BY SAM VISE
LAFAYETTE — A local downtown favorite is putting LaFayette on the national map after being recognized for its commitment to feeding and caring for its neighbors.
37 Motor City South was recently named one of only 10 winners across the country in the 2026 Hillshire Farm Great Pizza Give Back Contest, taking home a $2,000 grant to expand its community-focused mission.
The restaurant, formerly known as Zēk’s 37 before passing leadership this summer to siblings Faith Roesly-Sandoval and Alex Roesly, entered the contest nearly a year ago. Veronica Roesly, former owner of Zēk’s 37 who continues to work alongside her children during the transition, said she stumbled across the competition online and saw an opportunity to highlight LaFayette’s grassroots generosity.
“I came across this particular giveaway, and I thought it would be a good opportunity for us to submit the Big Serve that we do down here in little LaFayette, Alabama,” Veronica said. “They were highly impressed with our Big Serve initiative because not only do we serve the community, but we’re bringing the community together to do that.”
The Big Serve operates out of the downtown eatery every Sunday from 4 to 5 p.m. or until the food runs out. Preparing between 70 and 100 free hot meals each week, the outreach has already distributed more than 2,500 meals this year and is on track to surpass 3,000 before year’s end.
For the Roesly family, however, the ministry has never stopped at food.
“It’s not just the food that we do; it’s a lot of everything else,” Veronica said.
Depending on the season, Sunday visitors can tap into an array of community resources. During freezing winter stretches, volunteers hand out blankets, pillows, warm socks and clothing. Area partners also step up — a representative from the Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center joins nearly every week to connect visitors with medical care, while groups like Auburn University students sponsor meals and set up tables stocked with personal hygiene supplies, soaps and toiletries.
Local volunteers and community members also pick up plates to hand deliver door-to-door to homebound residents throughout Chambers County.
“The people who are coming are people who are needing not only the meal, but they’re needing conversation. They need to know they’re loved,” Veronica said. “If you’re not here to partake yourself, but you know someone who could use a meal, come grab a meal, go knock on the door and give it to them. That is something huge for people who are homebound.”
Veronica said the $2,000 award will funnel directly back into the restaurant’s operations to feed more people. Plans are underway to renovate a back room in the kitchen, repairing walls and ceilings to install expanded commercial refrigeration space for fresh produce and salads.
“We’re using the money to help expand so we can do more,” Veronica said.
Looking ahead to the holiday season, 37 Motor City South encourages local church congregations, civic groups and families to get involved by sponsoring upcoming Sunday meals, assembling “blessing bags” of nonperishable goods and toiletries or volunteering their time during Sunday distribution. Long-term goals include establishing school partnership programs to reward student reading achievements with pizza tickets.
“Every time people come through and purchase here, they’re purchasing to go towards those programs we have,” Veronica said. “We do this because we love our community. We don’t do this because we want to be recognized, but to be able to be recognized nationally and see our little story of what we’re doing right here in our backyard is just exciting.”
37 Motor City South is located in downtown LaFayette. For more information on volunteering, sponsoring a Sunday meal or supporting the Big Serve, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page or stop by in person.
