BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) – The Bellevue Food Pantry broke ground on a new building that will allow it to serve twice as many neighbors as demand for food assistance continues to rise in the community.
- Bellevue food pantry broke ground on a new building at the old public library location Friday morning.
- The new location is 20 times the size of the current space.
- The pantry will open in the new space in early 2027
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Bellevue Food Pantry broke ground on a new building that will allow it to serve twice as many neighbors as demand for food assistance continues to rise in the community.
The pantry has operated out of a 1,000-square-foot space for more than 15 years, serving almost 19,000 neighbors a year. The new space — the old library — is over 20,000 square feet and will allow the pantry to operate as a client-choice model.
Mary Kay Grout has volunteered at the pantry for the last 5 years.
"They can come in here and have a little privacy when they come in to do it, instead of standing in a little cubby hold outside the door, which is the best we can offer right now, this will provide better dignity," Grout said.
According to the pantry, 33% of neighbors in the county face low food access, and in Bellevue, 1 in 7 neighbors worry about where their next meal will come from.
Andrew Bowen, executive director of Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership, said the expansion is about preparing for the future as well as the present.
"As Bellevue grows, unfortunately needs grow as well and we want to be prepared for not just what the demand is now, but for future community emergencies we want this to be a space to mobilize and get food out to people who need it most," Bowen said.
The pantry is continuing its capital campaign through construction and hopes to open in early 2027.
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