Img 1997 1500X430 2 E1772039319432 1 Alabama, Opelika — The Community Market of East Alabama’s new location in Opelika (Food Bank of East Alabama)

There’s a new home for the Community Market in Opelika.

The Food Bank of East Alabama has reopened the pantry in a $3.9 million, 15,000 square foot facility on First Avenue, more than tripling the size of its previous location.

Community Market began operations in 2003 in a 4,700 square foot rented building. Over the years, the program outgrew the space, prompting the need for a larger, more thoughtfully designed facility.

📍 1606 First Avenue, Opelika, AL 36801
📞 Appointments required: 334-749-8844

The new space

Img 0810 Alabama, Opelika — (Food Bank of East Alabama / Community Market)

The updated facility is designed to resemble a small grocery store, allowing families to choose food based on their household’s needs rather than receiving pre packed boxes.

The expansion adds nearly 108 additional appointments per week and includes:

Glass front coolers and freezers
Fresh produce and frozen meat
A children’s waiting area
Private meeting offices
A larger warehouse and receiving dock
A meeting room with a kitchen for workshops and demonstrations
A Baby Manna section offering diapers, formula and baby food for families with infants and toddlers

The move comes as food insecurity remains a challenge locally. According to Feeding America, 16 percent of Lee County residents were food insecure in 2025. From its former location alone, the Community Market distributed approximately 815,000 pounds of food in one year.

“Our expanded facility provides not just food but hope and stability in times of need and enables more people to have access to the support they need,” said Martha Henk, Executive Director of the Food Bank of East Alabama.