Northern Colorado restaurant looks for help to fight food insecurity in the community
A restaurant in Northern Colorado is looking for the community's help to stay open. Feeding Our Community Ourselves, or FOCO Cafe, hopes to continue providing free and low-cost meals to neighbors in need.
FOCO Cafe has a unique take on feeding those experiencing financial difficulties that is growing in popularity. No prices are listed on the menu, as the restaurant operates on a Pay What You Can model. Those who can't afford their meal can pay by helping out in the restaurant.
"One person may pay $2 for the same meal. Another is choosing to pay $15, or they can pay it forward $30 or more and help us cover the cost of a meal for somebody making a non-monetary contribution," explained FOCO Cafe Executive Director Dexter Beasley. "Non-monetary meaning some get their meals without paying a penny. We like to say they pay with their time and talent, but essentially, they're volunteering."
However, the number of those paying with their time has grown by 10 times in the last three years. FOCO Cafe is feeding around 1,000 meals a month for free and covering the cost themselves.
Beasley says the restaurant is still purchasing ingredients, but the increase of those in need has been difficult to cover.
"We were recently in a pretty dire financial position. We had actually gotten to the point where we weren't sure if we were going to be able to keep our doors open, which is why Colorado Gives Day is so important," he said.
Colorado Gives Day is the restaurant's largest fundraising day of the year and helps the team keep providing nutritious meals to the community. Beasley said the donors are happy to support what they stand for.
"We find that our clientele, our population that we serve, really appreciates the opportunity to give in exchange for their meal. It's a more dignified approach," said Beasley. "Everybody coming in is participating in a community where people are treated with respect, dignity and kindness."
The community can help support FOCO Cafe and other nonprofits taking part in Colorado Gives Day now through Dec. 9.