Taylor Swift Surprises Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley With Generous Donation For The Store
“I’m so grateful to Taylor Swift. This was a gift that came out of the blue,” shared Kimberly.
Brad Paisley, Kimberly Williams-Paisley; Photo Courtesy of The Store, Jason Davis for NSAI
Brad Paisley and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, had plenty to celebrate this week as they officially opened the second location of their nonprofit organization, The Store. The milestone moment became even more meaningful when the couple learned that Taylor Swift had shown her support by offering a “generous gift” to the organization.
On Wednesday, January 14, the pair attended the grand opening at the TriStar Centennial campus, where they took part in an honorary ribbon cutting and toured the newly expanded space. Just ahead of the celebration, The Store publicly thanked Swift on social media for her contribution, sharing their appreciation for her kindess and support.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift for including The Store in her year-end giving.
Her generous gift helps us continue providing groceries with dignity and choice to families across Middle Tennessee especially as we prepare to open our second location,” the caption read. “Thank you, Taylor, for using your voice and generosity to uplift neighbors in need.”
Shortly after, Kimberly Williams-Paisley spoke with Tennessee News reporter Bryan West, sharing her reaction to the pop sensation’s unexpected donation.
“I’m so grateful to Taylor Swift. This was a gift that came out of the blue. We were not expecting it and to know that she’s aware of the work we’re doing and that she supports it was incredible,” Kimberly gushed.
While Swift has grown into one of the biggest stars in the world, her support of The Store reflects a continued appreciation for the artists that helped shape her early career, like Brad Paisley who tapped “The Fate Of Ophelia” singer to be his tour opener back in 2007.
Kimberly added, “I think Taylor’s obviously a very generous person from all the stories we hear and to be a beneficiary of that generosity is amazing and we’d love to give her a tour of this space. I am so grateful.”
Having this second location allows The Store to serve twice as many families across Middle Tennessee and to continue its mission of providing a “free, referral-based grocery experience that empowers families and individuals in need with dignity and choice.”
The Store was originally opened in 2020 at Belmont University and served 2,200 families in 2025. It was co-founded by the couple and born from the realization that they wanted their kids to get involved in service as a way to get a “broader perspective” on the world around them. This idea came after Paisley and his family volunteered at Unity Shoppe, a free grocery store in California, which would later help shape the vision for The Store.
To this day that vision has grown into something that is now a place that represents “dignity, love and community.” In addition to allowing patrons to shop for groceries on a regular basis, the original location also transformed into a toy store this holiday season to give families a chance to celebrate without added stress.
To learn more about The Store or ways to get involved, click HERE.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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