Alameda Food Bank (AFB) opens its first permanent facility today on Monday, October 20. The building, located at 677 West Ranger Avenue, adds 10,000 square feet of warehouse space to their current operations. The move to the new location wasn’t without challenges, including a California Environmental Quality Act lawsuit that was dismissed by the court, but the food bank prevailed. The new facility, also known as Building 607, is directly across from where AFB has been operating out of a leased warehouse, making it a convenient transition for food bank clients.
“The biggest change here is that this warehouse space is 20% bigger, so we can accept more food and store more food,” AFB Board President Craig Hotti said shortly before the new facility opened. As an example, he said, “We have days when we get a donation of just a ton of kale, and we don’t have the storage space. We’re like, take 10 bunches of kale, nobody wants 10 bunches of kale. So, this allows us to accept that food and store it, and hold it over until next week or the week after.”
The addition of basic infrastructure, such as heating and air conditioning, an indoor waiting area, and drinking fountains, are expected to significantly improve the experience for AFB shoppers and volunteers. The larger space, along with secure entrances and exits, improve flow of traffic and safety. The new building also includes meeting rooms that will be used by AFB and collaborators they work with for wraparound services.
The previous location was “just not sufficient,” AFB Executive Director Teale Harden said. “It’s not a very welcoming space, and a lot of the work that the Food Bank does, in terms of our processes and how we approach our services, is creating a respectful and welcoming space.”
Harden explained that the lack of infrastructure at the old location negatively impacted accessibility and created challenging workflows. Many shoppers, especially older ones, would visit during early hours to avoid excessive heat, cold, rain, or other weather extremities. Meanwhile, AFB volunteers had to prepare and stock food every morning during distribution days. At the new facility they can start that process the day or evening before. Other amenities, such as on-site laundry, also improve the workflow, as washcloths and vests can be laundered right there; at the old location, volunteers had to wash them at home.
While AFB has been operating for 48 years, all previous locations have been considered temporary spaces. The permanence of the new facility encouraged future-proofing designs, in which not just present needs, but the strong possibility of increasing needs, were strongly considered.
“It is also set up (to consider) in 20 years, in 30 years, and 40 years, what will the organization look like?” Harden said. “We tried to be really mindful during the design process to make sure that we weren’t just thinking about today.”
The Food Bank’s experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic also affected the designs. For example, the parking lot layout was designed to accommodate a pandemic-style distribution, should AFB need to use it.
Hotti said the building is an ongoing project and they still need additional fundraising to fully complete it. Some of the other projects being worked on are the installation of a gate for easy access to a community room, some sidewalk construction, and the purchase of a forklift.
The building is opening right before the busy holiday season, when AFB will be getting their greatest number of shoppers and donations.
“It’s the busiest time of year, a lot of uncertainty,” Harden said. “We’re really just relying on the community to help us finish this project strong and continue to meet the needs of the community on an ongoing basis.”
Those needs continue to grow. According to AFB, 1,456 new households signed up for their services in 2024. In 2025, they are serving an average of 455 clients per day. And they continue to encourage the community to come for help.
“Don’t wait until the eviction notice could be showing up,” Hotti urged. “Don’t wait until the bills are overdue. As soon as you start feeling a financial crunch, come shop with us.”
To donate or volunteer, visit the AFB website.
Vicky Nguyen is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Vicky-Nguyen.
