The Houston Food Bank is slated to open a second warehouse and distribution facility in 2025 at Ella Boulevard and Hwy. 249 in Houston. Chevron donated a 53-acre parcel of land valued at $10 million to make the project possible, officials announced in a June 15 news release.
“We were encouraged and excited by Chevron’s initiative and interest in how this land could be a conduit for change rather than simply a retail pad site, how it could take on a new life to help fellow Texans and how it could take our partnership to the next level,” said Amy Ragan, chief development officer for the Houston Food Bank, in the release. “As we learned during the pandemic, food wasn’t so much the issue as was space for sorting, storing and distributing it. Chevron saw the need and potential and wanted to be the spark.”
The organization has seen its highest levels of demand yet in the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and inflation. Officials said from March 2020 and March 2021, household food demand increased by 85%.
During this time, the Houston Food Bank took on additional temporary warehouse space to help meet local needs. The Chevron donation will allow the organization to expand its reach and serve more individuals and families.
