Ballard Food Bank raising $1.7 million to finish construction on new building

Construction is well underway on the new Ballard Food Bank, but they’re looking for community support to help pay for the remaining construction costs.

The food bank has launched the Hope Beyond Hunger campaign, with a goal to raise $1.7 million to finish the new building. Their initial funding round came primarily from government, philanthropy, and other donors, but more is still needed to complete the new food bank.

“The past year has shown that we absolutely need a bigger, better Ballard Food Bank,” Ballard Food Bank Executive Director Jennifer Muzia said in a statement about the fundraising campaign. “We have faced so many challenges during the pandemic: responding to ballooning needs, transforming our operations, and keeping our clients, staff, and volunteers safe. But our community has repeatedly come together to make our work possible. We are confident that community will come together again to get us over the finish line for our new home.”

The new building is located at 1400 NW Leary Way—just down the road from the current location—and will be able to serve a wider range of residents with food and other services. The expanded operation will be able to serve additional areas of North Seattle including Licton Springs through Bitter Lake and up to 145th St.

So far, the food bank has raised $12.2 million for the construction; that’s 88% of the total project cost. The urgency to finish by this fall is underscored by the fact that their current lease will be expiring then.

The new 11,000-square-foot food bank will be double the size of their current building. It will have a larger grocery store area, an expanded Community Resource Hub, a community garden, and more storage for the Weekend Food for Kids and Home Delivery Programs. There will also be a cafe for visitors.

To learn more about the new food bank and fundraising campaign, visit here.

Photo: Ballard Food Bank