BOZEMAN — Years of planning and construction have finally paid off as the HRDC opens its brand-new facility.
Jill Holder, Director of food and nutrition, says: "This a one-time investment that the community made that we’re going to have forever, and the whole community can use it."
$9 million of the project’s budget came from community donations and philanthropy.
"The benefit to the community is to know that we have the capacity to meet the food insecurity needs in the community, for the next 30 years. If we plan appropriately, we’ve built the safety net infrastructure to take care of our community," says Heather Grenier, HRDC President and CEO.
She highlights the growth the HRDC and food bank have seen. Fork and Spoon, the pay-what-you-can restaurant, went from serving 60 meals a day to more than a hundred.
"Now with the production kitchen, we could pump out thousands of meals a day if we needed to," Grenier says.
In addition to new kitchens and Fork and Spoon restaurant, there’s the food bank, now called Market Place, and other HRDC services.
"We knew we could do better, and we have done better. So, it’s exciting to think of all the things this building will be moving forward," says Grenier.
This facility will significantly increase the HRDC’s capacity to combat hunger, as well as give greater access to services that many struggling residents need.
MORE TOP STORIES:
Hiker asks marijuana users to be responsible after her dog was poisoned on trail
Ribbon cutting celebrates conversion of former Montana Bible College into emergency shelter
'Brew'tiful life lessons: Students run Belgrade's Panther Perk coffee shop
