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At the July 1, 2025 Hanford City Council study session, representatives from Kings Community Action Organization (KCAO) presented detailed plans for the Kings County Food Bank and Navigation Center. This $22 million project aims to address two critical issues in the region: homelessness and food insecurity.
The project site is located at the southwest corner of 10th Avenue and Hanford-Armona Road, across from the Kings County Fairgrounds. It will be built in three major phases and is expected to be fully completed by October 2030.
Phase one, with a budget of $8.7 million, focuses on constructing a low-barrier homeless shelter that will provide 200 beds. Of these, 130 are designated for men and 70 for women. This allocation was based on local data showing that the majority of the unhoused population in Hanford consists of single adult men between the ages of 35 and 44. According to KCAO’s presentation, approximately 90% of the county’s homeless residents are located in Hanford.
The shelter will operate 24 hours a day and offer numerous supportive services. These include showers, restrooms, laundry facilities, and a day room. Importantly, these services will be available to individuals even if they are not staying overnight at the facility. Intake rooms will allow for assessments to identify needs related to mental health, substance use, job training, and other supportive care. Storage lockers will also be provided for personal belongings, and kennels will be available for guests who have pets.
Phase two will feature a centralized commercial kitchen designed to serve Head Start students, seniors, and other vulnerable populations. A cafeteria with capacity for 130 people will offer both indoor and outdoor seating, including large garage-style doors that can open for better ventilation. Phase three will include a large food bank and warehouse space to support a countywide food distribution program.
The entire site will eventually span 84,000 square feet. Although Phase one is the smallest in square footage at 19,000 square feet, it has the highest cost due to the infrastructure requirements for all three phases.
As of July 1, KCAO reported that $8.5 million has already been secured through contributions from federal, state, county, and city sources, along with private donations. A $1.1 million funding gap remains. The organization plans to launch a public capital campaign to close this gap, with participation opportunities for individuals, businesses, and philanthropic partners.
Construction on Phase one is expected to begin in January 2026, with operations starting by March 2027, pending final approvals and contractor selection.
The project was presented by Juan Torres, Special Projects Administrator for KCAO, and supported by Jeff Garner, Executive Director. Councilmembers expressed unanimous support and encouraged public contributions to help complete the project.
Francisco Ramirez is the founder of Kings Network News and creator of Kings Network Business, a platform that blends business networking, community support, and social media to uplift local entrepreneurs.
As a former Mayor of Hanford, California, he launched the Winter Wonderland event and brings over 20 years of business consulting experience. He is also a motivational speaker, life coach, strategist, author, podcaster, and skilled web and graphic designer.
He created The Invisible Kid: Courage to Succeed, a seminar on self-esteem and anti-bullying that has inspired youth across the region. Through media and consulting, Francisco empowers others to lead, grow, and make an impact.
