Food Bank of Central Alabama prepares to open new $31 million facility in Bessemer
BESSEMER, Ala. —
More than 250,000 people across Central Alabama struggle with food insecurity every day, according to the Food Bank of Central Alabama, and many of those families are employed but still struggling to make ends meet.
“As much as the food bank feeds people who are maybe unemployed or homeless, the majority of the people that we’re feeding are families that are working and are just having a hard time making ends meet,” said Nicole Williams, CEO of the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama.
That growing need is driving a major expansion effort for the organization.
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After five years of planning and construction, the food bank is preparing to open a new $31 million facility in Bessemer in late June. Williams recently gave WVTM 13 an exclusive tour of the new 105,000-square-foot warehouse, which will allow the organization to double its annual capacity from 20 million meals to 40 million meals.
“It’s really been an amazing community project to have all the people, whether you’re a donor or a volunteer or have worked to build this building, to make it a reality,” Williams said.
Inside the facility are rows of towering shelves ready to be stocked with food and supplies, along with a large cooler designed to store fresh produce. The building also includes a new clean room where bulk food items can be divided into smaller portions for families.
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“This is where we’re able to bring in bulk food items,” Williams said. “This clean room will enable us to separate those into smaller portions that would work for families.”
The facility also features a commercial kitchen designed to support disaster response efforts.
“We would be making prepared meals here with food that came in through the food bank, potentially to support as first responders for people that have no power, no home, no way to cook,” Williams said.
Outside the building, the organization is developing a community garden that will eventually include fruit trees and honey bees.
“We’re going to partner with Jones Valley Teaching Farm and probably Birmingham Botanical Gardens to help us know what to plant and when,” Williams said.
The exterior of the building is also home to what organizers say is the largest mural in Alabama. Birmingham artist Marcus Fetch created the mural, which prominently features food bank founder Dave Wood.
The Food Bank of Central Alabama is scheduled to open to the public June 30.
As the organization transitions into the new facility, operations will pause for three days. Leaders are encouraging anyone who relies on the food bank’s services to visit the organization’s website for information about alternative resources during that time.
