Metric Tonnes of CO2e diverted: Learn more about this calculation here.
Operations Update – Epic-Cure’s Permanent Warehouse and Logistics Facility in St. Augustine
On June 12th, Governor Ron DeSantis signed the 2024-25 Florida state budget into law. An appropriation of $1.5 million for Epic-Cure’s new distribution center in St. Augustine is part of that Florida budget. We are grateful for our legislative sponsors in that effort:
Rep. Bobby Payne
Sen. Travis Hutson
Speaker Paul Renner
We are also grateful for the guidance and support of Frank and Tracy Mayernick of the Mayernick Group, our advisors and lobbyists in Tallahassee. And we are thankful for the many efforts of Mark and Alecia Bailey in setting our strategy and advocating for Epic-Cure at every turn. Where do things now stand with the construction of Epic-Cure’s permanent home in St. Augustine? Let’s lay the foundation and discuss the plans.
We have identified a property in St. Augustine that is not only ideally suited for the distribution center - affectionately, the “warehouse” - in an Opportunity Zone not far from West Augustine. The parcel is on South Holmes Boulevard near a new Lennar housing development. It is large enough to accommodate two to three 10,000 square foot “flex space” warehouses. Our initial draft designs are under review for expanded needs. We believe it will be laid out substantially similarly to what we show below on p. 4.
The process to this point has taken more than 2 years. We were unable to retain the original property off SR-16 in Inman Road, which was ideal for a logistics facility. It was near I-95 and central for our food rescue efforts across St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, and Duval counties. Because the demand for commercial and industrial properties exceeds the supply of them, the sellers became impatient and unwilling to wait for us. We lost that property but kept our eyes on several other land parcels – keeping a Plan B, a Plan C, and even a Plan D. it is a good thing that we did!
We are working through the discovery process on entitlements and permits, the location of utilities connections and the availability of 3-Phase electric, the Phase 1 environmental survey, the archaeological report, wetlands and endangered species reports, and on and on. There are many hurdles to jump, and we have expertise in this process as well as a supportive team in place. Consequently, and while we know that there will be setbacks along the way, we also know that we will prevail and build this facility so that we can make permanent all the good that this amazing, all volunteer team so expertly does nearly every day of the year for the good of our community.
The most important aspect of this effort is to understand and abide by the regulations that will be promulgated for our use of the funding that the state is providing. To that end, we have spoken with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). They oversee our budget allocation for the building. We have begun the process with them by setting up our “vendor” account and “substitute W-9” form. The next step on this important front is for the FDACS team to assign us a project manager, expected by July 12th.
We have spoken with Mark Cosgrove and Mike Davis of A.D. Davis Construction about our needs and the construction project. He has agreed to advise us as we work through this process. While we do not yet know what the team at FDACS will require in terms of competitive bids (we expect the need to provide three competitive bids for each large budget item), we do know that we will invite A.D. Davis Construction to compete for the role of General Contractor.
We will also engage local legal counsel this week and expect to discuss the legal oversight role with Rogers Towers. They are a blue chip law firm with strong community ties and a good track record. We do have back up firms in mind, just in case.
The fundraising is not over. We need to secure another $700,000 (approx.) and will seek financial assistance from the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners and other sources, including grants, private donations, and possible a mortgage loan. Our fingers are crossed that the local community will understand the meaningfully positive social, economic, and health impacts that Epic-Cure drives into our communities daily. With the millions and millions of dollars of food we provide to our local communities, this effort reduces the burden on landfills and the environment. It also improves socioeconomic outcomes. The cost is low. The benefit is high. It is early in the process, but we will keep you informed as we go.
On the following page, we provide an early draft version of the warehouse layout. This will almost certainly change as we engage architects, engineers, and builders. It does, however, give you a sense of what we hope to accomplish in building this facility.
