What to know about Iowa’s only pay-it-forward café

One Iowa eatery is doing more than simply serving food. Discover how the state’s only pay-it-forward café is creating a community—and keeping it fed.

About one in every eight Iowans faces food insecurity—an issue one Cedar Rapids café is addressing with its unique pricing model. Groundswell Cafe operates on a pay-it-forward model designed to make sure everyone in the community has access to a healthy meal, regardless of their ability to pay.

Programs like this have become increasingly important as grocery prices and living costs continue to rise, making it harder for many families to afford fresh, nutritious food. Community-based restaurants with charitable missions offer one way to help fill the gap while still providing a welcoming, normal dining experience.

Opened in 2018 by the nonprofit organization Matthew 25, Groundswell Cafe is widely known as the only pay-it-forward café of its kind in Iowa. Keep reading to learn more about how this pay-it-forward café operates, why it was created, and how it has become a symbol of community support in Cedar Rapids.

A restaurant where you can help pay for someone else’s meal

Groundswell Cafe runs like a typical neighborhood café, serving items like soups, sandwiches, salads, omelets, smoothies, pastries, coffee, and tea. But when it comes time to pay, customers who can afford to do so are encouraged to round up their bill or donate to a pay-it-forward fund, which helps cover meals for anyone who can’t afford to pay.

The idea behind the pay-it-forward model is simple: people who have a little extra help make sure others who don’t can still enjoy a meal. Similar pay-it-forward cafés exist in other parts of the country, but they remain relatively rare because they depend on strong community support to stay open. Groundswell Cafe has continued to operate for years, thanks to regular donations and loyal customers.

At Groundswell Cafe, breakfast menu items range from bananas foster French toast ($8.95) to a steak and egg sandwich ($12.95). Some lunch options include a chef and chicken Caesar salad (both $12.95), a barbecue pulled pork sandwich ($13.95), and a mushroom burger ($13.95).

Many ingredients come from Matthew 25’s Cultivate Hope Urban Farm, located about a mile away from the restaurant, along with produce grown in an on-site hydroponic garden.

Those who need a free meal will receive one, no paperwork or proof of income required: You just have to tell the cashier you’d like a pay-it-forward meal. Since Groundswell Cafe opened, its pay-it-forward model has helped provide about $300,000 in free and reduced-price meals.

A welcoming gathering space, not just a place to eat

Groundswell Cafe is part of a larger initiative by Matthew 25 to strengthen neighborhoods and reduce food insecurity in Cedar Rapids. But the café’s mission goes beyond food. It’s meant to bring people together who might not otherwise share the same space.

“When we first started Matthew 25 nearly 20 years ago, we wanted to create a place where all kinds of people could cross paths with each other, where we could overcome some of the divisions we saw in our community,” Courtney Ball, the executive director of Matthew 25, told us.

“Groundswell is one part of that work. It was designed to be a space that welcomes people from all different socioeconomic backgrounds, offering them the experience of warm hospitality and a delicious meal. It’s been a work in progress over the last several years. We’ve learned a lot, and I’m really proud of what it is today,” Ball added.

Groundswell Cafe also hosts events and workshops, reinforcing its role as a neighborhood hub rather than just a restaurant. Anyone can host an event at the café for $40 to $50 per hour, with a capacity of about 75 attendees. Events that are commonly held at the restaurant include holiday parties, bridal showers, corporate events, and community meetings. The café can also cater off-site events.

How to help out

Supporting Groundswell Cafe’s mission is easy: simply order and pay for a meal there, and you’re already helping out. Every purchase helps keep the pay-it-forward fund going, allowing the café to continue offering food to those who need it. Customers can also donate directly, either in person at the café, by mail, or online through Matthew 25.

For those who want to make a larger impact, businesses and individuals can sponsor the café through its Lunch for Linn program. Your $1,500 sponsorship will help the cafe provide free meals for about a week and get your business name and logo on a sign in the café for the week, as well as on its website and Facebook page.

You can also volunteer at the café: opportunities include cooking and baking, greeting and assisting guests, washing dishes, cleaning, rolling silverware, and packaging to-go meals.

When and where to visit

Address: 201 3rd Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids

Hours: Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Menu: The café serves breakfast and lunch, with vegetarian and vegan-friendly options available.

Other charitable dining options in Iowa

While Groundswell Cafe is the only pay-it-forward dining establishment in Iowa, there are other restaurants in the state with charitable initiatives of their own.

The Tangled Wood in Bettendorf has a giving tree designed to raise money for local non-profit organizations. Each week, a different organization gets to host an event at the restaurant, during which a portion of the restaurant’s sales is donated to the featured organization.

Stone Soup Community Kitchen, located within Golden Magnolia Sanctuary in Fairfield, serves plant-based, pay-what-you-can meals every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5:30-8 pm.

Many community centers, churches, and similar organizations across Iowa provide free or low-cost meals on a regular basis, especially in larger cities like Des Moines, Davenport, and Iowa City. While these programs don’t operate as full-time restaurants, they serve a similar purpose by helping make sure no one in the community goes without food.