The new Chipotle in Broadview Heights (I-77 & Rt. 82) is the latest charitable food donor to partner with Community Ambassadors!  Before doors even opened this month, Chipotle had already donated hundreds of pounds of burritos and ingredients to Community Ambassadors to distribute to local outreaches like the Pay It Forward Cafe program, as well as Laura’s Home, a women’s crisis center run by The City Mission.

It is because of collaborative partnerships such as these that Community Ambassadors is able to keep programs like Pay It Forward (PIF) Cafe sustained.

PIF Cafe is a weekly gathering of families and individuals that meet every Saturday from 12-2 PM at 5994 Ridge Road (New Life Fellowship Church).  Patrons from various backgrounds and life situations come each week to experience a free meal and fellowship with others.  On the surface, it may appear to be just another “soup kitchen,” but it doesn’t take long to see the transformational effects that the Cafe has had on many people’s lives.

One patron recently said, “Prior to first visiting Pay It Forward Cafe, I had been living in isolation.  My husband had died a year earlier and I had no friends whatsoever.  I came to the Cafe, not because I needed food, but because I needed friends.  I needed community.”

On average, PIF Cafe has served nearly 3,000 meals per year and, because of the collaboration of local churches, businesses, and individual donors, has been able to keep food costs down to an average of $1.22 per plate.

Over the years, PIF Cafe has proven to be an effective way of connecting with and caring for local residents who are struggling either physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

How Can Your Church Help?

Churches can help in the following areas:

• Prepare or purchase a weekly meal (generally for 60-80 people, costing $80-120)
• Provide volunteers (for serving, clean-up, etc.)
• Pickup food and/or flower donations during the week

If your church is interested in partnering with Community Ambassadors through the Pay It Forward Cafe program, please contact Dona Kiner at (740) 675-6155 or email contact@comamb.org.