Food shopping is hard, and the act of a simple meal with friends and family is logistically and financially difficult. Residents here shop for food at local bodegas; supermarkets are non-existent. And getting together at coffee shops and cafes proves difficult, because there aren’t any places for neighbors to gather at the end of the day for an affordable, nutritious meal.
All Are Welcome!
Enter Pastor Mary Wolfe, her daughter, Emily Wolfe, and the infectious 8-year-old Asha Wolfe Banks of Hope Lutheran Church and Café Esperanza.
They have seen the struggles the neighborhood residents have in trying to create community when eateries and cafes — that are healthy and affordable — are few and far between.
One World, Everybody Eats!
On March 20, 2020, the Wolfe trio, with the support of the Hope Lutheran Church faith community, will host the grand opening (and the grand birthday of Asha) for Café Esperanza, located at 105 W. Greenwich St., Reading, a Pay-What-You-Can café affiliated with One World Everybody Eats, an organization that supports community cafés.
“Our initial mission was to simply alleviate hunger,” says Pastor Mary. “But we also saw that Café Esperanza could create a community gathering point for people in a restaurant setting.”
Diversity is the Key
Emily, Mary’s daughter, explains that the goal is not just to feed those that are struggling to feed themselves, but to attract a cross-section of patrons. “A big part of our café will be our ‘community table,” says Emily, “where patrons will just sit and meet and greet and get to know each other. We are hoping that by having a community table, we will be working to break barriers and truly create a sense of community here.”
Café Esperanza’s non-profit restaurant is aligned with the “One World, Everybody Eats” model. The Wolfe trio traveled to Dallas in January to learn the nuts and bolts of community cafes, and they feel confident.
There are currently more than 60 thriving cafés utilizing the One World, Everybody Eats concept, the most notable being Jon Bon Jovi’s Soul Kitchen. This helps alleviate some of the food insecurity that is experienced in many communities, while encouraging the bonds of friendship that create a sense of community.
Café Esperanza’s core values include such concepts as pay-what-you-can pricing; volunteering time in exchange for a meal; and, most importantly, that paid staff are earning a living wage.
“I want you to emphasize that — that our paid staff are earning a living wage,” says Pastor Wolfe,” a gleam in her eye, “because while our volunteers are legion, we do need — and value — our paid staff to start and keep our café running.”
Local Fare
Café Esperanza is creating a community gathering point in a restaurant setting, which provides space for art, music, education and job-training, according to the Wolfe women. Several guest chefs have already signed up to offer their talents.
“We have tasked ourselves with eliminating food insecurity,” says Mary Wolfe. “And if we can create community while doing that…aren’t we so much better off?”
Café Esperanza
105 W. Greenwich St., Reading
Mission: Addressing food insecurity and creating community.
Hours Opening Week (March 20): Mon, Wed, Th & Fri: 7am-3pm
