Lasting relationships take time, effort and commitment—and it’s exactly those things that Ryan Companies has invested in its 15-year partnership with Feeding Tampa Bay. During that time, the contractor has provided the Tampa-based food bank with in-kind donations of labor and materials to upkeep its current facility, so when the time came to identify a construction partner to build a new headquarters, Ryan was the obvious choice.

“We were one of several people they talked to about their new facility, and we had two things: one, a very nice relationship over the years, and two, a fantastic track record of delivering industrial projects very similar to the scope of their new facility. We were really excited to come out of the bidding process on top,” says Doug Dieck, Southeast region president for Minneapolis-headquartered Ryan. “With over 1 million food-insecure families across the region, it’s vital for Feeding Tampa Bay to operate at the highest level.”

The new, 210,463-square-foot building will serve as the organization’s headquarters and primary distribution facility, containing more than 41,000 square feet of cold storage space, an 11,000-square-foot kitchen, offices and more. The kitchen will produce up to 6,000 meals per day, and there will be an onsite grocery store open to residents in need.

“Feeding Tampa Bay is one of the national Feeding America food banks, which are all united through their branding and some guiding principles, but they also have a great deal of independence and autonomy to identify the specific needs of their local community and address those needs how they best see fit,” Dieck says. “Here in Tampa Bay, there’s a huge food bank, a huge warehousing component, but then they also have the ability to have people shop onsite in their grocery store as well.”

Rounding out the list of available services are healthy cooking classes and even financial planning seminars sponsored by a local credit union. “They really have a full suite of services to help people help themselves—to really give them a hand up as opposed to a handout,” Dieck says.

Feeding Tampa Bay currently provides more than 90 million meals per year to the region, and with the new facility will have the capacity to almost double that number to more than 150 million meals per year—a jump that the organization hopes will help achieve its goal of ending hunger in Tampa Bay by 2025. That mission resonates with Ryan Companies, which in addition to building the facility has agreed to donate back a quarter of its construction fee. “It feels good to put that out there in a public way, so that others can see it and say, ‘Hey, I want to be a part of that, too,’” Dieck says.“We’re hopeful it’s a one-plus-one-equals-three moment, where we give and others are compelled to as well.”

“Our new facility is the first step to reaching our goal to end hunger by 2025,” says Feeding Tampa Bay President and CEO Thomas Mantz. “More than a building, it will be the location that provides greater access to nutritious food and key support services, improving the overall health and stability of those who need us. We’re thankful for partners like Ryan that have the know-how and expertise to transform our vision into reality and help propel our mission forward.”