The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana gathered national, regional and community leaders recently for a ceremonial “Bread Breaking” at 6510 Broadway, marking the acquisition of a 15,000-square-foot cold-storage facility that will dramatically expand the organization’s ability to rescue, store and distribute nutritious food across Northwest Indiana.
Feeding America CEO Denis McDonough and U.S. Representative Frank J. Mrvan joined Food Bank President & CEO Victor Garcia, Strack & Van Til President & CEO Jeff Strack, Food Bank Board President Bob Jacobs, elected officials, nonprofit partners, donors and community leaders for the celebration.
The approximately $2 million project will more than triple the Food Bank’s frozen-food storage capacity, increasing available pallet positions from approximately 204 to 750. The acquisition also creates an opportunity to convert approximately 4,000 square feet of existing freezer space at the Food Bank’s neighboring 6490 Broadway facility into refrigerated space, allowing the organization to accept and distribute significantly more produce, dairy, proteins and other highly requested nutritious foods.
The expansion comes at a critical time. The Food Bank distributed a record 11.4 million pounds of food last year, while the estimated need across Northwest Indiana is approximately 20 million pounds. Recent severe storms and prolonged power outages have further demonstrated the importance of strong regional food infrastructure and the ability to respond quickly when thousands of households face unexpected food loss and hardship.
“Food has always brought people together. It creates community. It strengthens relationships,” said Victor Garcia, President & CEO, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.
Garcia emphasized that the 6510 Broadway project is not simply an investment in additional square footage. It is an investment in the Food Bank’s ability to recover more food, provide neighbors with greater access to nutritious options, respond more effectively during emergencies and build the infrastructure necessary to meet a level of need that continues to outpace current distribution.
McDonough highlighted the connection between infrastructure and resilience, particularly following the August 11 derecho and the Food Bank’s expanded emergency response.
“Infrastructure like this gives that response even more reach, even more resilience,” said Denis McDonough, CEO, Feeding America
McDonough also praised the Food Bank’s leadership and focus on innovation and neighbor-centered investments, noting that greater cold-storage capacity means greater access to the dairy, proteins, frozen foods and other nutritious products families want and need. He described the investment as part of the broader work not simply to feed people experiencing hunger, but to build stronger systems capable of addressing hunger at its roots.
Congressman Mrvan connected the expansion to the strength Northwest Indiana demonstrated during the recent storms and pledged to continue advocating for resources that support food assistance and the residents who depend upon it.
“Mother Nature can’t affect the strength of our community because we were committed and we were helping each other,” said Congressman Frank J. Mrvan, U.S. Representative, Indiana’s 1st Congressional District.
Mrvan underscored that the people at the center of the work are the neighbors who may never attend a ceremony, including families who line up for food distributions when household budgets, emergencies or unexpected circumstances leave them without enough to eat.
Jeff Strack, President & CEO of Strack & Van Til, spoke to the importance of cold-storage infrastructure from the perspective of a grocery retailer and longtime Food Bank partner. Strack helped connect the Food Bank to the neighboring property when it became available and highlighted the opportunity the facility creates to rescue more usable food, reduce waste and move fresh and frozen products to families rather than landfills.
Food Bank Board President and President of Indiana Beverage, Bob Jacobs, framed the acquisition as part of the Board’s responsibility to prepare the organization not only for today’s level of need, but for the challenges ahead. He highlighted the additional storage capacity, the future conversion of existing freezer space to refrigeration and the importance of strategic investments that allow the Food Bank to serve Northwest Indiana more effectively over the long term.
Rather than a traditional ribbon cutting, attendees marked the occasion by breaking and sharing bread – a reflection of the Food Bank’s belief that food brings people together and that addressing hunger is a shared community responsibility.
The acquisition is only the beginning of the 6510 Broadway project. Additional investment will be required to fully transform the property into an integrated asset supporting the Food Bank’s hunger-relief, food-rescue and emergency-response work.
Community members, businesses and philanthropic partners are invited to help bring the 6510 Project to life. Contributions will support the continued development of the facility and help build the capacity necessary to provide more nutritious food to more Northwest Indiana neighbors for years to come. To support the 6510 Broadway Project, visit foodbanknwi.org.
