F-M food pantry makes changes to design for new facility to save money

FARGO — F-M Emergency Food Pantry officials hope small changes in design plans might help make up for a shortfall in fundraising.

They haven’t given up on reaching their $850,000 goal to build a new, larger facility, said Wayne Hankel, F-M Emergency Food Pantry board vice president. But, with about $150,000 left to raise, Hankel said the board asked its architect to look at possible design changes to save money.

“We’ve been looking at the plans and kind of tweaking them to see if we can get by with just a little bit less,” Hankel said. “Basically we haven’t made any major changes.”

Pantry supporters want to move from the current space at 1438 10th St. N. to a downtown location, near Fargo’s Cooper House on Fourth Avenue North. The new space in the 8,000 square- foot building would double the pantry’s size.

“At this point we’re optimistic that we’ll be able to raise the rest of the funds. We’re to a point where it looks like the project will happen,” Hankel said.

Initial estimates for a new site were closer to $1 million Hankel said, but architectural changes reduced the price.

“We’ve been looking at the plans and kind of tweaking them to see if we can get by with just a little bit less,” Hankel said. “We haven’t made any major changes though.”

Along with private donations, the Fargo-Moorhead area community stepped up to help the F-M Emergency Food Pantry reach its goal.

The city of Fargo donated $250,000 in federal community block grant funds, while the city of Moorhead contributed $50,000 in Economic Development Authority funds.

West Fargo and Clay County contributed $25,000 each. However, Cass County declined to contribute a requested $50,000. County Administrator Keith Berndt said that the money was not available in the county budget.

Hankel and Pantry Coordinator Linda Clark both said the communities have been very generous, but the need is certainly there.

From December 2010 to Dec. 1 this year, the emergency pantry served about 26,500 individuals and received 595 tons in food donations, Clark said.

“That equates to about 550,500 meals,” said Fred Clark at the Emergency Food Pantry.

The board continues to accept food donation as well as funds to for the new facility. It will meet again in January to discuss how plans for the building will move forward.

Wendy Reuer is a reporter at The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.

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