Santa Cruz Elementary to host F.O.R. food bank

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An elementary school will offer temporary operating space for a local food bank.

Last week the F.O.R. Maricopa Food Bank moved into a space inside Santa Cruz Elementary, 19845 N. Costa Del Sol in the Tortosa subdivision.

The food bank has been temporarily closed since Oct. 3 to accommodate the move, according to the F.O.R. Maricopa Facebook page.

F.O.R. Director Wendy Webb said there are a few issues that need to be resolved with the Maricopa Unified School District before the food bank can open again.

Currently, food bank operators are waiting for the installation of a water heater on Tuesday. Webb said the food bank at Santa Cruz does not have a “firm opening date at this time.”

“We remain hopeful that all can be resolved quickly,” Webb said.

Since May, the food bank has operated out of a small space at the Maricopa Manor Business Center after moving from its original building on Garvey Avenue and John Wayne Parkway. The move was prompted by the upcoming construction of the State Route 347 Overpass.

The down-size resulted in the food bank offering services to residents once a week.

Webb said the move to the larger spaces at Santa Cruz will afford the organization to expand operation hours.

“If it does work out it would mean twice the space for us and we could be able to serve the community twice a week again like we did before in our old location,” Webb said during an August interview.

Upon opening, the food bank will serve community members Mondays and Thursdays from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Operating out of Santa Cruz Elementary will mean longer drives for some, however, as the food bank would move over 5.5 miles from the center of town to Tortosa.

“We know the new location is a little bit farther for some folks,” Webb said. “But overall with the big picture in mind, this will be more supportive for more people while we are waiting on a new building.”

Webb said construction on a permanent location next to Maricopa Business Barn could be completed by April or May 2018.

The food bank director purchased the business barn and nearby property in July. Since September, Webb and volunteers have worked weekends painting and repairing the barn to attract small business owners into the spaces.

Webb has said previously the barn can be an income-driver for the food bank.

The food bank is not the first organization displaced by the overpass to be offered a temporary home in Santa Cruz.

Over the summer, the school opened two of its unused classrooms to groups of seniors who were forced out of the soon-to-be demolished Copa Center building on Honeycutt Road.

“We look forward to our new partnership with MUSD as our landlord,” Webb said. “Superintendent (Steve) Chestnut and Principal (Loraine) Conley have both been so supportive of us moving in.”

For updates follow the F.O.R. Maricopa Facebook Page.