GraceWorks Grows Footprint, Programming

Franklin-based nonprofit GraceWorks Ministries announced an expansion of its facility and its GraceWorks Thrift Store. 

The location on 104 Southeast Pkwy. has grown from 25,000 to 65,000 square feet to accommodate more donations and double the footprint of the thrift store, according to a press release. The thrift store will now offer outdoor furniture, tools, arts and crafts and children’s toys for the first time. 

GraceWorks provides food, shelter and other social work services to 15,000 people per year, according to the release.

“God not only gave us more space we so desperately needed to grow our programs, but He also allowed us to scale our operations before the next chapter of GraceWorks,” said GraceWorks Ministries CEO Alicia Bell.

With the additional thrift store proceeds, GraceWorks will offer evening food pantry hours on Wednesdays and pilot additional programming to bring food to underserved areas of Williamson County. The organization will also offer an improved drop-off line open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 

While GraceWorks has a lease extending through June 2030, the nonprofit is still seeking an permanent home, which is set to be part of future development The Banks at Brownland. Developer BLVD Capital has donated six acres of land on the site, which would also includes sporting facilities, restaurants, retail, medical offices and a grocery store, if approved. 

“The dream is still to own our own home, and we are using the remaining three-and-a-half years of this lease to scale our operations, experiment with processes, and fine-tune operations for when we move into that dream at the Banks at Brownland,” Bell said.