Groundbreaking held for new Adopt A Block Outreach Center

SALISBURY, Md- A crowd of local leaders Members of the Emmanuel Church, and volunteers from Adopt-A-Block gathered at 818 Benny St, Saturday, for the groundbreaking for the Adopt-A-Block Outreach Center.

Adopt-A-Block Executive Director Mark Thompson says, his organization has been going into the community for years, to help deliver food, and presents for the holidays, but there were some needs they couldn’t meet.

“We are going to have a 5,000 square foot food pantry client choice instead of us giving them a bag of what they don’t want we walk them in and as we talk they can shop for what they need,” he said.

Thompson says that’s the need the center will help to solve, but they need to get people in the door first.

“We are going to have a 5,000 square foot food pantry client choice instead of us giving them a bag of what they don’t want we walk them in and as we talk they can shop for what they need,” Thompson said adding “that’s what gets them to use and while they are there we can find out what other needs they have and that how we will run this center.”

Thompson says the center will be more than a place to check off items on your grocery list, he wants it to be a true community center with services for all-within walking distance.

“We will have areas, where people can do artwork, relax, get off the street, learn jobs we will have a computer station working on resume building we want to be whatever the needs are,” Thomspon said.

Building Designer and architect Keith Fischer says the plans were made from the ground up with that programming in mind.

“We think about the person, the end use,r how they will use this building, who is going to visit work here, these the angles we looked at first because it’s not just the building its the feeling and experience” Fischer.

Construction is expected to start on January 9th.