What a generous community! I’m pleased to announce, on behalf of the Capital Campaign Steering Committee and the Food Bank Board of Directors, that we have reached our goal of $10.3 million. This will allow the Food Bank to Raise the Response to Hunger, to construct the new Food Bank building, establish a reserve for startup maintenance and operations expenses and be ready to move in sometime yet this spring. The building is simply the infrastructure that supports the safe storage and distribution of fresh and shelf-stable food, to serve the estimated 57,510 neighbors facing hunger and food insecurity in Lincoln and Southeast Nebraska.
Thanks to all who contributed. We received gifts from more than 1,660 donors, ranging from $5 to more than $1 million. Every gift matters; every donor matters. Combined, the outcome is visible, and people’s lives are changed because of access to healthy food.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
We are projected to move to the new site in late April or early May of 2022.
The new facility is located at 1221 Kingbird Road in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nestled between the Lincoln Airport and the Highlands in northwest Lincoln, the proximity between the new facility and Interstate I-80 will make it easier to efficiently move food in and out of the Scott Young Hunger Solutions Center and into our 16-county service area. Access to arterial roads in Lincoln will improve travel for guests, partner agencies and community members visiting the site.
Scroll through the image gallery on the right to view the construction progress!
Connect More People to MealsThe estimated meal gap in Southeast Nebraska is 9.6 million meals. The new Scott Young Hunger Solutions Center and enhanced transportation logistics will connect more people to more food.
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 includes more space for educational opportunities.
We are always exploring ways to improve the volunteer experience and space has a lot to do with that. In our current facility, volunteers are in high traffic areas. While we want volunteers to feel part of the action, we also want to ensure their work area is safe. We have designed a layout for the new facility that will allow volunteers to perform meaningful, productive work alongside Food Bank staff, without having to navigate high traffic areas unnecessarily. We will have designated spaces for administrative volunteers, while the volunteer workspace in the Scott Young Hunger Solutions Center will be centrally located between offices and product racking, so those volunteers can easily access all elements needed for a successful experience.
The new facility is being constructed with growth in mind. A larger space will help improve the capacity we have for accepting food, especially as this build includes an expanded refrigeration system. To the benefit of those we serve, a larger cooler and freezer space will allow us to receive and distribute increased amounts of healthy, perishable food options.
What folks might not see right away are the energy efficiencies that have been incorporated. LED lighting will run throughout the facility, with many locations programmed to an energy saving mode for when activity is not detected in an area. Additionally, there are skylights positioned in the Scott Young Hunger Solutions Center to increase natural lighting and offset the amount of artificial light needed for that space. We are also featuring more natural light in the office space and selected tinted glass for the large windows to decrease the amount of heat absorbed by the building.
While our team has worked to make the best of our current situation, there is no denying the excitement we share as we look forward to occupying the same building. The change in layout will have a positive impact on communication and operational efficiencies, primarily as a major timesaver, improving everything from running product inventories to receiving and loading product from trucks. We anticipate an overall boost to morale and team dynamics as a result of this upgrade.
Establish an inspiring, compassionate learning environment that communicates hospitality to our volunteers, partners, donors and our whole community.
Create an open, collaborative, safe, healthy workspace that features abundant natural light.
Design diverse, functional, sustainable spaces that are well-organized and convey our core value of responsibility.
Food Bank of Lincoln is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.