Abundant Harvest Director Lee Alderman is asking area residents to chip in and support the ministry’s major renovations to the facility at 1028 Whittier.
On KVOE’s Morning Show on Wednesday, Alderman said the nearly-80-year-old building has a lot of needs.
Abundant Harvest at 1028 Whittier was built in 1945 and became Emporia’s main food kitchen about 15 years ago. Alderman says the kitchen is in good shape, but everything else needs a full restoration to the tune of $575,000.
Alderman says the building has been busy, especially as the coronavirus pandemic has continued.
Alderman says Abundant Harvest saw a 2,000-percent increase in food donations last year, but it also had a 1,700-percent increase in clients getting food. Alderman says the facility has averaged between $10,000 to $20,000 in food giveaways a week in addition to producing 400 hot meals for pickup on Mondays and Wednesdays. That’s on top of the Free at 3 partnership with Victory Fellowship Church that saw hundreds of people getting free food on a weekly basis last spring and summer.
Saying renovating is less expensive than building a new facility, Alderman is seeking $575,000 over the next 60 to 90 days so renovations can begin this upcoming summer. This effort is separate from both the Rescue Mission move to the former Amend Girl Scout Center, which now needs final approval from the Emporia City Commission after a recommendation from the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission and a successful fundraising effort, and from the Rescue Mission’s annual Feinstein Challenge fundraiser, which generates money for operating expenses.
Residents can donate online through the Emporia Community Foundation at www.emporiacf.org. Residents need to select Abundant Harvest for their donations, which can include cash, checks, credit cards, stocks, land and other items.
For more information, call Alderman at 794-2977, go online to www.emporiamission.org or find Abundant Harvest on Facebook.
