‘Pay what you can’ restaurant opens on Douglas Street

The space that was formerly the home of Paul’s Diner on Douglas Street now houses a new cafe that is helping those in need in the community.

The Red Cedar Café, a non-profit, has opened up shop at 1900 Douglas Street with a “pay what you can” business model.

The cafe describes themselves as a not-for-profit community meal program, “fuelled by volunteers and mutual aid to provide healthy, tasty, affordable meals to seniors, people in self-isolation and other people in need.”

The non-profit is a fully-operational restaurant diner, and was founded by food service industry professionals and community leaders last year to meet a rising need due to the economic hardship brought on by the pandemic.

Meals are provided on a pay what you can basis, which is made possible through donations from the community.

Priority is given to vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, people with disabilities, people living in poverty, as well as people in self-isolation, people caring for a person who is ill, people who have experienced income loss as a result of Covid-19 and essential services workers.

In addition to serving up meals, the cafe also has a “free store” where people can help themselves to grocery items such as produce and baked goods.