Eighteen million American households struggled with food insecurity in 2023, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Toledo Public Library in Ohio is a surprising source of help.
Brad Reubendale has turned the traditional library into a place to fight hunger.
Reubendale started the SAME Cafe, an acronym for “So All May Eat”, which is based in a local public library. The cafe serves lunches to those who are in need. This cafe is a participatory restaurant, where customers can choose to volunteer their time or pay whatever they can. They can also exchange fresh fruits and vegetables for meals.
In Toledo, Ohio about a third (or more) of the customers donate their time to receive food. The other two-thirds contribute financially. Some customers also exchange produce for meals. Most of the cafe’s fresh ingredients are sourced from local farms and gardens.
Everyone is welcome, no matter their financial situation.
Every type of person is welcome, whether it’s a family, a businessperson, or someone who needs resources or services. It’s a real community hub, said Rori Quinonez.
The first nonprofit SAME Cafe was opened in Denver by Libby Birky and Brad Birky in 2007. Reubendale was inspired by the success of the cafe and wanted to take the model into places where the most vulnerable people could be found.
He said that libraries are the last remaining vestiges of a truly public place. “Nobody can be kicked from a library because they are poor.”
Reubendale is personally connected to SAME Cafe’s mission. He lost his job and became homeless after coming out. SAME Cafe, a Denver-based cafe that offers support to gay men in difficult times, became an important place for him. He would often visit the cafe dressed up and make a modest donation.
He said: “I would quietly donate a dollar because I did not want to have my trauma revealed to gain access to this resource.”
Reubendale thinks that nonprofits and those running them should be able to relate first-hand with the need for such services.
SAME Cafe means more to Reubendale than food. It’s also about dignity.
“We don’t want someone to greet us at the door and say, ‘Tell me your story. Do you deserve it?’ He said. “It is about dignity and not just food,” he said.
The approach of the cafe is based on the belief that people can only change themselves.
Reubendale stated, “I believe SAME Cafe to be one of the beautiful places where people find themselves help.” “I don’t believe in helping people. “The only way people can get help is if they help themselves.”
