Nearly three years ago, in the summer of 2023, the Office of Homeless Services partnered with The Welcome Church to launch “Pay It Forward Philly,” a program that supports local businesses while feeding Philadelphians experiencing food insecurity and hunger.
Participating restaurants offer customers the opportunity to pay a little extra. Their contributions allow someone in need to enjoy a free meal.
Pay It Forward sites, The Hart of Catering at 2101 Sansom Street and Old Nelson’s Café at 1435 Arch Street, were the first to come on board. Now, Underbite Bites, located at 806 S. 6th Street, is Pay It Forward Philly’s newest participating location.
“So far, I have nothing but great things to say about the program,” said Rae Krueger, Owner, Underbite Bites. “Our community has really been excited about it. Our neighbors have been happy to ‘pay it forward,’ and we have the tags up on the wall, so when they are used, it’s a totally seamless process.”
How it works
When a participating location’s patron buys a “Pay It Forward Philly” meal, their staff places a sticky note on the wall. A guest may later redeem the note and choose a meal from a special menu. They can then enjoy it in a dignified manner at no cost to them.
The need
Among big cities, Philadelphia has one of the highest rates of food insecurity, affecting more than 20% of the region’s residents.
Driving this crisis are factors including:
- Poverty
- Access and transportation
- SNAP reductions
Food provides more than just nourishment. It can serve as a way to show love, build connections, celebrate, and uplift one another. Programs like Pay It Forward Philly are examples of innovative solutions that can help end food insecurity in the city.
The Impact
The owner of one of the program’s original participants, Hart of Catering, has lived experience with hunger and homelessness and continues to be an advocate.
“It has worked really well so far,” said Kevin Hart, Owner, Hart of Catering. “Pay It Forward Philly could help even more people who are living with hunger.”
Willie Salim at Old Nelson’s, another first participating location, remains a dedicated Pay It Forward supporter.
“It’s a good program,” he shared. He expressed that word-of-mouth has increased among the recipients and wishes more customers would use the program to give back to others who need a free meal.
Welcome Church founder, The Reverend Violet Cuccineillo-Little, described the program as a welcoming experience. “Pay It Forward Philly creates a city-wide banquet where everyone is invited to come to the table.”
Ways to support “Pay it Forward Philly”
- Drop by participating “Pay It Forward Philly” locations and buy a Pay It Forward meal.
- Spread the word about the program to family and friends.
