Baking a Difference: NMB Café’s Pay it Forward Program Tackles Food Insecurity

Authored By HERE News Network

Tue, 14 May 2024 16:09:46 GMT

North Myrtle Beach’s Sweet Girlz Bakery and Café implements innovative meal giving program

In North Myrtle Beach, Sweet Girlz Bakery and Café, is stirring more than just batter in their kitchen. The café is at the forefront of tackling the rampant issue of food insecurity through its innovative “Pay It Forward” program.

Rising Alarmingly: Food Insecurity in Horry County

According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 53,000 residents of Horry County encountered food insecurity incidents in 2022. In lieu of these alarming numbers & official reports estimating 70,000 tons of annual food waste, Sweet Girlz Bakery and Café is taking a stand.

An initiative deeply tied to the personal experiences of the café’s owners Kari and Vicki Alvaro, the “Pay It Forward” program ensures no individual leaves the food counter hungry.

The Alvaros : Motivations & Inspirations

“Our Pay It Forward program was birthed out of a necessity from when we were growing up,” shared Kari Alvaro. The Alvaros, originally from Pennsylvania, were acquainted with food insecurity from a young age in their respective single-mother households.

“There’s a larger need for accessible food for folks who don’t have the means to pay,” Kari expresses. With the cost of living rising, the Alvaros feel it is their responsibility to step up in the community.

How The Pay It Forward Program Works

Opening its doors in November 2023, Sweet Girlz Bakery and Café wanted to make a more significant impact on their community. Their Pay it Forward scheme is simple–patrons who want to contribute pay a particular amount or select a meal to place on the board. In need of sustenance, visitors walk to the board, pick a receipt, and present it at the front register to enjoy a fulfilling meal.

“They get sat down and get fed just like any paying customer would get fed and then they have a full belly for the rest of their day,” explained Alvaro.

Since the café’s opening, the board has been replenished thrice, estimating that the program has already provided more than 300 meals to individuals in need.

Beyond Just A Meal

The initiative has transformed lives beyond just providing a meal. For example, a single mother with two young children was initially reluctant to participate. However, she was gently reminded that the program was designed for individuals like her and was encouraged to fuel herself and her children through the program.

In addition to the Pay It Forward program, the café sets aside any leftover items from the bakery at the end of the week to distribute freely. Those who wish to participate in the program can visit the café at 4007 Highway 17 South, North Myrtle Beach, SC.

A Community Call-To-Action

The Alvaros hope their gesture will spark a chain of efforts to address the problem of food waste and insecurity, especially in a tourist town like North Myrtle Beach with high rates of food and food waste.

“As a tourist town, we have so much food, so much food waste; so if everybody could just adopt this program just a bit, it would help out so much,” said Alvaro.

Following in the footsteps of Sweet Girlz Bakery and Café, imagine if everyone made a concerted effort to reduce waste and alleviate food insecurity? No community member would have to go to bed hungry, and the phrase “how do you want your eggs cooked?” would have a whole new perceptive significance.