Second Harvest Food Bank’s Greensboro Distribution and Nutrition Education Center to Bring Greater Access to Healthy Foods to Area Communities
Today, April 19, 2021, marked the culmination of a more than year-long project to provide greater access to nutritious food, including abundant fresh produce, for Greensboro residents and others living in five designated counties within Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina’s 18-county service region.
Second Harvest leaders, local elected officials, leaders of the project’s $2.2 million dollar campaign, and campaign contributors and supporters gathered in-person and virtually to commemorate the enthusiastic community commitment that helped bring the Greensboro Distribution and Nutrition Education Center initiative to fruition.
“We are deeply appreciative of the community of individuals, foundations and businesses, that understood the importance of this project and its urgency in face of the ramifications of COVID-19,” said Second Harvest Chief Executive Office Eric Aft. “Making sure that all families can access healthy foods, regardless of their circumstances, is critical not only to the health of individual community members, but our wider community as well. Recovery through the lingering fallout of the pandemic is likely to be especially challenging for families living in lower income households, who already suffer disproportionately from experience diet-related challenges. This satellite is a tremendous resource in our response efforts as well our long-term work in the battle against hunger.”
The Greensboro-based satellite facility of Second Harvest’s main warehouses in Winston-Salem is located at the Renaissance Shops at Phillips Avenue. Food Bank team members have already begun reaching out to nearby neighbors and neighborhoods. The team hopes to gain a greater understanding of neighborhood priorities around food security and health, as well other challenges, and opportunities that Second Harvest may be able to work alongside with them to address.
Jim and Marianne Bennett, Greensboro residents who co-chaired the capital campaign for the Second Harvest Greensboro Distribution and Nutrition Education Center, shared their excitement about the new center.
“We see the tremendous impact Second Harvest has in Guilford County for the more than 100 food assistance programs it partners with in Guilford County,” said Jim Bennett. “As the needs soar in our community, this distribution center in Northeast Greensboro will bring fresh produce and other food sources closer to those who need it. We’re proud to have been a part of the important in initiative.”
This renovated space has is over 10,000 square feet, including 2,200 square feet of freezer/cooler space for the storage of fresh produce, fresh frozen meats, dairy, and other perishable products. The facility will hold and estimated 160,000 pounds of shelf stable/dry storage food items and 68,000 pounds of product requiring cold storage. The facility includes an education and meeting space. Second Harvest Food Bank’s Nutrition Services team will offer a variety of nutrition classes and workshops and will also be working to assist families who are potentially eligible in applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (called Food and Nutrition Services in North Carolina and formerly known as Food Stamps).
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