By Heather Hintze

EUGENE, Ore. -- Food For Lane County is saving energy and saving money with its latest project.

Crews installed more than 350 solar panels on top of the roof.

It's a $500,000 project with materials donated by Creek Hydro, based in Sweet Home.

Food bank staff estimate the solar panels will save them $6,200 a year in energy costs.  That equates more than 18,000 meals.

"All of our money goes to food distribution to help us get the food that we collect across the entire county.  Oregon is the second hungriest state in the country, so there's a big need for us to distribute as much food as we can," said Beverlee Hughes, Executive Director.

The company is renting Food For Lane County's rooftop for the next 10 years for the project and will donate the solar array to the food bank to use for the next 25 years.