Community First: Fork Real Community Café Offers a Space Where All Are Equal
Fork Real Community Café was founded by Rhonda Pearcy in 2016 in Rapid City. It is a non-profit with a “pay-what-you-can” policy. When customers come in to dine at the cafe, they can pay for the value of the meal, volunteer for a meal, or pay it forward, by paying a little extra or paying in full for someone else’s meal. “Anyone and everyone who comes through the doors has the same opportunity to receive a nutritious meal,” said Pearcy. Making time for face-to-face conversations is an important part of Fork Real’s philosophy. “When you’re having conversations, sometimes those are good, sometimes those are hard conversations,” Pearcy said. “We believe everyone should be able to have face-to-face conversations. It’s kind of what we are.”