Inside the Pink Piano Café & Lounge, bold, bright pink words that say “Love Debra” are written on the side of a black fridge. Taped onto the fridge are slips of paper, each one representing a prepaid item such as soup, tea or coffee, that anyone in need can take – no questions asked.
It’s all part of an initiative called Debra’s Wall, named after a woman who quietly reached out to the café in Lower Sackville, N.S., and asked if she could cover the cost of meals for those who need a hand.
“This is Debra’s wall,” said Jason Spurrell, the café’s venue manager and event specialist.
“She’s a wonderful person who is very near and dear to my heart. She messaged us one day and said, ‘I want to buy some meals for folks who need it. Can we do that?’ and I was like, ‘Of course we can.‘”
Debra’s simple gesture of covering the cost of soup and a biscuit snowballed. Another customer, Yvonne, added Americanos. Before long, the team started taping receipts to the café’s fridge so anyone who needs a warm meal or drink can take one.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re down on your luck or you just forgot your debit card,” said Spurrell. “You can come in, grab something to drink, grab a soup, get yourself fed, keep yourself going for the day.”
Spurrell said Debra wanted to remain anonymous, however, the café chose to name the effort in her honour anyway.
Since announcing Debra’s Wall, the café has seen an outpouring of support online, especially on Facebook. Spurrell says many have asked how they can contribute, some even calling in to see if they can donate over the phone.
“We’ve had a lot of folks who are really interested,” he said. “I think over the next little while we’re going to see more and more slips added to the wall.”
The process is simple. Customers order and pay at the counter for whatever they’d like to leave behind – soup, coffee, or tea. Staff write out a slip and post it on the wall. Those in need can grab one or, if they feel shy, simply ask the staff at the counter. The café will run the initiative until April 14.
“If they don’t want to grab it, we can grab it for them,” Spurrell said. “Don’t feel ashamed or worried about it. Everybody has issues, everybody has a time, everybody has hardships.”
Spurrell hopes the initiative catches on beyond their café.
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