Second Harvest Food Bank of Central was able to secure a new, 100,000 sq. ft. food bank and distribution center serving central Florida communities thanks to the NMTC.

To support its mission of collecting and distributing donated food to more than 500 nonprofit partner agencies throughout six Central Florida counties, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, constructed a new 100,000 sq. ft. Food Bank Distribution Center in West Orlando, FL, which will replace its existing antiquated facilities. By increasing cooler space by 400%, freezer space by 330%, and overall operating space by 150%, the new facility will allow Second Harvest to dramatically increase its food storage and distribution capabilities and, in turn, provide more food to thousands of people in Central Florida who rely on Second Harvest and its community partners.

Currently, over 3 million pounds of available food donations are turned away at the existing facility each year due to inadequate storage space with much of the rejected food items being highly nutritious, perishable food such as fruits and vegetables. By increasing the overall space of the distribution facility to 100,000 sq. ft., the Second Harvest Food Bank was able to store and distribute millions of additional pounds of food per year to residents of Central Florida, and in addition, store and distribute a greater percentage of perishable items with higher nutritional content. Put into different terms, the expansion will allow more than 1,000,000 additional meals to be served to children annually.