Doubling Our Difference – Together We Did It!
Shortly after I stepped into the role of CEO at The Store, Feeding America reported that food insecurity had reached a ten-year high. Faced with this urgent challenge, our Board, Founders, and dedicated team knew we had to act swiftly and decisively. This led to the launch of Doubling Our Difference, an ambitious initiative to double our volunteers, double the number of customers served, and provide twice the amount of healthy, nutritious food – all by the end of 2024.
Thanks to the overwhelming support from our community, I’m proud to say we achieved these goals by mid-September! Here are the key factors behind our growth:
- Mission-Driven Growth: At every step, we ensured that our decisions responded directly to the needs of our neighbors facing food insecurity. We established a Customer Advisory Committee to gain real time feedback from those experiencing these challenges, guiding our strategy with their insights.
- Community-Wide Buy-In: We prioritized securing commitment from everyone – our volunteers, staff, board, community partners, and even our customers. This “unified” yes gave us the confidence to move forward, ensuring that our entire community was ready to rally behind this bold effort.
- Momentum with a Vision: Doubling our impact was not the end goal – it was just the beginning. By embracing this mindset, we maintained momentum and encouraged innovative thinking. This milestone sets the stage for even greater transformation in how we tackle food insecurity across Middle Tennessee.
- Regular Monitoring and Adaptation: By tracking our progress closely and reviewing data, we stayed flexible, adjusting our approach based on what worked best. This allowed us to stay agile and continue improving as the initiative progressed.
- Collaborative Effort: We couldn’t have done this alone. Our nonprofit partners, donors, and volunteers played pivotal roles in our success. Their commitment and belief in our mission made Doubling Our Difference a reality.
As we celebrate this achievement, we remain focused on the work ahead. Together, we’ll continue building a community where every neighbor has access to healthy, nutritious food – with dignity and choice at the heart of everything we do.
Doubling Our Difference was an ambitious initiative to double our volunteers, double the number of customers served, and provide twice the amount of healthy, nutritious food – all by the end of 2024. Thanks to the overwhelming support from our community, I’m proud to say we achieved these goals by mid-September!
More from The Store
“It Was Hope”: Ms. Kim’s Story Reminds Us What This Expansion Is Really About
At the ribbon cutting for The Store’s second location, it wasn’t a CEO or a founder who delivered the most powerful message—it was Ms. Kim, a grandmother, customer, and volunteer whose story left the crowd cheering and in tears. In this blog post, we reflect on her honest, moving testimony about the emotional weight of food insecurity and the relief she found in dignity, choice, and community. Her words grounded the moment and reminded us: this expansion isn’t just about square footage—it’s about doing more, sooner, for families who deserve more than survival. They deserve support wrapped in compassion—and a future filled with hope.
Read More
How We Opened Our Second Location in Just 48 Hours
What began as a tight deadline and a few unforeseen hurdles became one of the most inspiring moments in The Store’s journey. In this blog post, our CEO reflects on the whirlwind 48 hours leading up to the ribbon cutting of our second location—with support from city leaders, volunteers, contractors, and community champions who made the impossible happen. From an empty space in a parking garage to a fully stocked grocery store serving neighbors with dignity and choice, this is the story of what happens when a community refuses to wait to meet a need. The ribbon may be cut, but the work is just beginning.
Read More