Smart Investment. Healthy Returns.

Compiled by Amy Hudson and Lauren Land with contributions by Cara Curtis (Coxe Curry & Associates) and Wendy Bowman-Littler (Atlanta Business Chronicle
Appeared in Foodsharing Vol. 21, Number 6
May 2003-July 2003

For more than two decades, the Atlanta Community Food Bank has operated from rented warehouse space, continuing to expand our food distribution services and community programming as the need in our community has grown.

We have now reached a critical moment in our history. We know demand will continue to increase and new opportunities for program development will come. We can no longer operate efficiently in retrofitted warehouse space - we must plan for our future by building a warehouse that is the right tool for our ever-increasing and ever more important job.

The Nuts & Bolts

For these reasons, we are launching our first-ever capital campaign. This $10.7 million campaign will provide for the acquisition of land, the construction of an efficient multipurpose facility to meet the future growth of the Food Bank, the enhancement of our technology infrastructure and the establishment of an endowment fund.

The Food Bank's new 95,200 square-foot warehouse and 28,200 square-feet of office and programming space will bring together in one building all of our core food distribution and community activities to better serve our constituents. The new facility will feature: warehouse capacity to meet current and projected future needs, more efficient operations, additional receiving and loading docks, new volunteer training and community service facilities, more conference space, expanded office and program areas, improved information technology and increased conservation of natural resources.

The Team Behind-the-Scenes

The Food Bank is honored to have been offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to partner with Atlanta's leaders in the construction industry - GlenCastle Constructors, Inc. This unique consortium was established in the early 1990's to provide planning, design and development for hand-picked nonprofit organizations.

The value of GlenCastle's involvement cannot be overstated - nonprofit organizations working with GlenCastle typically realize a 25-30% savings on overall project expenses.

Additionally, the Food Bank is excited to be working with Southface Energy Institute. Together, we will take active steps to identify opportunities to make the new building as environmentally friendly as possible. Stay tuned to learn more about our work with Southface and the "greening" of our new facility.

Along with our campaign consultants, Coxe Curry & Associates, we have created a dynamic Capital Campaign Committee. Their diligent efforts have laid key groundwork in helping us raise the necessary funds.

Capital Campaign Committee

A Virtual Forum

In an effort to bring diverse opinions and leadership around the campaign to light, we decided to conduct a "virtual forum" with agency partners, campaign committee members, volunteers and other partners. We asked them two important questions that we thought would be of great interest to our readers:

• "Things are going to be so much easier for my volunteers who drive an hour to get to the Food Bank. With the current cramped quarters, they do a lot of waiting. The new facility is going to eliminate that by making it possible for shoppers to move through much quicker. That could cut a five hour trip down to a three hour trip." (Eddie Whitlock, Five Loaves, Two Fish food pantry director)
• "The Food Bank is not content to stand back and look at once was, but what the future might hold. With so much to offer, one must know that changes must be made to better serve the people." (Frank Brown, Kids In Need volunteer)
• "The results of the campaign will allow the Food Bank to be much more efficient and better serve the Atlanta region." (Jim Rhoden, Campaign Committee member)
• "From my perspective, it is most exciting that the new facility will integrate the components of the Food Bank's operation which are currently separated. Not only will this decrease costs and increase efficiency, but it will improve the volunteer experience at the Food Bank." (Phil Amon, longtime Food Bank volunteer)
• "The Food Bank is committed to make the new facility as healthy, productive and efficient a workplace as possible. Green design will save the Food Bank money and enhance its reputation as a leader." (Dennis Creech, Southface Energy Institute executive director)
• "What continues to excite me about this campaign is the capability to do more. Since food is donated to the Food Bank, they do not have the same control over their inventory as I do at Diaz Foods. If a manufacturer calls the Food Bank with a $30,000 shipment of food they want to donate that day but the warehouse has no space to store it, the Food Bank loses that opportunity to receive and distribute great food. If you don't have the capability to hold the food you lose opportunities." As told to Wendy Bowman-Littler, Atlanta Business Chronicle (Rene Diaz, Food Bank Board and Campaign Committee member)
• "I am most excited that the expansion will heighten awareness and help build a new cadre of advocates who will understand and support the work of the Food Bank." (Mary Pat Crouch, Coxe Curry & Associates vice president)

• "Hunger has no calendar, stock portfolios or other cyclical economic ties; it is always here. We need to do this now to ensure our commitment to the community to be a safety net, to help end hunger for the future." (Raymond Hook, Atlanta's Table Board chairman)
• "The need for a new facility is so incredibly apparent. They're operating out of an old beer warehouse that's all cut up with low ceilings and immovable walls in absolutely the wrong places… They have three different facilities where they receive and distribute merchandise, and they have only two dock doors. It's almost unbelievable that they're able to do the work they do out of the facility they have. It's testimony to how hard they work to do the work they do. They have taken the Food Bank from 6 to 7 tons of food seven years ago to about 15 million pounds last year… they're at absolute capacity now." As told to Wendy Bowman-Littler, Atlanta Business Chronicle (Dan DuPree, Campaign Committee chairman)
• "Bill Bolling has patiently held his cards, waiting and waiting and waiting to improve the Food Bank's offices and distribution center. After nearly 25 years, the time is absolutely right to move forward despite today's uncertain economy. I am certain that the time is now, and I know much due diligence was collected to support the campaign." (Doug Strickler, Atlanta's Table Board and Campaign Committee member)
• "People are hungry regardless of the economy. The team at the Food Bank is using leadership and innovation to approach this whole project in a way that makes good sense economically. They're going to have an improved method for distributing food and a "green" building that uses less energy. They've got GlenCastle working for them at cost. They're going to own their own building, so they'll have no rent to pay each month. These are all good concepts to take the Food Bank into the 21st century." (Jim Overton, GlenCastle Constructors, Inc. and project manager for the new building)
• "Following our nearly one year Strategic Planning evolution which involved Board, staff and community, we concluded that we could no longer adequately meet the growing community needs without a new Food Bank. (Michael Kane, Food Bank Board chairman and Campaign Committee member)
• "Why not? Even in challenging economic times, Atlantans have demonstrated that they have tremendous generosity. It has taken faith and courage to build the Food Bank to its present level. With this campaign, we are continuing the mission. (Marjy Stagmeier, Food Bank Board and Campaign Committee member)
• "It is now that the services of the Food Bank are needed more than ever. Bill Bolling and the Food Bank continue to rise to the challenge." (Richard Peeples, GlenCastle Constructors, Inc. and Hardin Construction)