Aurora Food Bank of the Rockies distribution center nears completion amid rising need

Construction is nearing completion on Food Bank of the Rockies' new 270,000-square-foot distribution center in Aurora. The facility is designed to dramatically expand the nonprofit's ability to fight hunger across Colorado and Wyoming.

Since CBS News Colorado first reported on the project in July, the site has transformed from steel beams to a nearly operational hub. One of the most anticipated features is the state-of-the-art kitchen, which Executive Chef Jon Knight says will allow the food bank to scale up meal production like never before.

"Everything we got that's being installed now is bulk commercial equipment that allows us to do a lot of cooking in grand scale," Knight said.

Currently, the food bank produces about 2,700 meals a day. Once the new kitchen is fully operational, Knight expects that number to climb to 10,000.

"I've had fridges this large, I've never had the air space," he said, referring to the expanded cold storage that will allow the team to accept and process literal tons of fresh produce.

The additional space also means more scratch cooking, a cost-saving and health-conscious approach that Knight says is essential.

"So having all the extra space, the equipment, will give us the ability to do so much more from scratch, which will be not only cheaper, but healthier, better-quality food too," he said.

The timing of the expansion is critical. Food Bank of the Rockies CEO Erin Pulling says the organization is seeing the highest level of need in a decade, compounded by reductions in USDA commodity food and anticipated cuts to SNAP benefits due to the ongoing government shutdown.

"I wish so much that we could already be operating in this building," Pulling said. "We're seeing such a high need, the highest need in 10 years. This building is part of the solution because it increases our efficiency and our capacity."

While the new center won't solve food insecurity on its own, Pulling believes it's a significant step forward, especially for the estimated 1 in 7 children in Colorado experiencing hunger.

"This new building really can't come soon enough," she said.

The food bank is 90% toward its fundraising goal, with more than $7 million still needed to open the facility this winter. Pulling says they're counting on continued community support to make it happen.

"Hunger is systemic, and we have to solve it kind of from the ground up," Knight added.

Once complete, the center will not only increase meal production but also welcome up to 300 volunteers daily, helping Food Bank of the Rockies serve more neighbors, more efficiently.

To learn more about the distribution center project, visit foodbankrockies.org/fulfilled.