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By Jordyn Davis | The Birmingham Times
Last Friday, Grace Klein Community invited the City of Birmingham to celebrate the organization’s newest hub located on Old Springville Road. The massive 20,000-square-foot facility is set to open to the public as early as mid-June, with food rescue initiatives, a Community Outreach Hall, and furniture and clothing donations.
For Jenny Waltman, founder of Grace Klein Community, the new location was an answered prayer. For years, growing supply lines have driven the need to expand FeedBHM, Grace Klein Community’s primary food rescue program. The launch of FeedBHM Clay will directly help meet that need. This new location will serve as a vital hub for rescuing perfectly safe, edible food from local farms and grocery stores, keeping it out of landfills and getting it to those who need it most.
“About three years ago, at a quarterly staff meeting, we broke into groups to pray and dream with God on what areas of Alabama needed our services next. One area God highlighted was the Trussville/Clay/Pinson/Center Point area,” Waltman recalled. “Shortly after our dreaming, Claudine Land, a resident of Trussville, joined our team, and she became determined to knock on every door until we found a space. Through her work, she built the relationships we would need to be prepared for a call from the Transformation Community in January 2026.”
The new location was possible through Transformation Community, a ministry dedicated to fostering transformation through worship, discipleship, and community outreach.
Donor and Transformation Community leader Kent Mattox said the facility is designed to be more than a local resource center.
“We’re excited at the fact that it’s going to become a hub, not just for the community but hopefully for the state of Alabama,” Mattox said.
Greater Impact
According to Waltman, the ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration would not have been possible without her courageous team of both staff and volunteers. After many long days and nights of strategizing, Waltman and her team pulled off the impossible only days before the grand opening.
“Our largest hurdle became the flooring in the new space. With indoor-outdoor type carpet and the need to use pallet jacks every single day, we knew we would destroy the floors in a matter of minutes,” Waltman said.
“We fought those floors for months and had to end up staining the floors due to the imperfections we could not resolve with our budget restraints. But God. He is always trying to get our attention to be more dependent and focused on Jesus. Our floors will be a visual reminder to every guest who enters the doors of the powerful way God uses imperfections to make His name great.”
Land says this opening marks a significant time for Grace Klein. The newest location not only allows for expansion but also a greater impact on the Clay area.
“This milestone is a reflection of what can be accomplished when a community comes together with a shared purpose,” Land said. “We are grateful for a community that continually shows up with generosity, compassion, and a willingness to serve others. Together, we are creating opportunities, strengthening relationships, and making a lasting difference in the lives of those around us.”
Looking forward
In the first quarter of 2026, the organization distributed over 66,000 food boxes and rescued over 776,000 pounds of food valued at more than $2.3 million. The collective goal for this year is to rescue 4 million pounds of food and mobilize 1,000 serve teams to expand access. Waltman says God is drawing the blueprint.
“Grace Klein Community is God’s work through ordinary hands, and He is teaching us the power of collaboration, grace, and the courage to walk where we have never stepped before. He will always receive the glory for His work in us,” Waltman said.
FeedBHM Clay plans to open its Community Outreach Hall to volunteers and welcome guests as early as mid-June. Currently, they are open for drop-off donations Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Waltman encourages donors and partners to “hook their wagon up to Jesus” and continue supporting an organization determined to bless the community through God’s love.
“We invite you to join us in investing in these communities. Everyone is welcome at our table,” Waltman said. “We invite you to join us in loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. When we all give and take, we will become one and experience the unity Jesus prayed for us in John 17.”
To learn more about Grace Klein Community and the FeedBHM initiative, visit their website at https://gracekleincommunity.com/.
