Harvest Hope Food Bank breaks ground on new Pee Dee facility
March 21, 2022
The larger facility will allow for more food distribution to 9 counties in the region
Harvest Hope Food Bank broke ground on their new home in Florence last Thursday, March 17, 2022, during a ceremony where they welcomed donors, community partners, and partner agencies to join in as they celebrated the start to a new future of collaboration in the Pee Dee.
“For 41 years, Harvest Hope has been a leader in sourcing and distributing vital food assistance to our neighbors in need across the state,” said Jada Willis, Harvest Hope Board Chair and CEO of Willis HR. “This new building will provide more space for food, collaboration, and innovation in addressing food insecurity and ending hunger.”
During the event, the organization shared their vision for the new space that will include office and meeting spaces designed to foster collaboration and innovation, and 35,000 square feet of warehouse space with the capacity to source, store and distribute more food. Additional space in the building will be available for use by external partners and organizations in the community.
“This facility means so much to Harvest Hope Food Bank and I want to thank all those who have helped us get to this new beginning here in the Pee Dee,” said Erinn Rowe, CEO of Harvest Hope. “This building represents hope, and I am so excited to see our vision grow to fruition with your partnership.”
The purchase of the building was made possible by a generous donation from the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation, who were in attendance and spoke during the ceremony.
The project is being managed by Thompson Turner Construction, out of Sumter, along with Collins and Almers Architecture of Florence. Once complete, the building will have docking, refrigeration, racking and state-of-the-art program packing spaces. Harvest Hope anticipates being fully moved into the new facility by Spring of 2023. The food bank will continue to operate from the Pee Dee State Farmers Market until the move.
About Harvest Hope Food Bank
Harvest Hope is building a hunger-free tomorrow in 20 counties across South Carolina. Rescuing food from stores that is at risk of being discarded, as well as sourcing food from the community and producers, they distribute it to local food pantries and through multiple feeding programs. These programs provide food for some of SC’s most vulnerable citizens – children, seniors, and rural residents who don’t have access to reliable transportation to grocery stores. Annually, Harvest Hope provides over 22 million meals to neighbors in need across their service area. Learn more at harvesthope.org.
