Lowell – Many exciting changes are taking place for the Merrimack Valley Food Bank (MVFB) this winter.
After operating out of a warehouse at 735 Broadway Street in Lowell since 1995, the organization has moved into its newly renovated location at 1703 Middlesex Street in Lowell. During the 29 years MVFB made its home on Broadway Street, the organization grew exponentially – adding five direct service programs to serve populations vulnerable to food insecurity and growing its food distribution program to distribute nearly 4 million pounds of food annually to serve approximately 70,000 people each month.
The newly renovated building on Middlesex Street represents a huge step in the Food Bank’s growth. The larger space, all on one level and with increased freezer capacity and more accessible loading docks, will allow MVFB to serve more people with greater safety and efficiency than the prior space.
Executive Director Debbie Callery proudly displays MVFB’s newly unveiled logo.
To recognize this new era in MVFB’s history, the organization is also launching a new logo and look to better reflect its larger role in the community. The new logo still features an apple, which has long been a symbol associated with MVFB, but the inclusion of people making up the apple shape better represents the importance of community and humanity to the organization’s mission. Orange is the traditional color associated with hunger relief and food insecurity awareness, so is featured prominently in the new design. The green also reflects MVFB’s commitment to sustainability in all of its programs and practices.
While a new home and new look are major changes, the MVFB team wishes to emphasize that their mission remains unchanged. The organization is committed to fighting food insecurity in the 32 cities and towns it serves, working through a combination of direct service programs and partnerships with other hunger relief organizations to ensure that no member of the community has to go to bed hungry.
A look inside the Merrimack Valley Food Bank’s new warehouse at 1703 Middlesex Street.
Executive Director Debbie Callery is proud of this commitment, saying, “We really have an incredible team of staff and board members who are so committed to our vision of fighting food insecurity. Their dedication and hard work, and the hard work of the staff and board over the course of the organization’s 33 year history, have made it possible for us to be in this position where we can look forward to expanding our services and helping more people who are just trying to feed their families. It’s really a special time at MVFB.”
For more information about the Merrimack Valley Food Bank or to schedule a tour of the new building, visit www.mvfb.org or follow MVFB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
