Local · Trusted · Free
The Morning Impact — your neighborhood's most important stories, delivered every morning.
The Houston Food Bank is expanding its reach in Northwest Houston with a new 310,000-square-foot facility.
Officials broke ground on the building during a ceremony Sept. 1, marking the latest expansion of the region’s food bank.
The gist
The new facility will expand the food bank’s distribution capacity and community engagement, according to a news release.
HFB President and CEO Brian Greene said the food bank is expected to double its output once the building is open in two years. The increased output is equivalent to an additional $250 million in community resources, he said.
“The idea is we’re going to continue to service the community, have more capacity to distribute significantly more food, but do it in a way that is transformative for neighbors’ lives,” Greene said.
Located at Hwy. 249 and Ella Boulevard, the building will offer cold storage and disaster response, as well as a federally-qualified health center and full-service recreational facility, according to the news release.
It will also have a community lobby with a food hall to showcase local vendors, a commercial kitchen and a conference center, according to the release.
The details
The 52-acre site, donated by Chevron, is valued at $10 million and will allow the HFB to combat food insecurity on a greater scale. The HFB is a nonprofit, serving 18 counties in southeast Texas and providing food and programs for nutrition education and health management.
The building will increase volunteer capacity, in turn expanding distribution, Greene said. Over the summer, the HFB served children and students free, healthy meals.
The partnership between the HFB and Chevron began more than 14 years ago, said Jim Gable, a Chevron representative and HFB board member. The donation reflects “Chevron’s commitment to strengthening the communities where we work,” he said.
“This facility is a powerful example of what can happen when nonprofits, local government and the private sector come together for a unified purpose,” Gable said.
