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closeSumner food bank completes building expansion
Roxanne Cooke
Volunteers at the Sumner Community Food Bank will rejoice this winter.
A new expansion to the building means no more loading and unloading goods in the cold weather, an often unpleasant task made worse by the heat lost in the main building — and the unusually high electricity bills.
The food bank recently added a new structure for storing, loading and unloading food and other goods. Custom Built Structures Inc. of Lynnwood built the new facility, which is connected to the main food bank building by a garage door.
The building will offer extra space for storing dry goods and sorting through items, said Robyn DeLorm, food bank treasurer. The 1,024-square foot structure replaces a leaky outdoor storage shed that was slippery and unsafe for volunteers.
It will also save on electricity in the winter, said Marlene Murphy, food director. The new structure prevents heat from escaping the main building because loading and unloading can take place indoors rather than outside.
“One thing we really struggled with was the heating,” DeLorm said.
The food bank spent approximately $30,000 for the remodel. Donors provided additional funds, which were used to install the floor of the new building, fix the walk-in freezer, replace asphalt damaged from the leaky shed and other repairs.
DeLorm is working on applying for a grant of $35,000 that would restock the food bank’s savings and essentially pay for the remodel, including shelving that is not yet complete. A local teacher is helping with the design of the shelving, but Murphy is not sure when it will be done.
“We’ll do it as we can afford to do it,” she said.
Other remodeling options that are still on the table include replacing the inner garage door with large double doors or installing a window in the garage door for security. Those are possibilities to be discussed after winter, when the new system is put to the test in cold weather.
“Let’s see how it goes this winter,” Murphy said.
Originally, the food bank applied for a building permit in January 2007, with the goal of building in the fall. However, because the holidays tend to be a hectic time for the food bank, the project was pushed back.
“(But) once we got started, it really went fast,” DeLorm said.
Now the food bank has a larger, safer space to work in, especially when sorting items and giving out food during the holiday rush. And there’s more room for all of that food — and more.
“We definitely can accept more (food),” DeLorm said.
All in all, the new space makes the entire food bank more efficient and the food giving process more streamlined, the two said.
“You can get more volunteers in here,” DeLorm said. “And then it just gets done faster.”
In August, the food bank will host a dedication ceremony to thank all the donors and businesses that helped with the remodel and repairs. It will coincide with the annual volunteers’ picnic at Rainier View Park. A plaque to honor longtime food director Alice Sigman, who died last fall, will also be made and put up in the new building.
The Sumner Community Food Bank fed 175 families and 479 individuals during the month of May and expects a 7 percent increase for June’s numbers. The food bank is a non-profit association and depends heavily on donors and volunteers for funding, food and upkeep.
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Sumner Community Food Bank
> Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. The food bank recommends making appointments the same day of food pick-up between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
> Phone: 253-863-3793
> Address: 15625 Main St. E., Sumner