Bulloch County Commissioners and members of the Statesboro City Council voted Tuesday to send an additional $430,000 to the Statesboro Food Bank to help complete their new facility on Miller Street.
The donations bring the city and county contributions to approximately $1.74 million.
From the County Commission meeting agenda:
The Statesboro Food Bank is requesting additional funding to assist with the completion of their new facility.
The City of Statesboro and the County each committed $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding towards the new facility. The City purchased land and the Food bank engaged a contractor to construct the building. Previously, the Food Bank requested additional funds from the City and County, in addition to fundraising efforts.
The County approved $70,000 in ARPA funds in June, 2024 to assist with completion of the facility, while continuing fundraising efforts for the remainder. In an effort to finish the construction of the facility, the Food Bank is requesting an additional $252,000. The Budget Review Team has identified $252,000 in ARPA interest earning funds in the amount needed to help leverage and complete the project. This appropriation conforms to Treasury guidelines for ARPA funding. Approval by staff was recommended.
Interim County Manager Cindy Steinman told commissioners during the meeting that the agenda listed the funds as ‘interest earnings’ but that the funds were actual ARPA funds previously dispersed by the federal government. She noted that all ARPA funds must be spent by December 31, 2024.
There were no questions or comments from commissioners. It was approved unanimously.
Later Tuesday, the Statesboro City Council voted to send an additional $180,000 to the project. City Manager Charles Penny said Tuesday, “We are committed to ensuring not a single penny is sent back to the federal government.”
The donations follow an announcement in June of 2023 that the Food Bank needed to raise $800,000 to finish the estimated $2 million facility. The facility, which broke ground at the time of that announcement, will offer food pantry services, a dining hall for hot meals, and classrooms for cooking and healthy eating instruction.
The county’s contribution Tuesday comes after a $70,000 contribution in June of this year and a $500,000 contribution for the land acquisition and basic construction in 2023. The City of Statesboro matched the $500,000 contribution in 2023. The city also purchased the 3.75 acre site in 2022 for the food bank location, which was priced at $240,000. All of the funds originated from ARPA funds for the purpose of addressing ‘food insecurity.’
| Statesboro Food Bank | City of Statesboro | Bulloch County | ||
| Land Purchase | $240,000 | |||
| Land Acquisition & Construction | $500,000 | $500,000 | ||
| June 2024 | $70,000 | |||
| December 2024 | $180,000 | $252,000 | ||
| Contributions | $145,000 | |||
| $145,000 | $920,000 | $822,000 | $1,887,000 |
In a press release Tuesday evening, the Statesboro Food Bank said:
We are excited to share some incredible news from The Food Bank, Inc.! …The Bulloch County Commissioners have awarded $250,000, and the City of Statesboro has generously contributed an additional $180,000. These funds, totaling $430,000, will support crisis relief in our community and enable us to complete the construction of our new facility at 506 Miller Street.
This milestone underscores the unwavering support of our local leaders and the importance of our mission to alleviate hunger, foster hope, and provide vital assistance during emergencies.
