ORANGEVALE, CA (MPG) - On Jan. 12, the Fair Oaks and Orangevale Chambers came together for a joint mixer and to celebrate the recent opening of a drive-through food distribution barn at the Orangevale-Fair Oaks (OV/FO) Food Bank located at 6483 Main Ave., Orangevale.

The mixer included a ribbon cutting and presentations from several representatives including OV/FO Community Foundation Director Josh Hall, Food Bank Director Andrea Scollay, Orangevale Chamber Executive Director Kim Bayne, Fair Oaks Chamber Executive Director Kimberley Pitillo, and Fair Oaks Chamber President Mary Howard.

Fair Oaks Water District General Manager Tom Gray presented a donation of $1,000 to the Food Bank from Water District employees.

The barn project kicked off in 2020 under the leadership of previous OV/FO Food Bank Director Keith Wright, and construction began in Dec. 2021.

“This has been a long-time in the making,” said Scollay referring to the length of time it took getting various permits signed off.

Scollay thanked the Fair Oaks Rotary and the Carlsen-Muir Foundation for each donating $10,000 to the barn’s construction. “This project would not have been possible without generous donations from groups and individuals in the community.”

The new barn provides an efficient means to store food in a centralized location and provides shelter from the elements to volunteers and clients who no longer have to park on Main Ave. on pickup days. Previously, volunteers had to roll carts into the front parking lot and street in order to load groceries into cars.

“Now we can… service more clients on distribution days,” said Scollay.

The OV/FO Food Bank is one of five outreach programs under the OV/FO Community Foundation. Established in 2011, the Foundation was created to help find greater ways to service the community. In addition to their five outreach programs, the Foundation hosts a number of fun community events open to the public each year.