Abilene Food Bank's Expansion to Extend Hours, Service to Community
Category: Architecture
Written By: Abilene Reporter-News
Date: March 26, 2023
From Abilene Reporter-News
Serving green punch and green thumbprint cookies and wearing greenish anniversary T-shirts, staff, former staff, board members, and representatives of partner agencies gathered on March 17 to launch a project that will "put a face on hunger" in Abilene and in 12 other West Texas counties.
The architectural firm Parkhill has been charged with the project that will use an area on the east side of the facility for a drive-through pickup area. The goal is to be open non-traditional business day hours.
But that's not all. Plans call for creating a cohesive look to the current 30,000-square-foot plant that has undergone three previous expansions. New signage will identify the location as Food Bank of West Central Texas.
[Parkhill's Jesse Bernard, AIA,] said his firm is carrying out the vision that current director Ronnie Kidd, [director of operations Patrick] Dembach, and others at the food bank presented to them to "expand the operation and functionality of this operation to add more point-of-contact with individuals."
"I was talking to Ronnie and said, 'It's funny, you're putting a face on hunger, but your building doesn't have a face," Bernard said of redesigning the exterior. "As architects, we get to come and put a face on your building."
