Master Provisions broke ground on their expanded facility with a ceremonial groundbreaking recently at the 3.7 acre building site on 10205 Toebben Dr in Independence. The new facility is made possible by over $5.2 million in gifts from 172 donors.
Originally started in 1994 to assist Ukraine after the fall of communism, MP has grown to partner with over 270 local nonprofits and nine international partners. Their collaborative approach ensures over 81,000 people across Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia are fed each month and provides needed clothing and resources around the world.
The expandable facility will start with approximately 30,000 square feet and additional square footage can be added in the future to accommodate increasing needs. Increased vertical racking capacity and more efficient workflow designs will significantly expand warehouse operations and storage space from their current facility.
Donors honored with naming rights include the following: Borland Family Distribution Center, Yung Family Foundation Campus, Verst Logistics Vertical Resource Management System, Martha Jane Baker Conference Center, and Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation Welcome Center. These generous donations and others allow MP to build their new facility debt free. The project is expected to be completed by late 2025.
Community representatives and stakeholders participated in the ceremonial groundbreaking by shoveling the first scoops of dirt on the property. MP welcomed the following shovel turners: Boone, Kenton, and Campbell County Judge/Executives (Gary Moore, Kris Knochelmann, and Steve Pendery), State Senator Chris McDaniel, Will Ziegler (President and CEO of the RC Durr Foundation who provided funding to purchase the land on Toebben Drive), Ruth Klette (Trustee of Elsa Heisel Sule Charitable Trust), Bernie McKay (President and CEO of the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation), Brent Cooper (President and CEO of the NKY Chamber of Commerce), Doug Borald (Doug and Desma Borland Charitable Fund), Derek Haught (Yung Family Foundation), Kyle Brabender (MP Board Chair), Roger Babik (MP Founder), and Shane Armstrong (MP President).
Nathan Windegardner, ACE Hardware of Independence owner, donated the 15 shovels used for the ceremonial groundbreaking. After their use at the event, MP plans to donate the shovels to their international partners to connect available resources to a need.
MP President, Shane Armstrong, said, “About 44 million people in America, including 13 million children, didn’t know where their next meal was coming from in 2023. We are only seeing that need increase. Our goal is to do everything we can to see that number go down, but it takes a lot of work and diligence to bring that number down across the country.”
For information on how to get involved with the facility expansion and to keep up with the building process, visit www.furtherthempact.org. For more information on MP as a whole, visit: https://www.masterprovisions.org/.