CAFÉ FOR A CAUSE
4/22/22
“Some Brazil nuts please,” a customer says as they approach the free market table. Miranda McKeever, co-owner of The Acorn Community Café, hands him the nuts and starts discussing the homeless.
After being laid off in the early stages of the pandemic, McKeever started questioning her career path. With much free time on her hands, Lunch People was formed — a volunteer organization in Eugene with a mission to fight food insecurity. According to a study done by Feeding America, food insecurity in Lane County rose to 16.5% in 2020.
During the pandemic, her team gave out over 1,500 meals at Acorn Park. But she didn’t stop there. Looking for something more permanent, The Acorn Community Café opened. The not-for-profit café offers free meals and a grocery-like market.
“It’s not just getting a bag of food that someone else decided was enough for you. You get to order from choices and sit down at a table where someone prepares food just for you,” McKeever said. “It feels like we are able to build community. It’s not just about food anymore.”
Through fundraising and donations from local restaurants and farms, the café recently hit its first anniversary. They gave out free cupcakes all day.
The café wouldn’t have been possible without her partner, Corey Prunier.
“We have separate skills. Miranda was good at forming the big picture and finding a lot of ways to support me while I spearheaded the cooking.” Prunier said.
After working in the restaurant industry for nine years, Prunier wanted to create an environment welcoming to all.
“What doesn’t happen here, that happens at other places is we’re not kicking people out for looking homeless,” Prunier said. “ You never have to wrestle with that sense of guilt.”
McKeever is looking forward to a collaboration with the Eugene Saturday Market. The café will have a booth to collect donations.
“It’s important to keep perspective and remember that it’s not our job to solve the whole issue but just to do a little piece of it today,” McKeever says.