Mat-Su Food Bank acquires new warehouse space

WASILLA — The Mat-Su Food Bank is in the process of expanding its overall operation with a newly acquired warehouse space with the intention of eventually establishing the area as their new permanent location.

“Here we are. We’re growing,” Mat-Su Food Bank Executive Director, Eddie Ezelle said. “It’s a nice facility. It’s pretty centrally located.”

According to Ezelle, they moved all of their inventory from the previous warehouse off Knik-Goose Bay Road to the new warehouse property within the Wolverine Professional Building over the summer. He said they have around twice the previous space with the prospect of future additions on the property.

The plaza is located off Blue Lupine Road near Hyer Road and Fairview Loop turn off from the Parks Highway.

Ezelle said that he and several others have offices set up there, but their main office and food pantry is still at its familiar location at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in downtown Wasilla. They plan to eventually transition the pantry to the new facility and make it their main headquarters for years to come.

“It’s been a challenge to keep that running over there and this will alleviate a lot of problems,” Ezelle said.

This important and long-awaited milestone comes with great excitement and equally great stress to see it through for the long haul. Ezelle said they need to raise $2.5 million to operate the facility self sufficiently. He said it will be a massive undertaking that will take at least a year to accomplish that will likely require several large sum contributions from corporations and individual donors willing to invest thousands of dollars to their cause.

“I’d like it to be sooner because it would make me sleep easier… We could probably finance it to do it, but I don’t want my legacy to say, ‘yeah, he left us with a 30-year mortgage.’ I’d rather not do that if I can help it,” Ezelle said with a laugh.

Ezelle has been involved with the Mat-Su Food Bank since 2009. He said that getting this new permanent location with additional space to accommodate the ever-growing demand across the community is something that they’ve needed for a long time and one of his main goals to accomplish before he retires from the organization.

“The need is there and it’s not going to go away. It’s really important because there’s a lot of people that really need our help.” Ezelle said.

Ezlelle said they always are in need of volunteers, but they especially need all the help they can get during this transitional period raising funds and securing a strong foothold for the future of their organization. He noted that they’re currently operating with social distancing measures such as limiting the total number of volunteers present at a time.

“We’re always looking for ideas to raise funds. I tell people, if we get this building paid for, I won’t have to come back every year and ask the big boys for money to operate this. We’ll be self-sufficient pretty much. Normally we get enough donations, food, time, and money that keeps us going. I’m not too worried about that part,” Ezelle said.

The Mat-Su Food Bank is planning to hold one of its largest annual fundraising events, Hearts for Hunger, in February.

For more information about the Mat-Su Food Bank, including how to make financial contributions or sign up as a volunteer, call 907-357-3769 or visit matsufoodbank.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com