KENT COUNTY, Del.- The Food Bank of Delaware officially broke ground this morning on a new facility in Milford.
The new 67,000-square-foot facility will replace the existing 16,000 square-foot facility on Mattlind Way.
It will include additional volunteer areas, hands on learning spaces, and an accessible fresh produce garden.
Among the legislators and donors at the groundbreaking ceremony was Delaware's First Lady, Tracey Quillen Carney. She said the new facility will transform lives in Kent and Sussex Counties.
"The only thing better would be if we didn't need the food bank but this is very, very exciting," said Carney.
The Food Bank of Delaware runs another location in Newark. Food Bank officials say the new facility will make it easier to provide for the people of Delaware.
"Half of the food we distribute is in New Castle County and the other half is in Kent and Sussex County," said President and CEO of the Food Bank of Delaware, Cathy Kanefsky. "Our facility in Newark is stressed trying to cover the entire state so the fact that we are building this right here in Milford we are going to be able to serve the entire state better."
Kanefsky said the goal for this project is to eliminate the stigma around food insecurity.
The organization has raised over 20 million dollars for the project, but needs 10 million more to cover construction costs.
Construction for the new facility is expected to be completed as early as October of 2023.
