Palmer Food Bank Prepares for Move

The Palmer Food Bank will be moving into their new location later this month with new and improved ways to support the Palmer community. After operating out of their tiny building on 221 South Valley Way for nearly 40 years, the food bank will be more than tripling in size and expanding their capabilities to serve as they move to their new 5300 square foot location at 101 South Denali Street.

“This new facility is really going to help a lot of people,” Executive Director Jennifer Brandt said. “It’s going to make the experience even more pleasant. It’s already hard to ask for help and come to the food bank. We’d like to make it the best experience we can for them and help them keep their dignity.”

The Palmer Food Bank was founded by Saint Michaels Catholic Church. It has grown to include a network of volunteers and has generated partnerships with programs like the Food Bank of Alaska to better serve those in need in the Valley. The food bank has squeezed all that it can from its current location, and then some. Staff have become more limited as their service has grown.

“Over the years, the demand has become so great that we’ve outgrown that space,” Brandt said.

Visitors currently visit the food bank one person at a time. With no waiting room, this means that upwards of 10 people may have to wait in their cars outside before entering. Issues with the building’s integrity have also limited their ability to provide access to products and the smaller space limits the amount of volunteers that can assist throughout the process.

A generous community has also maximized their storage potential with a surplus of donations that help fill their shelves everyday.

As stated in a previous article, the Three Bears of Alaska Shop with a Purpose event raised funds for local food banks across their network of grocery and convenience stores. The Palmer Food Bank was the beneficiary of $18,890, the second largest donation in the state. Brandt said these funds will be used to purchase fresh foods like milk, eggs, butter and cheese for distribution. Fresh products like these aren’t readily available from partner organizations like the Food Bank of Alaska.

Over the last three and half years, the Palmer Food Bank has worked to purchase, develop and construct their brand new building. The new space will have ample room for people to wait inside, more room to store food, easier access for drop-off donations and space for more volunteers to assist in distribution of goods everyday. The move is expected for the middle of February with a few last-minute projects to finish up.

“It’s going to be great," Brandt said. “We’re really excited.”