Pay It Forward Cafe Reopens!

After a long, cold winter break, we are warmed up and ready to go for the reopening of Pay It Forward Cafe!  On Saturday, May 2nd, at 12:00 PM, the doors will be open at New Life Fellowship on 5994 Ridge Road (next to Golubski Funeral Home).  We will, once again, be serving hot meals and offering resources on a weekly basis to those who may be dealing with a food-security situation or who may simply be lacking a healthy connection to others in the community.

Pay It Forward Cafe has proven over the years to be an effective and non-threatening way of connecting with and caring for local residents who are struggling either physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  Through practical servitude and building relationship, we demonstrate the love of Christ to those in need, many of which do not attend a church.

Meals at the cafe are offered free of charge, with absolutely no strings attached.  We do, however, provide patrons the opportunity to donate if they choose.  The truth is, sometimes patrons come to the cafe because of other reasons beyond financial need.  From time to time, we have seen patrons wanting to give back something – usually a few bucks – as a token of their gratitude.  We are blessed by their acts of giving and we know that they are, too.

For those that come to the cafe who cannot afford to give anything financially, we still look for other meaningful ways that they can be a contributor – not for the sake of benefiting our program – but for the sake of benefiting their own lives.  I believe wholeheartedly what the Bible says, “It is more blessed to give than receive.”  When patrons are physically and emotionally capable, I believe it is our responsibility, and also for their good, to encourage them to be productive in some way.  Therefore, we look for opportunities for them to work alongside of us, such as helping serve food or setting or cleaning up.  In doing so, Pay It Forward Cafe moves beyond just a place that hands out free meals.

Each week, our main objective and motivation is to help people move forward in their life.  What that looks like can vary case by case.  For one person, a step forward may simply be interacting with others in a group.  For another, it may be submitting an application for a job.  For some people, just showing up is a huge step.  At the cafe, we are faced with so many different stories and situations – from homelessness, to drugs, to family crises, to you name it.  Ultimately, the greatest step a person can ever make in their life is to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Nevertheless, I have learned that before people can trust in a loving, caring God, they need to be able to trust a loving, caring you.

Would your church consider being a partner with Pay It Forward Cafe?  I would love for your church to be able to participate in this experience!  We invite churches, small group teams, and youth groups to partner with us, whether that be by donating a meal, volunteering, prayer, or financial support.  We also encourage individuals that have a heart for people to join us.  The cafe is a gathering place of sorts where people from all over the community and all walks of life come to find faith, hope, and love…. oh, and a free meal, too.

The more the body of Christ works together, the more I believe we can affect our culture and community in meaningful and lasting ways.  If you would like to learn more about how your church can get involved, please contact us 216-200-7030 or at contact@comamb.org.