Its story actually began in Santa Barbara, California, at a charity store named Unity Shoppe.
Country singer Brad Paisley recalled the visit he made with his wife,Kimberly Williams Paisley.
“And we came away surprised by what the organization had taught us.
Most people don’t want handouts.
They want dignity and respect.
Most people want to become self-sufficient” (viaThe Store).
Paisley serves as the president of The Store’s board of trustees.
“All of us are one unforeseen disaster away from rock bottom.
They had just begun stocking before a tornado hit and COVID-19 swept through the state.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley said The Store gives her and her husband a sense of purpose.
“So many of us feel helpless right now,” she toldThe Tennessean.
This feels like one of those things for us.
We’re pouring a lot into this.”
This months-old charity is crucial to the state, which has seen unemployment hit 500,000 since mid-March.
