The Lancaster County Food Hub is on the cusp of a significant milestone as it eagerly anticipates the arrival of clients next spring. Situated on the second floor of its headquarters at 812 N. Queen St., this large and inviting center will serve as a hub of activity, integrating a wide range of services provided by Food Hub outreach workers and their partner organizations.

Uniting Services to Meet Community Needs at Lancaster County Food Hub

Renovation and Space Details

The renovation of the roughly 5,500 square feet space has been in the works for several years. Executive Director Paige McFarling emphasizes that creating such a center was always part of their vision. The core of the center will be a flexible open-plan day center equipped with tables and chairs, accessible via a new handicap-accessible elevator or stairs. Along the west side, there will be offices for private meetings and a "quiet room." On the east side, folding dividers will enclose a storage area, and double doors will open onto an open-air rooftop respite area. This design allows for maximum flexibility, with an area set up for individuals with night jobs and the potential to provide overnight shelter beds if needed. The storage area can also be integrated into the outreach area when no longer required.

The Food Hub employs four outreach workers - three full-time and one part-time. As the center opens, they anticipate adding more staff, although the details are still being finalized. Joining them will be staff from various collaborating organizations such as Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health street medicine team, the Lancaster EMS community paramedic team (with the Refresh Lancaster mobile hygiene trailer making regular stops), Blueprints for Addiction Recovery, and others.

Previous Design and Collaborations

Previous design iterations included a low-barrier overnight shelter with around 30 beds. However, in light of the upcoming opening of an 80-bed shelter at Otterbein United Methodist Church, this component was removed. The Food Hub and Otterbein shelter operator, YMCA of the Roses, are collaborating to provide support. Both are located within a short distance of each other on opposite sides of North Queen and Clay streets.

The Food Hub's project is budgeted at $1.2 million, with a $500,000 grant from Pennsylvania's Local Share Account program. They are raising the rest through a capital campaign and are currently about 30% away from their goal. They are deeply grateful to all those who have pledged so far.

Opening Timeline and Complementary Hubs

The center is expected to be finished and ready to welcome guests in late March or early April. Deb Jones, director of the Office of the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition, is delighted with the Food Hub's efforts to maximize their space and meet the needs around housing and homelessness. The coalition is planning its own homelessness services hub on South Prince Street, which is seen as complementary to the Food Hub's center. Besides a day center for client-service provider interactions, the South Prince Street Hub will include crisis housing and transitional housing. The plans and budget for this hub are still being finalized. The Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority, overseeing the project, initially hoped to have it open by the end of 2025 but has now pushed it back to early 2026.