NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee has announced plans to purchase 23.6 acres of land off of Donelson Pike for a new, bigger distribution center.
The new center is expected to double its capacity at the current distribution center off of Great Circle Rd.
The new location is expected to be more than 200,000 square feet. Second Harvest bout the land for about $7 million and will close on the sale at the end of the month.
President and CEO of Second Harvest Middle Tennessee, Nancy Keil, said currently, the food bank is busting at the seams, saving about 48 million pounds of food and providing more than 41 million meals for those facing food insecurity in the area.
"We do not have enough space to store all the food that we have and we know we need more food, so we need much more capacity," said Keil. "We are a logistics and food organization, and if we don't have that capacity, there are a lot of people in our communities, and we have 46 of them, that need nourishment and need food from us, and we need to be able to provide that."
Keil said the new facility will help the food bank improve operations and be more efficient with more space.
The food bank is working on a feasibility study and will begin working with developers on the design of the building. Keil said she hopes the food bank can also use the extra space to partner with more local programs.
You can help Second Harvest continue to feed families and prepare for the expansion by donating.
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Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