Our basic needs include the following:
3 phase electrical
Loading bay(s) for tractor trailer
3 Refrigeration units (size is contingent on dimensions of building)
Dedicated space/shelving for dry goods storage
Space for two offices (one for Hopefull Handbags) and a breakroom
2 Commercial teaching kitchens
Parking for approx. 30 cars
Epic-Cure Ops Center: Draft layout (24’ to 30’ ceilings)
Food Waste Reduction Stakeholder Discussions
In June, our Board Member, Hanna Layton, attended the 2024 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit. We look forward to building relationships with several organizations she connected with there, especially the very impressive Farmlink Project. Thankfully, they recorded all 23 of the sessions of the Summit. We’ll point out just a few, but they are all very interesting topics covered by industry experts.
The Road to Scale: Accelerating Action for Lasting Impact
This opening session recording is very interesting. Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack of the US Department of Agriculture speaks about the recently announced National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics, and we learn the origins of ReFED.
We Mean Business: Leaning Across the Food Sector
In this session, you’ll hear from a panel of sustainability leaders from the some of the largest food retailers as they discuss what they’re doing to drive progress in their own operations – and throughout the broader food system.
Maximizing Impact: Key Components and Partnerships for Successful Food Recovery Programs
What are the latest and greatest happenings and resources in food recovery sector? Salvaging surplus food and redistributing it is crucial for maximizing impact and ensuring that food serves its highest purpose of feeding people. This panel explores key components and partnerships essential for successful food recovery programs, addressing how to rescue high-quality, nutritious food and increase distribution capacity in a dignified manner.
The ABCs of Reducing Food Waste in Schools: Nurturing Healthy Habits in the Classroom and Beyond
We are so happy addressing food waste and nutrition in schools is part of the conversation since the CDC reports that approximately 1 in 5 U.S. children and adolescents have obesity.
These charts help illustrate the magnitude of the school system and the impact it has.
Cool things: Reyson Peralta (architect, painter, and poet) spent a day of his US vacation giving our Palatka warehouse a new look. Born in Jarabacoa, Reyson combines Picasso’s synthetic cubism with influences from Matisse, Delaunay, and Leger. With a degree in Architecture and a background in Fine Arts, Reyson has held 14 solo exhibitions and is featured in the Encyclopedia of Visual Arts of the Dominican Republic.
The saying goes necessity is the mother of invention. Well, we add that a tight budget is the mother of inventiveness. This is a closer look at the lift platform that helped Reyson reach new heights for us (in the picture on the previous page). With 30’ high ceilings in a 15,000 square foot warehouse, there is a fair amount of elevated repair work needed. So, one of our amazing volunteers put a handrail on a pallet.
Just for fun here is some warehouse mishap humor on a rainy, windy day.
Here is our PIPS (Pounds In & People Served) Graph
Notes on the graph:
Rather than adding distributions (we would need another refrigerated truck to accomplish that), we are still sharing our surpluses with other agencies in 6 counties.
(Fun)draising
Shine A Light on Epic-Cure 5k: Saturday, October 12th
Registration is open for the 3rd Annual 2024 Shine a Light 5k! This year's event will take place on October 12th at The AMP, and we can't wait to see you there!
Whether you're an experienced runner or just starting out, this is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself, meet new people, and have fun! We can't wait to see you at the starting line! Stick around for a FREE concert at the Front Porch of The Amp. The bar will be open, too!
How might you help? If you are interested in doing a fundraiser for Epic-Cure, we would be grateful for the help.
Did you know that you can help raise money to support Epic-Cure’s mission by doing a Facebook birthday fundraiser? Facebook sends you a little reminder about a month before your birthday - you can set your birthday goal and give it to your favorite non-profit " Epic-Cure”. It’s super easy to set up and a notice is sent out to all friends and family. Every effort counts! If you need assistance setting one up, please contact support@epic-cure.org.
Awareness:
An easy, impactful way that you can help us is to please …
Save And Drop Off Your Grocery Store Plastic Bags.
You will help reduce waste by allowing us to re-use them. You will save us money by reducing the number we have to purchase.
Transparency:
Anyone who wishes to see Epic-Cure’s financial statements need only ask.
Our CPA-Audited financial statements fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023 have been released and are available upon request.
Also available on our website.
Click here to view: Epic-Cure's Financial Statements
Please email your requests to Sunny Mulford: sunny.mulford@epic-cure.org
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