Interfaith Community Services
ICS Food Bank celebrates Halloween and new expansion
Costume-clad volunteers will celebrate Halloween and the opening of a newly renovated 2,700-square-foot food bank at Interfaith Community Services on Monday.
While they won't hand out candy, volunteers will offer juice and granola bars to children shopping at the food bank, 2820 W. Ina Rd., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
ICS began construction on the food bank expansion July 2, to help fill an increase in need since the economic downturn. Since 2007, the number of people the ICS food bank helps has more than tripled.
"The new building not only enables us to serve more clients, it gives us the resources to serve them better," said Bonnie Kampa, executive director of the nonprofit ICS, in a news release.
With the addition, ICS can now supplement monthly food boxes, which contain mostly processed food, with fresh produce, eggs, and dairy products, according to the release.
According to the Food Research and Action Center, last year 29 percent of Arizona households with children had food insecurity, which is having limited or uncertain access to nutritionally adequate food. Arizona ties Louisiana for the seventh-worst food hardship rate for households with children.
The $500,000 project was paid for with grants from businesses and foundations, and more than 200 individual donors.
In addition to more storage for non-perishable items, the facility also has a new walk-in freezer and refrigerator units to allow for distribution of fresh and frozen foods.
Other improvements in the new facility include a client waiting room and two new vans for food drives and donation pick-ups.