COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Food Bank needs help with new building

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Over 66,000 people depend on the services on a daily basis, including 16,000 children. Now the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina could use some help of its own.

Construction on a new building for the non-profit is underway but there’s a relatively small problem -- the cost to build the new facility has gone over budget.

“Costs for construction have increased,” Beth Gaglione, branch director of the Food Bank, said. “It’s just the world we live in today.”

The Food Bank budgeted $7 million for the new building. Most the money was raised through donations. nCino was one of the big contributors. The new facility will be called the nCino Hunger Solutions Center.

Gaglione says they are still about $100,000 short.

“So, we are in a position where we need to ask the public if they can help us get to the finish line. And that last $100,000 will push us where we need to be.”

WECT is partnering with the Food Bank and launching a fundraising campaign starting Monday, Aug. 15. It’s called, “Open the Doors to Feed More.” The goal is to raise $100,000 within a month.

Gaglione says the community has been incredible answering the call to help provide food. Now they need help of a different kind.

“While we appreciate what everyone has been able to do in terms pf keeping our doors open throughout the last 40 years in this community, this building is going to be a game changer for how we meet the emergency food needs of people in this community.”

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