Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Pay-what-you-can cafes let diners pay it forward
YORK, Pa. — On a recent morning in York, Pa., walking to a volunteer job, I exchanged pleasantries with a man on the sidewalk. He looked as though he held the weight of the world on his shoulders, and our short conversation confirmed he was feeling down and out. A couple of hours hence, I was rolling dough while he played the piano. We were surrounded by a bustle of lunchers and nourishing, locally sourced food while immersed in the riches of a community cafe.
I first encountered the concept of pay-what-you-can cafes last summer in Boone, North Carolina, where I ate at F.A.R.M. (Feed All Regardless of Means) Cafe. You can volunteer to earn your meal, pay the suggested price ($10) or less, or you can overpay — paying it forward for a future patron’s meal. My only regret after eating there was not having a chance to give my time as well as my money. So as soon as Healthy World Cafe opened in York in April, I signed up for a volunteer shift and planned my visit.
F.A.R.M and Healthy World are part of a growing trend of community cafes. In 2003, Denise Cerreta opened the first in Salt Lake City and subsequently helped a couple in Denver open S.A.M.E. (So All May Eat) Cafe. Cerreta eventually closed her cafe and now runs the One World Everybody Eats Foundation, helping others replicate her pay-what-you-can model.
Most of the nonprofit, volunteer-run cafes are started by individuals or groups, but Panera Bread and the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation also have opened cafes with Cerreta’s guidance. The foundation holds free annual summits at which start-ups can learn best practices and network with other organizers. To date, nearly 60 have opened across the country, and another 20 are in the planning stages. Generally, 80 per cent of customers pay the suggested price or more, and the remainder pay less or volunteer for meals.
cont'd...
Link: http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/what+cafes+diners+forward/11162883/story.html
I first encountered the concept of pay-what-you-can cafes last summer in Boone, North Carolina, where I ate at F.A.R.M. (Feed All Regardless of Means) Cafe. You can volunteer to earn your meal, pay the suggested price ($10) or less, or you can overpay — paying it forward for a future patron’s meal. My only regret after eating there was not having a chance to give my time as well as my money. So as soon as Healthy World Cafe opened in York in April, I signed up for a volunteer shift and planned my visit.
F.A.R.M and Healthy World are part of a growing trend of community cafes. In 2003, Denise Cerreta opened the first in Salt Lake City and subsequently helped a couple in Denver open S.A.M.E. (So All May Eat) Cafe. Cerreta eventually closed her cafe and now runs the One World Everybody Eats Foundation, helping others replicate her pay-what-you-can model.
Most of the nonprofit, volunteer-run cafes are started by individuals or groups, but Panera Bread and the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation also have opened cafes with Cerreta’s guidance. The foundation holds free annual summits at which start-ups can learn best practices and network with other organizers. To date, nearly 60 have opened across the country, and another 20 are in the planning stages. Generally, 80 per cent of customers pay the suggested price or more, and the remainder pay less or volunteer for meals.
cont'd...
Link: http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/what+cafes+diners+forward/11162883/story.html
