SAME Cafe wins a major award -- and a major remodel

For five years, SAME Cafe has been doing good. And now its good works have been rewarded, again: The Restaurant Facility Management Association has made it the recipient of the RFMA Gives Program for 2012.

Founded by Brad and Libby Birky in October 2006, SAME was the first restaurant in town to operate on a pay-what-you-can philosophy. "Our philosophy is that everyone, regardless of economic status, deserves the chance to eat healthy, organic food while being treated with dignity," explains Brad."Customers who have no money are encouraged to exchange an hour of service -- sweep, wash the dishes, weed the organic garden -- for a meal. Likewise, guests who have money are encouraged to leave a little extra to offset the meals of those who have less to give."

Through the RFMA Gives Program, SAME Cafe will now get a complete kitchen remodel. Plans call for adding a sixty-inch double oven w/griddle top, a ten-foot center island prep table, an under-counter dishwasher, and also remodeling the restaurant to add more space and productivity.

Locally-based facility managers of RFMA will oversee the work, and vendor member companies will donate the equipment, as well as providing labor and material at no cost. "I anticipate the RFMA community will once again embrace this project with time, labor and money," says RFMA executive director Tracy Tomson. "The RFMA Gives Program enables RFMA members the opportunity to really make a difference."

Read Jared Jacang Maher's award-winning profile of SAME Cafe here.