Our Guest speaker on Friday, August 27th, was Doug Warren, President of the Lake Stevens Food Bank talking about the organization's Building Campaign. Many of us in the audience have been involved in the Building Committee and the Food Bank. Doug got involved in the Building Committee around 12-15 years ago. At the time, the Food Bank had just acquired property on the south side of the parking lot at Ebenezer Lutheran Church. A couple of issues surfaced including the lack of parking space and the cost to build on that site. The Food Bank could only serve once a week. After a long time, Doug set down with Mayor John Spencer and Patrick McCourt about four years ago. A theme was developed around collaboration with the community. Family Services had just pulled out of Lake Stevens. The Lake Stevens Food Bank serves the same community. What if we could build a building that would be in collaboration with organizations providing similar services to the Family Services Center? They started looking at parcels of land in Lake Stevens three to four years ago. The land that they looked at was overvalued. Some of those properties are still available for sale. The Food Bank eventually acquired land through generous land donation east of Trestle Station on 20th Street SE.
Around three years ago the Food Bank started getting bids for the project. Cost of building grew and grew. They were ready to move on the project. Groundbreaking ceremony was two years ago. The City decided to hold up the project. The City wanted improvements done on 20th Street. Otherwise the Food Bank would have to endure the cost of the work which amounted to around $300,000. Patrick McCourt talked to the city about running the water line before the city began their work. Now, we have a paved lot that cost around $1 million dollars and a retention pond. State helped to the tune of $500,000. To go vertical is over $2 million. The building would include the food storage and so much more.
The Lake Stevens Food Bank is currently serving out of four locations. Doug has served as President for over five years. Executive Order allowing the Board members to serve in their current capacity for another a year. When Doug started his involvement with the Food Bank, they were serving over 1,000. A couple of years ago that changed and increased to 1,200. It has grown over time. Originally, policy only allowed to serve nine meals per family. That didn't feel right Doug commented. Typical client last for about three months. Even with that by January 2020 grew to 1,500 and now serving upwards of 3,700 people. Opened the number of locations to serve food. Currently serve on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Goal of the Building Committee is to raise $2.2 million dollars through the State, County and private donations. The Vision is to not only provide food security to the Lake Stevens Community but will with planning from our community is to enable the Food Bank to collaborate with other entities that will enable them to provide the Community, including our veterans, and desperately needed social services. This building is not just about food it is about providing stability and an area for the community to sustain any event that hits Snohomish County. A commercial kitchen will be in the new building allowing them to instruct people about the art of cooking etc.
Another great program for our members.