The El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank put new canopy shading to its Mercado Food Distribution center at its main office.
Since creating the Mercado during the pandemic, the food bank distributed food outdoors.
The new canopy will give permanent shelter for distribution activities and add more of a welcoming environment for volunteers and clients.
The ribbon cutting was held Thursday morning.
We are thrilled to have our new canopy completed before the hot summer months," said Susan Goodell the CEO of the food bank, "The new canopy will enhance our client experience and add to the overall aesthetic of our Mercado distribution.
The funding for this project comes from the State of Texas ARPA Capacity Building Grant, which aims to improve infrastructure and increase capacity to serve the community.
“It is a shading project that we have needed for years now. During the height of VOID, we started doing direct distribution. This time of year seems a little odd to be talking about shade, but I can tell you when the summer heat comes, this thing is going to be so incredibly valuable," said Goodell. "It will help shade our clients, will shade our volunteers, our staff, and of course our food. This is a much-needed project."
The new canopy is just one of several projects using this funding.
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