Feeding America Southwest Virginia has announced the final phase of a $1.4 million campaign for the food bank’s new program facility in Northwest Roanoke – the Food Lion Feeds/Feeding America Southwest Virginia Community Solutions Center.
Plans to establish and renovate the Community Solutions Center were announced in May 2017 with $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding from the City of Roanoke and a $350,000 gift and commitment from Food Lion Feeds. In addition, corporations, businesses and individuals have come forward to support the effort. In all, 73 percent of the goal for the $1.4 million project has been reached.
The food bank is now appealing to the public to help close the $350,000 gap. Those remaining funds will provide for the last phase of renovations, culinary student scholarships, equipment, furniture and start-up staffing and program costs.
The Community Solutions Center, a 4,236 square foot building, is located at 2328 Melrose Avenue in Roanoke. When completed it will provide nutritious meals for food-insecure children and adults as well as offer food preparation job training and food safety management certifications for individuals. The Center will also include a full training and production kitchen, offices, a market area, a community room and space for community meetings and Roanoke police outreach programs.
“A kitchen facility to provide fresher, more nutritious meals to our children’s programs has been a dream of ours for a long time,” said Pamela Irvine, Feeding America Southwest Virginia President and CEO. “With the help of our community partners, that dream has expanded to include the many facets that make this a true Community Solutions Center. Renovations on the building are almost complete and we can’t wait to get started with training, meal prep, and community outreach.”
Feeding America Southwest Virginia hopes to secure gifts and funding at all levels to support the Center.
More information may be obtained by contacting Jenny Doud, Vice President of External Affairs at Feeding America Southwest Virginia, [email protected] and (540) 342-3011, ext. 7034.
