The South Dakota Retailers Association (SDRA) has recognized the Fork Real Cafe in Rapid City with its annual Community Service Award.
The award recognizes a business that goes above and beyond to give back to the residents of the community it serves.
“The Fork Real Café provides an opportunity for people from all walks of life to enjoy a quality meal, whether they pay the value of the meal or earn the meal through volunteer work,” said South Dakota Retailers Association Executive Director Nathan Sanderson. “They truly deserve to be recognized for creating a real sense of community.”
Fork Real is a “pay what you can” café that posts the value rather than the price of meals. Customers can pay the actual value of the meal, volunteer at the restaurant in exchange for a meal, or pay it forward by purchasing a meal token for someone else’s meal.
The café was the brainchild of Rhonda Pearcy, a former teacher. With the help of a large group of volunteers, she and her husband Dave created a welcoming environment for a diverse group of customers that includes everyone from homeless individuals to judges and attorneys who work at the courthouse across the street from the café.
Pearcy says they want people to know they matter, whether they are paying the full value of a meal or are volunteering for their meal.
“When we first started out, I really thought the impact that we would have would be people coming through the front door,” she commented. “But as we continue on, we realize what a big impact it is through the back door, our volunteer door. Connections are made in the kitchen just sharing and walking with someone else. We do feed people, but now we realize that we’re feeding people kind of in a different way.”
The Fork Real Café also works with female offenders through the Intermediate Correctional Intervention Program (ICIP). The women gain marketable work skills and learn why they should show up to work on time, how to dress for job interviews, and the importance of a positive attitude.
Rhonda Pearcy, of Fork Real Café.
Courtesy photo.
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