Kindness abounds: Year seven of the Heart-n-Soul Community Café.
Parts of this quote are on the Heart-n-Soul Community Café Mobile Food Café:
Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
Since it became my dream to start a café where a delicious and hearty local meal would be served, and everyone was welcome no matter what their means, I have encountered so much kindness.
Back in 2013 many community members I didn’t know took the time to meet with me as I shared the idea of a place where guests would come and enjoy a meal without judgment; they could pay full price, pay it forward, or pay what they could - either with money or volunteer in exchange. After three years of visiting, one of the registered dieticians I had been speaking with said, “Leola, you have been talking about this for a long time. Just do it.”
Kindness got us started in 2016 and has been present every step of the journey since.
In 2016 I met café owner Tracy Walvatne at a meeting of the Red River Valley Chef’s Association. We had never met before, yet she and her husband offered me the use of their space at Josie's Corner Café in downtown Fargo on Sunday’s when the cafe was closed. Their generosity was the first step in making the Heart-n-Soul Community Café possible.
At the same time the niece of a friend was going to school at NDSU. She and four of her dietitian friends volunteered to make our first meal. On June 12th, 2016 with the help of many volunteers we had our first community café! We had produce donated from local farmers and a full café of guests. The entire endeavor was made possible entirely by volunteers sharing their time and talents with people they had never met. I believe that is the deepest kindness - caring about humanity and giving of yourself. This can be a smile, a helping hand, a compliment, or a hearty meal.
At Heart-n-Soul CC we are always so honored and humbled when someone is willing to share their time and talents with us. I am grateful for the stranger who offers to help me get the generator out of the trailer (he is no longer a stranger, but integral to serving our community as part of Heart-n-Soul Community Café).
The chefs and cooks who take a chance with us to make their favorite meal, or a meal they think you would like to eat. There is no better way to share kindness than to share something as special as a prepared meal!
The kind and caring volunteers who regularly help us put together weekend sack lunch meals for community members in need. They go above and beyond not only making sure meals are packaged, but also delivering them to different locations with a smile - where another group of volunteers deliver them to the recipients. TEAMWORK is also a kindness as everyone cooperates to get the meals delivered!
I believe my ability to start Heart-n-Soul Community Café was the result of being the recipient of many small acts of kindness throughout my life. They helped me to move forward and stay resilient during difficult times. Like many of us, throughout my life I have had losses and unforeseen changes. Many times during them someone would call to check in on me: drop by a bowl of soup, bring flowers, or call to go for a walk. A person remembers the small acts of kindness and many times knowing someone cares gives them a little spark they need to keep going.
As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, anyone can serve. Serving is an act of kindness no matter how big or small.
Looking for another way to be involved?
Heart-n-Soul Community Cafe is one of the participants of Giving Hearts Day this February 8th. All support is deeply appreciated.
Heart-n-Soul’s next community meal will be hosted at Blackwood Pizza in downtown Fargo on January 28th at 11am-2pm. As the restaurant is normally closed on Sundays, Casey, the owner is letting us use their location (more kindness!) We welcome all to come and join us for a lovely sit-down lunch.
On February 8th, Heart-n-Soul will join Hospice of the Red River Valley at Soul Solutions Fargo for Hope and Oats -oatmeal with toppings and oatmeal cookies! 7am-11:30am
Can’t make it? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more opportunities (and updates).
Want to participate? We’d love to have you. Look for volunteer opportunities on our website.
We hope to see you soon!
Leola Daul is the Founder and Executive Director of Heart-n-Soul Community Cafe. She believes meals bring us together to fill our bellies and nourish our hearts and souls. Growing up her parents were important role models; sharing meals with family, friends and strangers during times of celebration and need. She feels the Heart-n-Soul Community Cafe is both a way to honor their legacy and serve the community.