Lopez Food Center

The Project

Help us strengthen our treasured food system with a multi-use single-story Lopez Food Center (LFC) building located in the heart of Lopez Village. Your donation will help pay for the permitting process. The project is scheduled to begin construction in mid-2025 and open in December 2026.  It will provide: 

1. Distribution Facilities for the San Juan Islands Food Hub on Lopez Island of which Lopez farmers constitute the largest volume of sales county wide
2. Home for Lopez Food Share (food bank)                                  
3. Community Kitchen Facilities
4. Food Storage Rental Space.     
5. Rental Space for Entrepreneurs and Other Community Users        
6. Heart and Soul Recovery Cafe Meeting Space
7. Classroom and Pop-Up Market Venues
8. Outdoor Seating Space and Parking for Food Trucks

Community Support

A Feasibility Study, Stakeholders Report and Competitive Market Analysis have all supported the development of the Project. Critical factors for success include: (1) location and zoning and (2) affordability of rent. 

The Food Center and Taproot are collaborating together so that the two facilities can meet the range of food system infrastructure identified by stakeholders, with each facility specializing on the unique needs allowed at each location.

Community organizations proving support letters for LFC project grant applications include the Locavores, Lopez Island Family Resource Center, Lopez Island School District, Lopez Island Senior Services, San Juan County Ag Guild, San Juan County Ag Resource Committee, San Juan County Council, San Juan County Food Hub, San Juan County Health and Nutrition Programs, Transitions Lopez, and Voices and Visions.  Ets Architecture of Lopez Island is serving as the architect for the project. 

Donated land for the project site, and funds from private foundations and community members currently total $1.8 million.  Approximately $260,000 in federal and state grant funds have been confirmed with another $950,000 in federal funds requested. Additional state and foundation grant funds will be applied for later this year. Approximately $1.6 million in additional community donations/foundation grants will complete the LFC.  A public fundraising campaign for the construction will begin in mid-2024.

Additional Information

Please visit our website at https://lopezfoodcenter.org or contact Barbara Schultheiss, President of the LFC Board: barbara@lifrc.org or Joan Egan, Board Member: lopezfoodcenter@gmail.org