LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – A new facility in Lexington is expected to make a major impact in the fight against food insecurity across the state. God’s Pantry Food Bank officially opened its new 127,000-square-foot building off Citation Boulevard and Georgetown Road. Organizers say the e xpanded space could help meet the need for up to 60 million meals annually across Kentucky. “The food that you see behind me, that’s less than 4 weeks, less than a months worth of food,” said Mike Halligan, CEO of God’s Pantry Food Bank. The facility includes more freezer and cooler space, a dedicated produce cooler, new offices and more. Halligan says the improvements will allow the organization to operate more efficiently while staying cost effective. “And so all of this food gets shuttled across Central and Easter Kentucky, 16,000 square miles, with a fleet of 14 trucks, on the road every day getting food to people who need it.” said Halligan. “If it was not for this facility, we would not be able to do some of the things we just talked about the way we’re now able to do them,” said Halligan Meanwhile, God’s Pantry Food Bank is launching its $40 million “Building the Future, Nourishing Communities” campaign. $28 million will go toward expanding capital infrastructure to meet growing food needs, while the remaining $12 million will be used to purchase food. While the new warehouse is capable of helping distribute tens of millions of meals, Halligan says the ultimate goal is to eliminate the need altogether. “We are going to do this work until it’s no longer necessary,” said Halligan. Categories: Featured, Local News, News Tags: central kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, food bank, food distribution, Food Insecurity, God’s Pantry Food Bank, Kentucky hunger, Lexington, Meals, mike halligan, NEW FACILITY, Warehouse ...read more read less