The Need is Identified
The organization that Blessings of Hope is today started in 2006. Aaron Fisher recognizes that semi-truckloads of food donations are available from large corporations, but most food banks cannot take that volume.
Move into Warehouse
After four years of strategizing and occasionally distributing small volumes of food items, Aaron’s vision to bring hope to the hungry begins to come to life. It was determined that Blessings of Hope would be formed as a DBA of Light of Hope Ministries, moved into a 1,500 square foot warehouse, and committed to regularly packing seven banana boxes full of food per week for a local pastor!
First Semi-truckload of food shipped
The very first semi-truckload of food is filled and shipped to the White Earth Native American Reservation in Minnesota! This was a big deal and took about a month of planning.
Upgrading locations
Blessings of Hope moves multiple times in leased warehouses. From 2016 to 2019, we operated in a 16,300 square foot warehouse, and in August 2019, we purchased our first building—a 44,000 square foot warehouse on Becker Road in Leola, PA.
First Satellite location
Blessings of Hope opens its first satellite location in Campbellsville, KY, in September 2020.
Ephrata Property Expansion
Blessings of Hope purchases a 46-acre property on the east side of Ephrata, PA, where there are currently plans to build a 160,000 square foot food processing/ distribution center.
Lancaster Ministry Selection Center
Blessings of Hope opens a new 29,000 sq ft Ministry Selection Center in Lancaster, PA where partner ministries (regional ministries, churches, disaster relief organizations, food banks, and other nonprofits) with access cards can select dry goods, refrigerated goods, and frozen goods needed for their nonprofit ministry.
Elizabethtown Selection Center
Blessings of Hope purchases a 52,000-square-foot facility in Elizabethtown, PA. Half of the building will be designated as a food processing and dehydration facility and the other half will be a Ministry Selection Center where partner ministries with access cards can select dry goods, refrigerated goods, and frozen goods needed for their nonprofit ministry.
East Petersburg Warehouse
Blessings of Hope rents a 23,000-square-foot warehouse in East Petersburg, PA, and begins dehydrating food in January of 2023. Dehydrated food is shelf stable, retains 98% of its nutritional value, and is lighter to ship, therefore we’re able to aid international ministries to combat world hunger.
Moved Campbellsville Ministry Selection Center
Blessings of Hope moved its Campbellsville Ministry Selection Center to a new location in Campbellsville, KY. This facility was acquired in August 2022 after outgrowing the original Campbellsville building.
As we continue to expand the number of partner ministries, volunteers, and outreach opportunities, our goal is to become a “Bridge of Opportunity,” helping to move people from poverty to a lifestyle that creates contributing, self-sustaining, hope-filled individuals.