Brad Paisley and wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley have teamed with Belmont University and Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to open The Store—a free grocery store—in Nashville.
The Store, which is a non-profit, operates as a year-round free grocery store that allows people to shop for their basic needs. Clients are given the opportunity to come to The Store for a one-year period. There is no charge to those referred or to the people and agencies that send them. They may shop for food to supplement their income during times of crisis and as they work toward self-sufficiency.
“This is a grocery store with dignity for people who have fallen on hard times,” said Brad, president of The Store’s board of trustees, according to The Tennessean. “All of us are one unforeseen disaster away from rock bottom. It’s nice to think about a place where when that happens to someone, they can use it to get back on their feet.”
Brad and Kimberly were inspired to get involved in the Nashville project after volunteering at a similar organization, Unity Shoppe, in Santa Barbara, Calif.
The Store, which is located at 2005 12th Ave. S. next to Belmont University’s Ministry Center, hopes to serve 3,000 people per year.
