Urban Ministry’s WE Cafe – Love food. Love community.

WE Birmingham Alabama
WE Cafe’s fantastic Interns

“I love cooking. And I love sharing that love.” ~ Urban Ministry’s WE Cafe, Chef Instructor, McKinzie Harrison

If you are looking for the perfect place to have a healthy lunch on Wednesdays between 11:00am to 2:00pm – visit the WE Cafe at Urban Ministry – 1229 Cotton Avenue SW (entrance in the back of the church)

We guarantee it will be the most wholesome and meaningful meal you will eat all week.

Birmingham Alabama
Wednesday meal

In March 2016, Urban Ministry opened the WE Cafe as a “pay as you can” cafe. Serving on average 150 people on Wednesdays, the program delivers healthy locally sourced food to the community.  A majority of the “in season” vegetables come from the neighborhood garden; the dairy products are hormone free and the breads and meats originate from Continental Bakery, Whole Foods and sometimes Sprouts.

As a “pay as you can” cafe anyone can eat, no one is turned away.  There is a card at each table with suggested amounts customers can pay.  They include $5 – covers the food, $10 – covers food and labor and $15- covers food labor and someone else’s meal. No one knows who pays, but approximately 80% can’t pay and 20% “pay it forward.”  They have even had people wash dishes, to pay for their meal.

Birmingham Alabama
Pay it Forward at WE Cafe

Along with the food and community building, the WE Cafe also has a successful paid internship program.  The interns are from the local community and they are between 18-22 years old.   In addition to learning culinary skills, they gain experience in the areas of financial literacy and self sufficiency.

Birmingham Alabama
WE Cafe at Urban Ministry
We Eat Together Fundraiser – May 25th

Later this month, Urban Ministry will be holding the “We Eat Together”  fundraiser on the Kress rooftoop benefiting the healthy living programs of Urban Ministry. A can’t miss event for a good cause.

Bottomline – the WE Cafe is an extraordinary ministry on so many fronts. With good wholesome food, they are building community through unconditional love.

 

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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