CINCINNATI — The Freestore Foodbank will break ground Wednesday afternoon on a new multi-million-dollar facility in Cincinnati to help those in need.
The new $30-million, 195,000-square-foot building -- planned for River Road near Fairbanks Avenue in Sedamsville -- will be the first facility the organization has built for food distribution. It will also have a workforce training center.
Officials said throughout the pandemic they saw a 63% increase in need but a 40% drop in donations. They hope this facility will help mitigate that difference.
"We're going to have almost 30-35,000 square feet of refrigeration/freezer capacity, which is 350% more than what we currently have, and that's really going to allow us to get more healthy food to families," said Kurt Reiber, president and CEO of the Freestore Foodbank. "We think if people eat healthier, they're going to be healthier. If they are healthier, that means they may not have as many trips to the doctor, as many trips to the emergency room."
The new facility will open in the fall or winter of 2022.
