Eighteen million American households struggled with food insecurity in 2023, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Ohio, help is coming from an unexpected place: the Toledo Public Library.
At the library, Brad Reubendale, former CEO of SAME Café, has transformed traditional library space into a hub for fighting hunger.
Reubendale founded SAME Café — an acronym for the words “So All May Eat” — which operates out of a local library and serves lunch to those in need. The café is a participation restaurant where patrons can either volunteer, pay what they can afford or exchange fresh produce for a meal.
In Toledo, Ohio, about a third of customers volunteer their time in return for food, while two-thirds make some form of financial contribution. A small number of patrons also provide produce in exchange for a meal. The café works closely with local farms and gardens to …