BEND, OR -- The Giving Plate is moving ahead on expansion plans for two new buildings in Bend.

The food pantry’s executive Director Ranae Staley tells KNBD News the project has been in the works since 2017, “We're just on the brink of a really incredible leap when it comes to reimagining food relief and creating a space for our guests that they can shop with dignity and then a space where we can receive and warehouse and partner with other agencies.”

They’ll start moving into the Distribution Center on First Street next month. The Community Store on South Highway 97 opens in April.

“As we try to stay at the front lines of hunger, the need has just been growing so much and we just want to stay ahead of it. And I feel like in the past, we've been one step ahead of it, and now I feel like we'll be positioned to be well ahead of it. It’s not just one little change for the Giving Plate. It's really an organizational change. It's impacting almost all of our programs. It's impacting how we receive food from the community. It’s really an exciting time,” Staley says, adding they’ll need help with both projects, “It just goes beyond our normal scope of needing volunteers; people who have muscles and don't mind moving; people with handyman skills who can help us build out our space and make it really welcoming for our guests.”  You can find more info here.