A non-profit, pay-what-you-can community restaurant opens this weekend in Danville. Officials say it’s the first such establishment in Kentucky.
Grace Cafe will offer a locally sourced brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday accompanied by an exhibition of local artists. A portion of the proceeds from sold artwork will help support the restaurant.
Executive Director Rochelle Bayless says that the menu will include donation recommendations, but each customer is asked to pay only what he or she can.
"If your pockets are full, we ask that you pay and pay it forward," comments Bayless. "If your pockets are light, pay what you can, and if your pockets are empty, enjoy a meal in exchange for an hour of volunteer time."
Bayless says she was working on her master's thesis in food insecurity when she realized the need for assistance in the community. The non-profit organization Feeding America reports that one-fourth of Danville residents fall below the poverty line, and more than 20% of children in the Boyle County are food insecure.
After this weekend, the cafe will be open from 11-2 on Wednesday through Sunday, and hopes to expand to offer family dinners in the fall.