Verona’s Badger Prairie Needs Network (BPNN) recently broke ground on an expansion project as demand for the nonprofit’s services continues to grow, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. The organization currently operates from a space at 1200 E. Verona Ave.
Initial expansion plans for the original 7,000-square-foot facility were set to add another nearly 10,000 square feet, an effort funded by donations and grants; the newest expansion will build on that.
The food pantry saw participation from nearly 1,300 volunteers as of the second-last week of November. Demand has spiked sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic, from around 14,000 people per year to about 90,000, and food prices have also surged. The organization’s annual budget was $250,000 in 2022 and has since increased to over $600,000.
