SAME Café (So All May Eat) is the longest-running participation-based café in the United States, dedicated to providing healthy, locally sourced, and made-from-scratch meals to the community. Operating on a unique nonprofit model, the café has no set prices; instead, guests exchange a half-hour of volunteering, a monetary donation of their choice, or fresh produce for their food. Its mission centers on helping individuals overcome financial and logistical barriers to accessing nutritious meals, while fostering community connection and offering job training through its “Cook to Work” program to promote employment and housing stability.

Interivew by DeRae Logan