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Brad Paisley Expands Mission To Fight Hunger With Second Free Grocery Store

August 30, 2024

Today's good news story comes from Nashville, Tennessee.

Country music star Brad Paisley and his wife, Kimberly, have announced the exciting launch of a second location for their nonprofit, The Store, a free grocery store designed to support food-insecure families.

The Store / Facebook

The couple originally opened The Store on Belmont University’s campus in 2020, amidst the challenges of a global pandemic and the aftermath of devastating tornadoes in Nashville.

The Store operates on a referral basis, providing fresh, nutritious food to over 700 families every other month.

"When we opened The Store in 2020, we were grateful to be able to help support our neighbors in need through a challenging year, including devastating tornadoes and a global pandemic," the Paisleys said. "It has always been our goal to expand this effort. We are thrilled to announce that The Store will open a second location with our friends at TriStar Centennial to further serve the larger community."

The Store offers a unique shopping experience, allowing individuals and families to select groceries just as they would in any other store, preserving their dignity and fostering a sense of normalcy.

Former CEO Collen Mayer emphasized the importance of this approach, saying, "This isn't a food pantry where we hand out boxes of other people's leftovers. Instead, by developing a space into a store — where there are shopping carts and volunteers serve as grocery store employees — we have created a dignified, respectful interaction that hopefully allows someone to feel like they're not in a crisis where they can't get ahead."

The new location is set to welcome its first shoppers in the summer of 2025, expanding the reach of The Store to serve over 2,000 families struggling with food insecurity.