired
Bryan College of Health Sciences
Executive Director, Retired
Food Bank of Lincoln
Co-founder Bailey Lauerman
Food Bank of Lincoln Board Founding Member
CEO/President
Union Bank & Trust
Philanthropist & Community Advocate
CEO/Co-founder
Social Assurance
Retired
Union Bank & Trust
Partner
Cline Williams Law Firm
Vice President
Zelle HR
President and CEO
Food Bank of Lincoln
Development Director
Food Bank of Lincoln
This capital campaign is about much more than “bricks and mortar.” It’s about heart, compassion and our values as a community. It’s about doing our part to help raise one another up. Over the past nearly 40 years, the communities we serve have stepped up time and again, demonstrating they understand this. The work of alleviating hunger continues and the need continues to grow.
The Food Bank of Lincoln is grateful for these community leaders who are committed to Raising Our Response to Hunger.
Zelle HR
Ameritas Life Insurance Corp
Retired
Bryan College of Health Sciences
Labenz & Associates LLC
Lincoln Public Schools
Community Volunteer
Union Bank & Trust
Nebraska Appleseed
NAI FMA Realty
Social Assurance
Cline Williams Law Firm
Van Horn Custom Homes
Reitred
Union Bank & Trust
Community Volunteer Representative
Route Driver & Distribution Center Assistant
Special Events & Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator
Assistant Executive Director
Driver & Distribution Center Assistant
Healthy Food Access Coordinator
Would you like to know more about our new facility and how we are Raising Our Response to Hunger in the 16 Southeast Nebraska counties we serve? Fill out the form below to request a presentation for community, church, social or work groups.
Food Bank of Lincoln is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.