by Ann Cipperly
With more than 27,000 Lee Countians in food insecurity and the number continuing to increase, the Food Bank of East Alabama’s new Community Market is crucial to provide meals for families in desperate need. Now that construction has begun, funds are needed to complete the 15,000 square foot building that will not only provide expanded food varieties and essential items, but also offer workshops and classes. The new facility will greatly impact the lives of more than thousand Lee Countians every month.
“We watch the trends carefully,” said Martha Henk, executive director of the Food Bank of East Alabama, “and the food insecurity rate has increased 19 percent in the past year, which has grown to 27,170 with 6,620 of those children in food insecurity. I am sure that number will increase this year.
“People are really struggling now, and it is really hard for people with a limited income. Our Community Market has seen a staggering increase in the number of people coming for assistance, and other food pantries are telling us the same thing.
“I think the timing of this new building is wonderful,” Martha adds. “We are staging ourselves to get ready for this large increase and to be able to respond to that.”
Jan Dempsey, campaign co-chair of the new market, has been a supporter of the food bank since it opened in 1993. She became more involved in 2002 when church ministries asked the former Auburn mayor to organize an effort to feed those in need. People who were hungry would go to churches with food closets for prepared boxes.
“Large and small churches came together to take care of the least of these in our community,” adds Martha.
After the church ministries and various groups joined the effort, the Community Market, which is an outreach program of the food bank, opened its current location in 2003 in a 4,700 square foot building. As the community has continued to grow, the food pantry has outgrown the space. The new building will be three times larger.
Martha explains the difference between the food bank and Community Market. “The food bank is basically a large warehouse that collects the best supply of food to make it available to our community markets and pantries are where people go to pick up their food.”
The Food Bank of East Alabama distributes to those in need through 200 agencies spread over seven counties. This includes distributing backpacks for children to have food over weekends. The Community Market is just for those in Lee County.
“When people have food insecurities, they have other needs too,” says Jan. “We will have space for more agencies and be able to partner with them at the new Community Market. The new center will truly build community.”
The Literacy Coalition will work with the food bank on presenting workshops and will offer a book swap regularly. A large multi-purpose meeting room with kitchen facilities provides space for workshops, cooking demonstrations and food safety workshops, as well as others.
“We are really excited about what this building is going to let us do,” says Martha. “There is not space for those things in our current building. Now is the time to relocate.”
The Community Market will be open Monday and Tuesday for seniors. Lee County has 2,252 seniors who live at or below the poverty level. While the current building is difficult to get into and out of, the new building will be safer and will have more parking, which will be a big improvement.
The new building will have space for additional displays, freezers with frozen food and coolers for perishable items. New sections of the market include an area for baby food and supplies, such as baby diapers, wipes, baby formula and other items. Personal items will also be available that SNAP (food stamps) doesn’t allow, and having pet food will also fill a need.
Ogrows will partner with the food bank to provide a small farmers’ market with freshly harvested produce. “Having grown up on the mission field in the Congo,” says Martha, “I remember how much people enjoyed an open-air market, which gives a sense of being part of a community.”
“The beauty of the new market is client’s choice,” says board member Anne Whittlesey. “People can shop for what they will actually eat, and they will be treated with so much love just walking in the door with the feel of a grocery store for them to shop.”
“When we meet with our contractors at Bailey-Harris,” Martha adds, “they keep saying this is a fun, exciting project. It is both exciting and terrifying too. For a number of reasons. One is the food supply. We want to be sure we can fill this wonderful building with food with the financial cost.
“We started off thinking the cost of the building was going to be $2 1/2 million, but as we got further into the project, it is now $3.9 million. The wonderful thing is we have raised over $2 million of that.”
A capital campaign is ongoing to raise funds for the market. “We are pounding the pavement meeting with individuals, banks and churches, talking about the importance of the new market,” says Anne. “We need gifts big and small. There is no gift that is too small. We want everybody partnering with us. It takes everybody. That is what I love about Lee County, we take care of our own.
“Just because we have broken ground, we have a long way to go,” Anne adds. “We are meeting with people who want to be a partner. While we want it to be beautiful, it is desperately needed.”
Those who shop at the market are interviewed, and based on the size of their family, they can get so many pounds of food. Since some bakeries and grocery stores donate free food, people can get the bakery items without it going toward their weight limit of food. “It is really touching to see somebody stand there and say, ‘Oh, we can get a birthday cake for our grandchild,’” says Jan.
Sometimes people donate orchids and other flowers. “A Chinese proverb says when you have two coins, use one to buy bread and one for something of beauty,” says Martha. “The flowers are for beauty.”
Anne is excited about the impact of the community near the market. “I think it will transform it. I think when people come to the Community Market, they will feel safer being there, and the traffic is not as bad.”
While the current market has three staff members, volunteers are the life blood of the organization, and more volunteers are needed for the new market. There is a need for volunteers who speak Spanish. Some volunteers have been known to say the market is the happiest place they know.
For those interested in volunteering, Martha encourages them to go by the current market and get a sense of what volunteers do. She suggests that organizations may want to volunteer for half a day.
Jan feels it is an honor to serve those who attend the market. “We want to provide the food in a kind, caring and generous manner.”
“When we show pictures of the market plans,” Martha says, “people say that it is a pretty building. That is part of making this a pleasant, uplifting place where people would not be embarrassed to go there for food or to volunteer. We are excited to show that face of the Community Market. It is going to be really great.”
“The Community Market is not only good for the people who need the food, but also for the community,” states Jan. “The community is only as strong as all of us. Jesus said to feed the hungry. Investing in this facility will impact thousands in Lee County. The food bank will start a new chapter.”
“It was a step in faith to get started,” Martha adds. “The 27,160 in need is overwhelming. If I can help one family and if each one of us does that, we can make a huge difference. If there was ever a time we needed kindness, it is this day and time that we need kindness to be a big focus.
“Our work would not be possible without community support,” Martha adds. “The funds are not there, but trusting that they will. We hope to open in early 2026.
“A pledge or donation to the Community Market Building Campaign will change the lives of thousands of our neighbors who often face impossible choices with inadequate resources to meet their needs for food.”
The new Community Market is located at 1600 First Avenue in Opelika. For additional information, go to the website at www.eacommunitymarket.com or call 334.821.9006.
Tackling Food Insecurity in Lee County
