Inflation has affected not only local businesses and nonprofits like Golden Harvest Food Bank, but also CSRA families struggling to put food on the table. Golden Harvest has broken ground on phase one of a renovation and construction project that will help to provide more meals for those families.
The organization’s President and CEO, Amy Breitmann, said the first phase will involve renovating the corporate office and adding several new features to the existing facility, including a volunteer center, lobby, and conference room. The new building will be 6,790 square feet larger than the current building.
Golden Harvest has hired North Augusta firm R.D. Brown Contractors, Inc. to complete the $3 million renovation project, which should be finished by next summer.
“We don’t have a dedicated space for volunteers,” she said. “This will allow for two designated volunteer spaces.”
During phase two, the 15,000-square-foot Faith Food Factory across the street will be leveled and replaced by a 30,000-square-foot produce rescue center. Breitmann said that the building should be completed by early 2024. The new center will have a refrigerator and freezer.
“It will also house our entire Community Impact team,” she said.
The total cost of both phases is $8.7 million, of which Golden Harvest has raised $6.7 million from a variety of sources, including a CARES Act grant and a donation from MacKenzie Scott, a philanthropist and ex-wife of Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos. The remaining $2 million will come from individual donors and corporate partners.
Breitmann said hundreds of organizations have partnered with the nonprofit to support its mission, including Jim Hudson Lexus, Bank of America, and Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co.
Golden Harvest needs these new facilities because it has identified an 8.8 million meal gap in its 25-county territory, which was based on data provided by Feeding America.
“Our goal is to eliminate that gap by 2030,” Breitmann said.
But with rising inflation, the need for food continues to grow across the CSRA.
“Obviously, we’re in a time that’s unprecedented,” she said.
Local families are paying more for food and gas, and the same is true for Golden Harvest.
“We face the same struggles that every large company is facing,” she said. “We’re just continuing to carry out the mission while we build for the future.”
For more information, visit goldenharvest.org or call 706-736-1199.
