NORTH DAKOTA – Governor Armstrong signed House Bill 1143 into law, providing a one-time $5 million appropriation from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture to support the construction of a new statewide distribution center. The state’s investment will be matched dollar-for-dollar by private donations raised by the nonprofit, creating a true public-private partnership to expand food access across the state.
“We’ve reached full capacity at our current facility, and the demand for food assistance is higher than ever,” said Melissa Sobolik, CEO of the Great Plains Food Bank. “This new state-of-the-art distribution center will allow us to accept, store, and distribute more food to more people across North Dakota, efficiently and sustainably.”
The existing statewide distribution center no longer meets the organization’s growing needs. The facility faces critical challenges including insufficient space with the use of trailers for overflow inventory, and major infrastructure issues such as HVAC deficiencies. Without room to grow, the Great Plains Food Bank’s ability to meet rising food insecurity has been strained.
The new facility will address those barriers, maximizing logistics and storage efficiency while preparing the organization for future growth. It will increase food storage capacity with more pallet racking and expanding the cooler and freezer space. The design also includes specialized areas like a community room and an allergen repack space to enhance service delivery and innovation.
“We are grateful to Governor Armstrong and the North Dakota Legislature for recognizing that access to food is a fundamental need for every North Dakotan,” Sobolik added. “This is more than just a building—it’s a springboard for expanding and innovating how we tackle food insecurity. As long as hunger exists, so will we.”
Designed with long-term sustainability in mind, the facility will support the organization’s mission for decades to come. The new site will be located at 3315 Westrac Drive in Fargo; keeping the Statewide Distribution Center in Fargo was important for its proximity to major food donors, transportation routes, and community partners to continue the mission of ending hunger, together.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027.
