Second Harvest Food Bank Breaks Ground on Lafayette’s First Non-Profit Grocery Store

This is just cool. Second Harvest Food Bank has announced they've officially begun construction on Lafayette's first non-profit grocery store designed to address food deserts in the community.

The name? Makin' Grocery Store. How uniquely Louisiana is that?!

The store will be located at 319 East Pinhook Road in Lafayette, which is near the Second Harvest Food Bank warehouse.

The mission behind the Makin' Groceries Store

From the Second Harvest Food Bank:

The store will continue Second Harvest's long-standing mission to end hunger across Acadiana, and is strategically placed to eliminate the physical and financial barriers that prevent fifty percent of families and individuals from accessing nutritious meals on the Northside of Lafayette—which falls within the USDA-defined food desert zip code 70501.

What exactly will we see inside the Makin' Groceries Store?

The store will provide access to fresh, nutritious, and affordable food.

It will also feature a wellness center that provides nutrition education, cooking classes, and support services, such as SNAP and Medicaid enrollment assistance and more.

All of this in a "welcoming, judgment-free environment that will be open to all."

The power behind this new store

In addition to Second Harvest, this non-profit grocery store would not be possible without the support of United Way of Acadiana and the United Way of Acadiana Lafayette Initiative for Food Equity (LIFE) grant, which aims to improve the well-being of residents by transforming food access in Lafayette's Northside.

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When will the Makin' Groceries Store open?

A hard opening date has not been set but according to a news release, the store will open sometime later in 2025.