Food Bank of Northwest Indiana President & CEO Victor Garcia discusses the organization’s new freezer that was unveiled Friday. (Photo provided)
In Merrillville, the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana expanded their facility on Broadway recently with a new freezer that can hold an additional three truckloads of product, or over 100,000 pounds of food. Donors, board members, staff and community partners cheered as Nigel Jefferson, Lead Receiver at the Food Bank, drove in the first pallet of food to the new freezer.
Tricia Sheaks, the Food Bank’s Vice President of Operations and Programming, cuts the ribbon for the new freezer space at the Food Bank. (Photo provided)
“This has been a project that I just can’t believe we are so fortunate to have happened,” Food Bank President and CEO Victor Garcia said. The Food Bank’s Merrillville facility consisted of about 72,000 square feet space, and now it’s closer to about 75,000 square feet with the addition of the new freezer, which is a $450,000 project. “And that’s in addition to all the other work that we’ve done to this facility over the course of the last three years,” said Garcia.
Nigel Jefferson, lead receiver at the Food Bank, drives in the first pallet of food in the Food Bank’s new freezer space. (Photo provided)
The idea for the new freezer space came through regular conversations Garcia has with Tricia Sheaks, the Food Bank’s Vice President of Operations and Programming, as well as Raymond Mack, the Food Bank’s Warehouse Manager. Sheaks explained the organization was “busting at the seams” in its original freezer space, which led to the Food Bank turning away some opportunities for food because there wasn’t enough room. Sheaks told Garcia, “if we can expand our freezer space, that would be a game changer.”
Nigel Jefferson, lead receiver at the Food Bank, places the first pallet of food in the Food Bank’s new freezer space. (Photo provided)
Garcia thanked many key collaborators for the success of the new freezer project, including David Schoon, President of Midwest Refrigeration. When Garcia approached Schoon about the endeavor, Schoon provided him with cost estimates to help plan for fundraising. “And he was so generous in bringing his own dollars and in-kind work to make this a reality,” Garcia said.
Supporters tour the new freezer space that was unveiled Friday at the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. (Photo provided)
Midwest Refrigeration not only handled the installation of the new freezer, but the company also took care of exterior roofing improvements and work associated with the original cooler and freezer, Garcia said. “Dave’s been such a critical partner for the Food Bank,” said Garcia. “We would not be able to serve the community at the level we do if we didn’t have the partnership with Midwest Refrigeration.”
