Food Bank of Lincoln’s new home nearing completion, despite pandemic

Supply shortages may have made things more difficult, but the project is still on schedule.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Food Bank of Lincoln’s new home is almost ready. They broke ground in the spring of 2021, and they’re anticipating an early 2022 opening, even with challenges presented by the pandemic.

“Some of the materials for the project have more than doubled from the very original estimates, so we’re continuing to raise funds to cover all the expenses”, says Food Bank of Lincoln President and CEO Michaella Kumke. “We are getting so close to our finish line.”

That finish line is a brand new facility just off NW 12th Street. It’s almost two and a half times bigger than the current food bank, at 60,000 square feet. That footage number is significant in its own right.

Kumke explains, “We think about the nearly 60 thousand food-insecure neighbors that live in our southeast Nebraska service area. So it is one square foot for every food-insecure neighbor that we serve.”

The food bank has a 16 county service area, and the wide second-story windows open up on that expanse. Despite what that wide view might suggest, expansion is not the goal here.

“We want the need to lessen”, says Kumke. “The work that we’re focused on in our new facility will not only get food on tables, but will also focus on shortening the lines through education and support.”

The food bank has already been doing a lot with less because of the pandemic. It’s almost time to see just what they can accomplish with some more room and resources.