County Commission Approves $150K For West Alabama Food Bank

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa County Commission on Wednesday approved an allocation of $150,000 for the West Alabama Food Bank, as the nonprofit moves into a new home and aims to expand its services.

As Patch previously reported, the food bank in May asked the Commission for $250,000 to go toward capital improvements — namely the seed funding for a teaching kitchen after the nonprofit finalized a deal to move from its former location in Northport to the former Buffalo Rock facility on 65th Avenue in Tuscaloosa.

What's more, the funding request comes as the West Alabama Food Bank begins work on a five-year, $10 million capital campaign to both expand its warehouse capacity, while also building out its services and offerings. The West Alabama Food Bank last week also requested the same amount from the City of Tuscaloosa, as the nonprofit will now have its central hub inside in the city limits.

ALSO READ: West Alabama Food Bank Requests City Funding For Big Move, Expansion

Once fully operational, the food bank projects that its capacity will increase by 25%-30% in the first three to five years — a central tenant of its longterm plan. As Patch reported last week, the West Alabama Food Bank distributed 737,000 pounds of food last year in Tuscaloosa, including monthly food boxes for nearly 400 seniors to ensure their food security.

"The Commission has considered [the funding request] some and the dynamics there really need to start moving forward and the dynamics of the economy are impacting them, so I expect that to be a challenge in the next year or two," Probate Judge Rob Robertson said on Wednesday.

Ultimately, the County Commission approved an initial allocation of $150,000 for the food bank, while leaving the door open to consider funding during the next calendar year.

"The ask would be splitting it," Robertson commented. "They don’t need it right up front."

The funds will come from the county's allocation of federal aid dollars under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

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