February 3 marked a monumental day for the Regional Food Bank of Hudson Valley: its new distribution center, located at 574 Route 416 in the Town of Montgomery, officially began operations. This $25-million facility boasts immense size and state-of-the-art features that will feed millions of people facing food insecurity across the Hudson Valley.

The distribution center was a long-held dream of the FBHV and the labor of numerous local, county, and state parties. Years of planning, collaboration, and construction led to the facility’s completion on December 14, 2024, opening new possibilities for fighting food insecurity. Compared to the former location in Cornwall-on-Hudson, the Montgomery facility features twice as much space, four times as many storage racks, cold storage capabilities, safer and cleaner workspaces, and other advanced technologies. The facility is also located near I-84 and I-87, two key highways that will make distribution much easier for incoming agencies and outgoing deliveries.

“We built the facility with the help of many communities and agencies to meet the needs of residents across the region,” said Felicia Kalan, executive vice president of FBHV. “Having access to I-84 and I-87 is crucial for efficiency.”

The demand for hunger relief was immediately apparent on the facility’s first day; visitors could see volunteers meticulously sorting food, staff members zooming around on forklifts, and several agencies picking up supplies throughout the day. This system relies heavily on food donations from residents, local supermarket partners like Walmart and Target, the USDA, and grants.

When the distribution center receives food, the facility’s staff and volunteers evaluate the items to ensure quality standards and sort of them into boxes, many of which are labeled and designated to specific agencies. Returning volunteers from the Cornwall-on-Hudson location are especially happy about the new facility’s space and amenities, making it much easier and safer to sort food.

“We are very excited about the new facility, it’s great that we’re in a new space,” said Jacqueline Dolan, the food bank’s volunteer engagement specialist. “We have much more space to sort and store food.”

“The new facility is fantastic; the original one was like working in a dungeon. It was dirty and accommodating; we had to do a lot of back-and-forth walking to get to our sorting area,” said John Chedister, a four-year volunteer of FBHV. “We have everything we need here, including our own entrance and break room.”

“I’m very happy about the facility, it’s going to help a lot of people,” said Estee Toth, a new volunteer of FBHV. “And I’m enjoying volunteering so far. This is a good environment with kind people working toward a good cause.”

After staff and volunteers finish sorting, the facility distributes the food to agencies in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster County. Throughout the week, agency members arrive and load their vehicles with boxes of food, receiving help from the staff for heavier loads. The food bank also delivers food directly to the agencies’ locations through various programs. Regardless of the distribution method, the agency members are ecstatic with the new facility and looking forward to working with the FBHV to feed their communities.

“It’s great that this facility is located in the lower end of the Hudson Valley. It’s full of produce and non-perishables, and that’s going to make a big difference for our communities,” said Diane Serratore, executive director of People to People in Rockland County. “I don’t know where we would get two million meals, or 70% of our food, without the food bank.”

“I think that the facility is a great site for Middletown. It’s easy getting in and out when we pick up food, and it will really help the community,” said Diana Velasquez of RECAP in Middletown. “It’s geared toward children, infants, adults, and everyone really. And I like the variety of foods.”

Barry Lewis, FBHV’s senior public affairs officer, asserted that the food bank will help communities in various ways beyond just “distributing canned food.”

FBHV members and volunteers hope to mitigate food insecurity through education and engagement; utilizing the facility’s kitchen and training room, they will host culinary programs and community events, teaching visitors about cooking and growing food.

“It’s not just about giving, it’s about nutrition, which is extremely critical right now. We’re working with over 400 agencies in the Hudson Valley, including hospitals, pantries, and schools,” Lewis said. “We also want to fight food insecurity with education. We have a conference room where we’ll bring in groups and classes to educate.”