NETWorks Plans ‘Big Leap’ into a New, Larger Facility

OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

NETWorks Cooperative Ministry has launched “The Big Leap” capital campaign to expand its facilities and better serve the community. The non-profit organization’s current 2,000 square-foot facility in downtown Tucker has reached its limit in both size and suitability; its new site will provide 6,500 square-feet of office and warehouse space and increase its service capacity by up to 40%.

NETWorks is a consortium of twenty churches, and provides food, housing, and utility assistance to qualified residents of its service area. The organization also provides counseling to its clients to help them find long-term solutions to poverty. Since 2014, the organization has assisted over 31,000 individuals with 868,160 pounds of food and $2.2 million of financial assistance Artist’s rendering of the new NETWorks pantry area. (including $1.7 million in CARES and ARPA funds).

In 2020, community need spiked and so did the work of NETWorks. It distributed 64% more food (almost 200,000 meals), doubled the number of times it helped a neighbor (over 23,000 instances), and provided 438% more financial assistance (more than $160,000) to qualified clients facing eviction. The City of Tucker selected NETWorks as the agency to administer federal CARES Act and ARPA funding.

“The need in our community continues to grow and our ability to meet that need is being limited by the space we are currently in,” said David Fisher, NETWorks executive director. “A larger space will help broaden and deepen the impact NETWorks has in the lives of our neighbors. We will better meet short-term hardship and improve our ability to help people escape poverty for good.”

NETWorks is looking to raise $750,000 to cover construction costs needed to remodel the new space, as well as cover new shelving, equipment, technology upgrades, and furnishings. Additionally, the Big Leap includes more staff and expenses for expanded and new programs allowed by the larger space. The funds will resolve NETWorks’ current space limitations and position it to meet demand for the next ten years.

The new building will allow room to expand food choices and quantities. Larger walk-in refrigeration units will accommodate more fresh and frozen product storage and delivery. Additionally, the increased space can accommodate staff growth, provide offices to ensure client privacy, and allow for new training and enrichment programs. Those programs include a grocery-store style pantry that allows visitors to shop for themselves.

“The new pantry design provides choice and control in a situation that usually doesn’t offer those features, honoring the innate dignity of our clients,” added Fisher.

NETWorks hopes to move into its new offices before the end of 2022. For more information on The Big Leap Expansion Campaign, visit networkscoop.org/thebigleap

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