Columbia Food Bank Philanthropy Manager Silvan Shawe and project superintendent Francisco Flores-Sanchez with O’Neil Construction stand outside of the warehouse that will become the new community food center.
Columbia Food Bank Philanthropy Manager Silvan Shawe and project superintendent Francisco Flores-Sanchez with O’Neil Construction stand outside of the warehouse that will become the new community food center.
Columbia Gorge Food Bank (CGFB) has officially broken ground on their new warehouse and Community Food Center on the Port in The Dalles, marking the start of a project that will serve as a central hub for anti-hunger efforts across Hood River, Wasco and Sherman counties.
The current CGFB headquarters is 2,000 square feet and serves as a distribution hub providing free food through nearly 40 community partners. The new space will be more than 11,000 square feet, over five times the size of their current warehouse. In fact, the cold storage alone will be nearly 2,000 feet, allowing the food bank to provide more fresh food to local families and throughout the Oregon Food Bank’s statewide network.
“Until now, this has been one of the most underserved regions in Oregon — and at the outset of the pandemic, there were parts of this region that received no service whatsoever,” CGFB Manager Sharon Thornberry said. “With this new building and resource for the community, we are doing something that not only sets us up to expand food assistance now, but also builds long-term food security for the whole region.”
This expansion of access to free, nutritious food and broader anti-hunger efforts comes at a critical time for local families as food prices are rising and cost of living is increasing.
“We’re seeing more and more families seeking food assistance for the first time, with rising costs of food, fuel and housing”, CGFB Philanthropy Manager Silvan Shawe said. In the last year, food prices have increased more than 10%, fuel prices have increased 45% and the cost of housing has risen dramatically, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
However, despite all they already do, the new space will allow them to do even more. This new headquarters, located just down the street from their current warehouse, will be more than just a place to store and sort food.
The CGFB Community Food Center will also be the new home of Windy River Gleaners, who will operate their food pantry out of the space, The Dalles Community Backpack Program, and boasts a learning kitchen and room for workshops, classes, and volunteer events. The hope is that it can become a place for the community to gather, learn, and share food.
“We’re not just building a warehouse,” Shawe said. “We’re building a true community food center.”
The goal is for the facility to be finished and open in November, in time for the holidays, one of the food bank’s busiest times of year.
Though the food bank has received grants and donations for the new space, they’re still working on funding the approximately $3.5 million project.
The Columbia Gorge Food Bank is seeking volunteers and donations for the new warehouse Community Food Center. Those interested in getting involved or learning more can visit columbiagorgefoodbank.org, email gorge@oregonfoodbank.org, or call 541-370-2333. Donations can also be mailed to CGFB at P.O. Box 2313 in The Dalles.
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