One of the largest food aid organizations in the world moved its headquarters to Omaha.
Kids Against Hunger distributes about 30 million meals each year across 67 countries.
Organizers say the move impacts Omaha and the worldwide fight against hunger.
"I’m in tears when we can feed starving children,” said Richard Proudfit, founder. “I'm just... My heart is excited because we can touch children around the world."
Founder Richard Proudfit was an engineer helping cleanup after a hurricane FiFi in 1974, when he decided to dedicate his life to fighting hunger.
"The children, they were dying all around me,” Proudfit said. “I couldn't handle it."
His efforts to feed the hungry evolved into kids against hunger in 1999.
After billions of meals distributed, Proudfit moved the flagship to Omaha, where other local charities will help power a five-year expansion to 80 million meals per year.
"We come together and touch the world, around the world," he said.
Kids Against Hunger CEO Nick Yaksich says north downtown is the perfect location for their headquarters, and main distribution center, that will house about 30 million meals per year to distribute across 60 satellite locations.
"We are the world's largest humanitarian feeding network,” Yaksich said. “When we're here, we feel like we're adding to the Omaha culture because the people of Omaha are such giving people."
The renovated warehouse, near north 20th and izard, is large enough to house 100 million meals per year,” Yaksich said.
