New Redwood Empire Food Bank Open House

 I can only start by telling you this is conceptual form and function business thought going on here, and if not for one of Joyce's friends June Smith being involved in some fashionable manner we might not have participated in the grand tour and learned of the updated programs and huge square footage that will take this Food Bank into the future serving Sonoma county and communities to the north.  The thinking and functional parts to me that were updates were the large cooler spaces for fresh fruits, vegetables and meats, the kitchen that can be rented out and the conference room of that same nature.

Now here you have a few of the newly acquired kitchen equipment, from convection ovens to the new standard three sink set-up, large quantity mixers, meat slicing machine and robocop food processor and things like an oven that bakes off a whole baker's rack at a time.  Lots of table top prepping areas and large viewing windows so people in the foyer of the building can watch the goings on in the kitchen as it happens. I think any restaurant or food establishment would be happy with this expansive kitchen. 

 On one side we find a glorious store filled with all the natural ingredients found in most of your local markets, but catering to the lower income brackets of your local communities.  Here they will have the benefit of friendly smiles, gracious attitudes and attentiveness of the volunteers as they search out the items on their grocery lists and be educated on all the smart choices if need be. Fresh fruits, meats and coolers inside the store will provide the environment for the customers to pick out items they normally wouldn't get at a Food Bank.

As we entered the foyer of the new building that houses the Food Bank, a glorious flower arrangement bid you hello, a large sign pointed out information about the services provided and windows into the kitchen gave you views of the culinary processes going on.  The diabetes van and educational program delivered and catered to people who were in need of their care and as you can see, the bicycle with the osterizer on the back gave an understanding of the human energy needed for such a process. It is a good sign that the new Food Bank is here.