Foodlink, the hub of the emergency food system for hundreds of organizations, is a Rochester-based nonprofit nearing completion of a major warehouse expansion to improve food storage and distribution in response to growing demand for assistance.
Having long relied on refrigerated trailers; the expanded facility is getting a much-needed energy efficient commercial cooler. With this upgrade, the facility’s new cold storage capacity will increase by 69%, allowing Foodlink to serve over 20 million meals annually and increasing the availability of healthy meals.
The new commercial kitchen, which doubles as a job training classroom, includes large steam ovens and blast chillers to enhance meal preparation. The restored loading docks support the Curbside Market mobile food delivery program.
In addition to the warehouse upgrades, other spaces have been added to support Foodlink’s growing operations.
Curbside Market: Foodlink’s mobile market program will expand its operational area by four times into this new space to support the delivery of fresh food directly to families at over 60 locations across the community.
Volunteer Sorting Area: A freshly reorganized space will increase efficiency and safety as daily volunteers help to sort food donations, which are a crucial part of the 25,000,000 pounds of food distributed annually.
New Offices: The expansion of the Curbside Market program will provide dedicated office and meeting spaces adjacent to the loading dock area.
SWBR is providing architectural, civil engineering, interior design, and structural engineering design services for the project.