Kent County Levy Court Donates $1 Million to Food Bank of Delaware’s Building Hope in Milford Capital Campaign

November 2, 2023/Joe Ciccanti

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The Food Bank of Delaware is in the final stages of construction and just weeks away from opening the doors to the new 70,000-square-foot facility. A grand opening will be planned for January 2024. Kent County Levy Court presented the Food Bank of Delaware with a donation of one million dollars for its Building Hope in Milford capital campaign today. Kent County Levy Court President Terry Pepper says Kent County is pleased to be a part of this project adding that The Food Bank of Delaware is doing great things to address food insecurity as well as an economic development component to help the county meet the needs of its citizens. To learn more about the Building Hope in Milford capital campaign, visit www.fbd.org/hopeinmilford.

Additional Information from the Food Bank of Delaware:

Thanks to Kent County’s American Rescue Plan Act funds, Kent County Levy Court presented the Food Bank of Delaware with a donation of one million dollars for its Building Hope in Milford capital campaign today. 

The Food Bank of Delaware is in the final stages of construction and just weeks away from opening the doors to the new 70,000-square-foot facility. A grand opening will be planned for January 2024.

“Kent County is pleased to be a part of this project,” said Kent County Levy Court President Terry Pepper. “The Food Bank of Delaware is doing great things to address food insecurity as well as an economic development component to help our county meet the needs of our citizens.”

“We are grateful for Kent County’s generous support of this transformative project,” said Food Bank of Delaware President and CEO Cathy Kanefsky. “With just $3.5 million left to go in our $34 million campaign, we are so close to crossing the fundraising finish line. We hope this gift will inspire more in our community to get involved. This facility is more than bricks and mortar, it will be a beacon of hope for so many in our community. Not only will we be able to bring in and distribute more food, but we will also help our neighbors find long-term economic stability through job skills training, financial coaching and more.”

This project will enable the Food Bank of Delaware to:

  • Expand cold storage and warehouse space to distribute an additional 3.7 million pounds of fresh foods and 6 million pounds of nonperishable food;
  • Create dedicated space for a Healthy Pantry Center to directly serve those in need of food assistance;
  • Construct a 4,000-square-foot volunteer room that includes orientation space and a safe, welcoming working environment;
  • Create classroom and hands-on training space for training programs in culinary and warehousing/logistics;
  • Plant a three-acre garden to grow fresh foods for Delawareans in need and provide a tranquil spot for residents of the neighboring Delaware Veterans Home;
  • Open an on-site café to provide employment and additional training opportunities to graduates of the culinary training program, while providing a place for members of the public to buy breakfast and lunch.

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