Food Bank moves to 'bigger and better' spot in Raleigh

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina has moved to a "bigger and better" facility on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh.

Volunteers are already noticing the benefits of the larger warehouse.

"We're already able to do a great job with the sorting," said Diane Pease, who volunteers for the Food Bank through Cisco. "[We're] getting a lot more done than we normally would just because of the space."

Community members gathered Thursday to celebrate the new facility, which is more than double the size of the previous location on Tar Heel Drive.

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President and CEO Peter Werbicki says the 85,000 square-foot warehouse's layout is more efficient for the hundreds of partner agencies picking up and distributing food.

"It's a little bit more like a retail store," Werbicki explained. "So [for] the partner agencies, it will be much more efficient for them to come in, particularly for the fresh food, to take that."

The new facility includes 15,000 square feet of freezer and cooler space for fresh food and produce. There's also more loading dock space.

Another new feature is the teaching kitchen. Volunteers and staff are able to bring in partner agencies and teach those from the agencies how to make food that is healthy and tastes good.

"It is like utilizing the stuff that the food bank has," said Chef Mario Huante with Mario's Inc. "A lot of times it's root vegetables, sweet potatoes, and stuff like that."

Partner agencies are able to take those delicious recipes to their communities.

"No one goes hungry in Central and Eastern North Carolina," Werbicki declared.

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