Second Harvest of the Big Bendis planning to add on to their existing building. The food bank's CEO Monique Ellsworth said during the organization's first ever Hunger Summit conference on Monday, that it has outgrown its current space.
"There's a lot of new food that's going to be coming to this building," said Ellsworth. "We needed the pallet space. We literally didn't have enough room."
The expansion plan calls for a 30,000 square foot facility that can house volunteers, staff, and donations.
North Florida lawmakers Corey Simonand Jason Shoaf helped secure $2 million dollars in state funding for Second Harvest’s new food bank.
“It doesn’t happen without people in this room that are believing in us, that have helped us dream and dream big," said Ellsworth.
The organization has raised $8 million of the $13 million needed for the expansion and Ellsworth says the group is looking for more ways to get the remaining money.
Second Harvest anticipates breaking ground on the new facility by next Spring.