Thanks to grants provided by the Marshall Foundation and the County Fair/White Elephant, the Food Bank has been able to respond to The Good Shepherd’s commitment to cleaner energy and a lower carbon footprint. Panels installed on the roof of the Redman Room and the Library will
generate enough power to operate the two outdoor coolers, with a corresponding reduction in energy costs to the Food Bank. While the coolers are highly efficient units, specifically designed to operate in the desert, they nonetheless cost about $250-300 to operate each month. The coolers are separately metered, and the energy costs paid for by the Food Bank. With the addition of solar power, approximately 95% of those costs will be met. “That translates into more food for more people, and assures that funding the operation of the coolers will not be an issue in the future,” reports President of the Sahuarita Food Bank Board, Curt Ackley. “Our grantors have been impressed with the dedication of our volunteers to our belief that no children should go to bed hungry.”