Visual Stories

Video: Anchorage food bank reopens to those in need

Just as workers were opening the doors to clients at a downtown Anchorage church food bank on Feb. 2, the building's pipes burst.

The resulting damage took a month and tens of thousands of dollars to repair, including replacing walls.

On Tuesday, New Hope on the Last Frontier opened to the 250 people it serves each week for the first time since the flood. The cleanup was accomplished using donations from individuals and businesses, including a local Home Depot, organizers said.

While the food bank was closed, some clients called crying or stopped by to ask where else they could pick up food, said executive director Adam Ziegler.

"It was tough," he said. "People rely on us."

New Hope on the Last Frontier used to be a Nazarene church with a congregation active since 1949, said Ziegler. But when church service attendance dwindled, the church evolved, focusing its efforts on running the food bank rather than holding traditional Sunday worship services, he said.

Today, the food bank prides itself on offering fresh produce, frozen meat and a dairy product for every visitor.

ADVERTISEMENT