After news of the Regional Food Bank Hudson Valley’s new Montgomery distribution center broke last fall, the Orange County facility finally announced its grand opening earlier this month. The state-of-the-art, 50,000-square-foot center will expand the Regional Food Bank’s capacity for food storage and provide essential resources for more than 400 local food programs across the Hudson Valley. All in all, the Montgomery distribution center will help the organization serve over 179,000 people and strengthen food security efforts in the region.
Funded by a $10.7 million award from the Community Development Block Grant CARES program from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the new facility will allow for the safe storage of perishable food, including fresh produce, dairy, and meat, and provide improved sorting and distribution capabilities to support local food pantries, shelters, and emergency food providers.
In addition to funding from the CARES program, Empire State Development supported the project with a $3.7 million capital grant recommended by the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council, the Regional Food Bank Hudson Valley contributed $1.9 million, and $9 million came from private donations.
“No New Yorker should ever go hungry — and we’re investing in facilities and organizations that provide critical resources for anyone facing that devastating reality,” says Governor Kathy Hochul. “This brand-new facility will better ensure families and communities in the Hudson Valley have reliable access to fresh and nutritious food, and that we can meet the region’s food security needs well into the future.”
In the aftermath of the pandemic, food insecurity continues to threaten communities across the Hudson Valley and beyond, and the new distribution center is a huge step forward in the fight for emergency food assistance. With an expanded cold storage capacity, larger sorting areas, and improved food distribution systems, the Montgomery facility will ensure quick and efficient access to food for the region’s most vulnerable populations.
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“Today is a major milestone for the Regional Food Bank Hudson Valley and the communities we serve,” says Regional Food Bank Hudson Valley CEO Tom Nardacci. “Sadly, food insecurity continues to be a serious threat, and the need has not waned since the pandemic. This year the Food Bank will distribute 55 million pounds of food, our second highest year ever behind 2020. The new distribution center will also allow us to source more local food, and create new partnerships with Hudson Valley farmers, producers, and retailers. This project simply would not be possible without the support of Governor Hochul, and we are extremely grateful for her leadership in the fight against hunger in New York.”
As the new facility represents a generational investment in the region’s food security infrastructure, the distribution center is vital in helping the Regional Food Bank Hudson Valley to continue to support the growing need for food assistance in the region.
The new Montgomery distribution center is located at 574 State Route 416 in Montgomery.
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