We’re thrilled to announce that the University District Food Bank has taken over the space adjacent to us and turned it into the Apple A Day Café! This café is now open and will better serve our shoppers with free meals and beverages.

Meet Arra Ebersten our café manager who is leading us in this exciting new venture! Read on to learn more about the Café and her vision for how it will further support the community and extend our mission.

What is your vision for the Café?
I want to offer free, satisfying, and nutritious meals for everyone that visits the Food Bank. My goal is to meet the needs of any dietary restrictions or food preferences and provide some culturally familiar dishes. I also want to reduce food waste by utilizing some underappreciated products.

We’re thrilled to announce that the University District Food Bank has taken over the space adjacent to us and turned it into the Apple A Day Café! This café is now open and will better serve our shoppers with free meals and beverages.

Meet Arra Ebersten our café manager who is leading us in this exciting new venture! Read on to learn more about the Café and her vision for how it will further support the community and extend our mission.

What is your vision for the Café?
I want to offer free, satisfying, and nutritious meals for everyone that visits the Food Bank. My goal is to meet the needs of any dietary restrictions or food preferences and provide some culturally familiar dishes. I also want to reduce food waste by utilizing some underappreciated products.

What will the Café offer the community?
We try our best to identify and meet the needs of our customers. There is a self-serve coffee station that we set out every morning before we open, and it’s wildly popular. In addition to coffee and tea, people can enjoy fresh fruit, instant oatmeal, and other snacks. And this has allowed us to finally be able to expand to a full meal program offering hot meals and freshly made salads.

Why is this Café going to be so impactful right now?
People are hungry when they come in. Shopping at the food bank is a time commitment. Between making their way here and waiting in what can be a very long line they get or arrive hungry. Taking home a bag of groceries to cook for your family is great, but it doesn’t help you in the moment. I also find that our shoppers who can cook also want to enjoy the prepared foods that are reserved for our unhoused friends. With this cafe, everyone will be treated to food that they can enjoy immediately.

What will the Café hours be?
I would like to be open the same hours as the Food Bank, but we still have a few challenges to work around. Stay tuned!

Any other details our community shout know?
A big shout out to everyone who helped launch this program. It would not have happened without the support of the whole Food Bank community!We try our best to identify and meet the needs of our customers. There is a self-serve coffee station that we set out every morning before we open, and it’s wildly popular. In addition to coffee and tea, people can enjoy fresh fruit, instant oatmeal, and other snacks. And this has allowed us to finally be able to expand to a full meal program offering hot meals and freshly made salads.

Why is this Café going to be so impactful right now?
People are hungry when they come in. Shopping at the food bank is a time commitment. Between making their way here and waiting in what can be a very long line they get or arrive hungry. Taking home a bag of groceries to cook for your family is great, but it doesn’t help you in the moment. I also find that our shoppers who can cook also want to enjoy the prepared foods that are reserved for our unhoused friends. With this cafe, everyone will be treated to food that they can enjoy immediately.

What will the Café hours be?
I would like to be open the same hours as the Food Bank, but we still have a few challenges to work around. Stay tuned!

Any other details our community shout know?
A big shout out to everyone who helped launch this program. It would not have happened without the support of the whole Food Bank community!