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State approves $9.5 million bond for Food Bank of Western Mass. headquarters

 A rendering of the new headquarters of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
Food Bank of Western Massachusetts via MassDevelopment
A rendering of the new headquarters of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts

MassDevelopment has issued a $9.5 million tax-exempt bond for The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to build and outfit a new headquarters in Chicopee. The state says the 63,000-square-foot building at the Chicopee River Business Park is expected to open in summer 2023.

The Food Bank has been operating out of a 30,000-square foot site in Hatfield and the move is expected to increase the nonprofit’s capacity to serve community members.

“With severe space constraints at our current facility, forcing us to turn away food donations, this critically-important financing enables us not a moment too soon to build our future home and move into it,” said The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Executive Director Andrew Morehouse.

In February, Governor Charlie Baker’s administration awarded a $1.6 million grant to the city of Chicopee to support the relocation of the headquarters. Late last year, the state also approved $5 million in federal COVID-19 relief money for the move. The project is expected to cost $22 million.

In 2021, The Food Bank provided 11.6 million meals and reached an average of 103,000 individuals per month.

Jim is WAMC’s Associate News Director and hosts WAMC's flagship news programs: Midday Magazine, Northeast Report and Northeast Report Late Edition. Email: jlevulis@wamc.org
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