Kilmer Secures New Federal Funding for Port Angeles Food Bank’s Nourish to Flourish Expansion
House Passes $900,000 for Port Angeles Food Bank Expansion
Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed critical funding that has been championed by U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) to support the Port Angeles Food Bank’s Nourish to Flourish expansion. The twelve-bill government funding package, which passed the House with bipartisan support, included $900,000 in federal funding for the expansion project, which is intended to allow the Port Angeles Food Bank to finalize the purchase of the building in which they currently operate, ensuring a permanent location and consistent services for years to come.
The legislation is expected to be approved by the U.S. Senate and signed into law by President Biden in the coming days.
“As someone who grew up in Port Angeles, I want to make sure all of the community’s residents have economic opportunity and can live with dignity. I know how important the Port Angeles Food Bank has been, and will continue to be, to ensuring folks in our region receive critical nutrition assistance when they need it most,” said Rep. Kilmer. “The new, expanded facility has been vital to helping the Food Bank deliver for folks during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a big deal that funding to help make this expansion permanent has passed the House – and I look forward to seeing the President sign this bill into law in the coming days. I’ll keep pushing to help ensure the Food Bank has the support it needs to continue to serve our community.”
“Moving into this building has provided our community with so much already. This funding to complete the purchase of the building guarantees that this will be our forever home and allows the PAFB to fully focus on our mission of Nourishing our Community. The abundance of cold storage provides the space we didn’t have before to receive large deliveries of fresh food and even order milk, by the pallet when available. The Oakridge facility meets our needs for both cold and dry storage and will soon open as a community market where those experiencing food insecurity will be welcomed to shop for free groceries in an inviting and comfortable space. The Market at the Port Angeles Food Bank will be a thriving community facility for all of Clallam County,” said Emily Dexter, Executive Director of the Port Angeles Food Bank.
In 2020, the Port Angeles Food Bank supported approximately 13 area food pantries with over 5,000 households on the Olympic Peninsula – distributing an average 250,000 pound of food per month, or 200,000 meals per month. The Port Angeles Food Bank expects this need to continue to grow in future years and has moved into a new space with expanded dry storage space, additional freezer space, and room to create an open area market where customers will be able to shop with equity and dignity.
Rep. Kilmer led the effort to secure funding for the project through the House Appropriations Committee’s Community Project Funding process.
The Community Project Funding request was supported by: State Rep. Mike Chapman, Clallam County Commissioners Randy Johnson & Mark Ozias, the City of Port Angeles, the Clallam County Sheriff's Office, Clallam County EDC, the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Food Lifeline, the Sequim Food Bank, the Forks Community Food Bank, Olympic Community Action Programs (OlyCAP), the Port Angeles Salvation Army, the Port Angeles School District, the Port Angeles Boys & Girls Club, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, KONP, and Clallam Mosaic, among others.