Local non-profit opens new cold storage facility to help eliminate hunger and food waste

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Cultivate Food Rescue, a local non-profit dedicated to eliminating hunger and food waste in St. Joseph, Elkhart, and Marshall Counties, opened a new 22,000-square-foot cold storage facility, which they say will help rescue $47 million of meals annually.

Cultivate held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the state-of-the-art facility Thursday morning.

"Today, we celebrate not just a facility but a future where food insecurity is a thing of the past for our neighbors in St. Joseph, Elkhart, and Marshall Counties,” said Executive Director Jim Conklin. "Thanks to the collective efforts of our pantry and school partners, supporters, and volunteers, our community has a sustainable solution to eliminating hunger and food waste."

Cultivate officials say the addition of the facility will allow them to rescue 20 million pounds of perishable food annually, which is 10 times more than they currently rescue.

They add the facility's operations will broaden their service to over 200 regional food pantries and social service agencies.

With the expansion, officials say the non-profit can provide nearly two meals per day to every food-insecure child and offer a vital daily meal to 62% of vulnerable adults and children living in poverty in the aforementioned counties.

You can visit the Cultivate Food Rescue website to learn more about the non-profit's efforts.