LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) — The Lowndes County Board of County Commissioners and Second Harvest of South Georgia were awarded $18 million in grants Tuesday to expand the capacity of the regional food bank through a new facility.
The grant money comes from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs under the federal CARES Act for the Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus program, according to a release.
“The impact of an investment like this is a game-changer, and we are blessed to have leadership in Lowndes County that embraces our future vision,” said Second Harvest CEO Frank Richards. “We will be able to grow programs that have been constricted by our current capacity and establish new programs to reach those who are slipping through the cracks of the safety.”
The current location, built in 1996, is not sized for or equipped to handle the scope of the hunger and disaster relief work that the organization is now being called upon to provide, Second Harvest of South Georgia wrote.
The project is also receiving a $500,000 grant from the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority that will go toward site infrastructure.
“Lowndes County is pleased to have the resources available to partner with Second Harvest of South Georgia on their new state-of-the-art food bank facility through DCA’s CDBG-CV grants,” said Chairman Bill Slaughter, Lowndes County Board of Commissioners. "With these grants, Second Harvest will truly transform their organization and allow them to reach even more families when in need.”
The project is in the design phase, and construction is expected to begin this fall. Second Harvest of South Georgia will be announcing a capital campaign soon to raise the remainder of the funding needed to complete this project.
