FRANKLIN, Va. – A new foodbank opened Thursday in Franklin.
The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Western Tidewater Branch, located at 618 South Street. The Foodbank reports it’s a $3 million investment.
Leaders with the Foodbank say this will provide much-needed services for residents in the counties of Southampton, Isle of Wight, and Sussex, and the cities of Franklin, Smithfield, and Suffolk.
The building is nearly 17,000 square feet and has walk-in refrigerators and freezers and space to hold nearly 50 pallets of dry food. It also has classrooms and meeting spaces, plus a computer lab. The Foodbank says that is to support programs designed to address the root causes of food insecurity, particularly employment, healthcare and nutrition, education, housing, and financial literacy.
“With food insecurity on the rise, this new investment could not come at a better time,” said Foodbank President & CEO Christopher Tan.
Volunteer, Janet Stokes, praised the Foodbank. "We appreciate the foodbank coming in and doing what is necessary to get the job done," Stokes said. "It helps the community know they are loved and cared for and thought about. They are striving to make a positive difference in a world where there’s so much negativity."
The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia says that like any major undertaking, the new branch would not be possible without the support of various community partners, such as the Obici Healthcare Foundation, Hubbard Peanut Company, Hampton Roads Ventures, First Baptist Church, the Camp, Landmark, and Truist Foundations. Additionally, the project received $2 million in support from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
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