So what exactly is the ‘Community Cafe’ Movement?

            Rather than a cash register, a donation system. Rather than set prices, suggested prices. Earn a little extra this week? Put down a little more for your food to ‘pay it forward’ for someone who cannot afford the suggested price. Can’t afford the suggested price that day? Pay for your food in the form of volunteering.

            This is what Denise Cerreta envisioned when she opened the first community café in 2003 in Salt Lake City, Utah. This community café created a revolutionary way to fight hunger at the local level. Since 2003 Denise, along with the One World Everybody Eats Foundation, which she founded, has directly or indirectly helped launch over 50 community cafes, and is mentoring over 20 cafes currently in the planning stage.

One World Everybody Eats Cafe, Salt Lake City, Utah

            The philosophy of the Community Cafe Movement is that everyone, regardless of economic status, deserves the chance to eat healthy food while being treated with dignity.

            There are multiple ways to pay for your food and get engaged in the Community Cafe Movement:

1.     Pay what you can afford. If unable to pay, give your time in service as payment.

2.     Pay the full amount of the suggested price.

3.     Pay the full amount of the suggested price, plus a little extra to ‘pay it forward.’

4.     Give your time in service to ‘pay it forward’ so your neighbor can enjoy a meal.

With no community cafes on Long Island, Harmony Cafe aims to be the first. Operating as a not-for-profit organization, Harmony Cafe will be more than just a café. It will be a safe space for all members of the community to come together in unity – a place to connect with others. Not only will it serve delicious homemade, locally sourced food, but it will help fight hunger and unite people of all socio-economic divisions – while simultaneously destroying those very divisions.

As seen in the video above, Harmony Cafe holds a very specific vision, similar to One World Everybody Eats:

·      No set prices

·      No set menu – the menu will change depending on what foods are in season

·      Support local farmers

·      Provide nutritious and delicious meals

·      Allow people to choose their own portions to minimize waste

·      Work towards eliminating local hunger

·      Encourage volunteerism

·      Provide job training skills

·      Promote local artists and musicians

·      Support community events

·      Build a community garden

Harmony Cafe is motivated to break down social barriers surrounding hunger and socio-economic hardships people endure. All are welcome at our community café and community table.

As Harmony Cafe is still very much in the planning and organizing stage, all donations are welcome and will go towards finding and securing a location and food donors

Interested in getting involved? Harmony Cafe will be holding a fundraiser later in the summer – all are welcome.

You can follow Harmony Cafe on this blog at harmonycafeli.blogspot.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter.