Aurora Colorado Restaurant offers food to those in need and work for those who don't

Same Cafe offers organic food

to those who can't pay

and a chance to serve the community

for those who have more than enough!

Is your child in need of a decent meal?  Do you and your family eat fattening foods because they are cheap?  Would you like to serve the community and those in need?

If you answered yes to any of these questions the Same Cafe, 2023 E. Colfax Ave, Denver, Co may be the place for you!  Why?

"If you don't have the bucks don't let it stop you!"

If you are down on your luck the Same Cafe will prepare a delicious meal for a price.  How much?  You decide!  You can leave whatever you think the meal is worth.   You can even leave a little extra, if you want to give something back. 

But if you don't have the bucks, don't let it stop you!  The Same Cafe does not discriminate based upon your economic status...or any other status, for that matter.  If you and your child's bellies are empty, make a bee line for the Same Cafe!  If you can't pay much or even pay anything, the folks at the Same Cafe ask for a little bit of your time in exchange.  But if you are in real trouble and can't give anything back, don't sweat it.  Many of us have been there before.  Enjoy!

Having to admit you are in the bottom ranks of the economic ladder in front of someone while at the check out counter is a crushing experience.  There are people who will miss a meal rather than ask for help.  The SAME Cafe folks don't make a big deal out of the check at the cash register...because there isn't one!  Instead of a bill you get an envelope.  Fill up the envelope or leave it empty, your choice, and drop it into the convenient slot in a nearby box.

"Same stands for 'so anybody can eat!"

If you are in better circumstances, however, the Same Cafe is a great place to show your community spirit.  They welcome any donation, and they welcome you efforts, too! 

Same stands for "So all may eat".   Brad and Libby Birky formed SAME as a non-profit organization designed to cater to both sides of the community.   Part of the SAME concept makes dining a pleasure for those who might otherwise be eating in a soup kitchen.  It puts dignity back into dining, both for those who are desperate for a wholesome meal, and for those who want to do something for someone anonymously. 

Naturally, the Same Cafe concept is getting a lot of press.  Westword, a Denver free newspaper with it's hand on the pulse of the City, did a nice article on the establishment.  The 'One World Cafe' in Salt Lake City took two years to move into the black, according to the Desert Morning Press, but is now a model for those who want to serve the less fortunate.   The owners have formed a non-profit organization,  one world everyone eats. 

An on-line Time Magazine article gives us some insight on the owners of SAME:

'"Both Brad and Libby had been searching for a meaningful way to give back while making a living. Admitted volunteer junkies, they had been serving and eating with homeless shelter residents for the past eight years. "We loved the service aspect of giving to the community and attacking the issue of hunger," says Brad. "Plus we both love to cook."'

You can stay up to date with the same cafe blog.

"A child at risk is a terrible thing"

Whether or not the Same Cafe can make it during the most drastic economic times since the Great Depression is a matter of speculation.  If no one pays the establishment goes bust.  Even non-profits have bills.  The Same idea might be best described as a "hand-up, not a hand-out".  Part of their chances for success depend upon the generosity of the community.  The owners have staked a fair amount of money on their belief Denver gives back.  We hope they are right! 

A child at risk is a terrible thing.  Mothers running from abusive husbands, children who don't get enough to eat, families working at minimum wage and still not able to pay the rent, all of this in a country that has more than enough?  Sharing your good fortune with others is part of nurturing the foundation of the next generation.  It is a wonderful way to nurture yourself, as well. 

Spending time with those less fortunate than you is a good way to encourage those who have lost hope.  Children raised in poverty continue a tragic link that we must break if we are to continue as a world leader.  The Same Cafe is doing it's part.