The United Meals Financial institution of Plant Metropolis hopes to construct a bigger facility on its current property to satisfy rising demand for meals.
For 32 years, United Meals Financial institution of Plant Metropolis (UFBPC), positioned at 702 East Alsobrook Road, has been serving meals to people and households dealing with meals insecurity. In recent times the meals financial institution has greater than tripled the variety of individuals it serves. In 2021-2022 it served 16,880 people and distributed greater than 2.7 million kilos of meals.
Because it strives to satisfy the ever-growing meals wants of the neighborhood, it’s grow to be clear that it’s 10,021-square-foot area located in a one-story procuring complicated is insufficient to accommodate the massive amount of meals that passes by means of its doorways every day. The group cobbled collectively rented, refrigerated storage models behind the constructing to extend its footprint however different logistical constraints, together with the absence of a loading dock, necessitate the development of a bigger constructing.
“We’re going to double our inhabitants inside 20 years so we’d like an area that can facilitate the rising wants of our neighborhood,” stated UFBPC Govt Director Mary Heysek.
An formidable $5 million capital marketing campaign has been introduced to make the imaginative and prescient of a brand new constructing a actuality. It’s already off to an excellent begin with greater than $1.6 million raised because of the generosity of native companies and donors, together with $300,000 from the Florida Home of Representatives by means of a Native Assist Grant by way of Consultant Lawrence McClure, $200,000 by means of a Hillsborough County Authorities capital funding grant by way of Commissioner Stacy White and $50,000 from the Florida Strawberry Pageant with help from Paul Davis and his crew.
Heysek hopes to interrupt floor on the brand new headquarters, which might be positioned on its current land that it owns, by summer season 2023 with completion in Jan. 2024. Plans for the brand new construction embody a 16-foot ceiling top for stacking pallets, a 3,547 square-foot workplace area, a 1,847 square-foot sorting/children room and bigger warehouse storage, one-to-one shopper consumption stations classroom area for group instruction (monetary and well being literacy) and an indication kitchen for wholesome, reasonably priced, multi-cultural cooking instruction.
The brand new constructing might be extra energy-efficient as a result of elimination of the refrigerated pods, improved HVAC, LED lighting and higher-grade insulation. “We’re assured we’ll have the ability to construct a facility that can serve the wants of this neighborhood for years to come back,” stated Heysek, who’s hoping authorities officers, foundations, native companies, neighborhood teams and people will assist them attain their fundraising purpose.
“That is the place now we have the hope with plenty of religion that the Plant Metropolis neighborhood and past will come ahead to assist us construct a brand new facility that can higher accommodate our low-income residents from 9 communities within the jap portion of Hillsborough County that we serve,” she stated.
To study extra about making a donation to its capital marketing campaign go to www.ufbpc.org or name 813-764-0625.
