STAR, Idaho — The Star Food Bank has officially secured 1.67 acres of land for its future home on the edge of Star — a major milestone for a volunteer-run nonprofit that has long outgrown its current space.
Star Food Bank President Teresa Wise said the closing happened this week.
The land is currently raw — with cows and horses still on the property — and will require significant pre-development work before construction can begin, including bringing in utilities. Wise said it will likely be nine months to a year before the food bank can break ground.
"We made it through the sale, and now we start all the legwork and the time-consuming work," Wise said.
The Star Food Bank has officially secured land for its future home.
"We're partnering with the Boise Valley Church of the Brethren, and that church and us are going to share our facility for a little while, which is very exciting because we get to help them out. They helped us out by giving us an incredible price on the property, and they can have a bigger church, and we will have our bigger food bank," Wise said.
The goal for the new facility is 5,000 square feet — with room to expand on the site. The food bank currently operates out of an approximately 800-square-foot building while serving families across Star, Eagle, Emmett and Middleton.
Wise said the land purchase is a significant step — but acknowledged the work ahead is just beginning.
RELATED | Fundraising for the food bank in a fun way at Star's Great Cardboard Regatta
"We've got so much work to do ahead of us. In fact, getting the property in some ways this was the easy part," Wise said.
On the fundraising side, the food bank launched the Great Cardboard Boat Regatta two summers ago to increase its fundraising impact. Between last year and this year, the event has raised nearly $100,000. An angel donor also contributed $500,000 this spring. Even with those contributions, the food bank's total stands at approximately $1.1 million — a figure that has already been reduced by the land purchase. Wise said the organization still needs to raise approximately $1.5 million to build and fully equip the new facility, including tables, refrigerators, walk-in coolers and freezers.
Still, she said the milestone brings a sense of hope that has been a long time coming.
"It's so exciting because now we see the light at the end of the tunnel. We finally have a new home to build our new food bank," Wise said.
Ernest Woods, who has lived in Star for nearly 25 years and is the owner and writer of Star Spirit Magazine — now in its 6th year — said he has watched the food bank grow from a small operation into what it is today. He said he has a personal connection to the organization — around the time he started the magazine, he was living in a small attic apartment and had to use the food bank himself.
"I really admire the folks at the food bank," Woods said.
He said the organization's track record of thoughtful decision-making is what has brought it to this point.
"They're making good decisions. And I think that's what brought them to where they are today and how they can serve as many people as they do," Woods said.
He said the new facility will open up possibilities the current 800-square-foot space simply cannot support — including room for community meetings and events that the food bank has had to scale back due to limited space. He pointed to the recent Star Backpack Drive — an event that used to be held at the food bank but has had to adapt as the organization has grown.
He said the new building will allow the food bank to serve not just Star but the surrounding communities it already supports.
"They're going to have a lot of room, and they're gonna have a lot of opportunity to just service the community as a whole," Woods said.
"Star is a great place, and we're working hard to keep it great," Woods said.
For more information on how to donate or volunteer at the Star Food Bank, you can visit their website here.
