The renovations began as public officials, Jewish community leaders and businessmen from across the globe, mayor of Kiryat Gat Aviram Dahari, and representatives from Meir Panim and Schulz Quality Catering looked on.

The kitchen should be finished by the end of this year. It will encompass over 100,000 square feet and will be a major stepping-stone towards reducing food insecurity in Israel.

The kitchen will work around the clock, 24 hours a day, to produce 30,000 nutritious meals for the needy in Israel. The kitchen, operated by Schulz Quality Catering, will also provide meals to Schulz’s clients. The Israel Nutrition Center will create over 200 new jobs, and will focus on employing people with disabilities.

Racheli Ebenbaum, Meir Panim’s Director, said, “I see this ceremony as the fulfillment of my dream, and of hundreds of people that stand beside Meir Panim. This is a happy day for single-parent families, the elderly, Holocaust survivors and other needy people, because the Israel Nutrition Center has the potential to eradicate food insecurity in Israel.

The Schulz brothers, owners of Schulz Quality Catering, said, “It is a great honor for us to be a part of this important project. We are proud to be involved and to do our part for the community.”

Meir Panim operates over 30 supplementary relief centers that provide welfare services to tens of thousands of people across Israel.