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New Jasper County Community Food Bank site open; freezer expands capacity to 21 pallets
Summary
Food bank leaders told commissioners the facility opened Jan. 8, 2026; refrigeration and expanded space let them store 21 pallets (freezer 2/3 full of meat), prepare 816 orders in January and serve about 1,000 county residents (roughly 700 children).
Leaders of the Jasper County Community Food Bank told commissioners their new distribution site opened Jan. 8, 2026 and is already meeting increased demand, with a freezer large enough for 21 pallets and expanded parking and storage.
Ken Horton said opening day had a full driveway and that the extra storage and parking were proving necessary. "Opening day was January 8, 2026, and the driveway was full," Horton said, and the new freezer will hold 21 pallets (the food bank originally planned for 14). Horton added the freezer was about two-thirds full of meat at the time of the report.
Kim McMichael told the board the cost of the project was covered by three grants, with the food bank responsible for refrigeration; that refrigeration was funded through in-kind labor and materials plus more than $60,000 in grants and private donations. McMichael said the food bank prepared 816 orders in four weeks in January, enrolled 13 new households and served roughly 1,000 county residents in the month, about 700 of whom were under 18.
The food bank will hold an open house and ribbon-cutting on Friday, March 6 at 10 a.m. Commissioners and staff were thanked for grant assistance and community support.
