BARNEVELD, Wis. — A small cafe in a town of only about one thousand people is feeding the community for free. 

Cliff Hooks is a busy guy. He’s always on his feet. If he knows your face, he knows your order. 

He and his wife Yvonne started Barneveld Community Cafe in March 2020. 

“We became a nonprofit cafe and donated everything from the cafe to the community,” Yvonne said. 

The menu shows the price for each item. Everything costs $0. Many people come in and leave a donation for their meal, but everybody can eat for free.

Yvonne hopes this model allows people to feel less stigmatized when they need help with food insecurity. She’s mom to 13 kids, and had seven mouths to feed at any given time.

“I used to go down to the food pantry, and standing outside made me feel so ashamed,” she said. “I didn't want anyone who comes here to feel ashamed or embarrassed.”

It’s nothing short of amazing to see that a place like this has been sustained for over a year through only donations and volunteers, in a community of only 1,200 people.

The food and ingredients used are sometimes donated, a lot of it is purchased with donations. The employees are all volunteers, and that includes Cliff and Yvonne.

Dawn Owens is one of those volunteers, but everybody agrees they’re more like family by now.

“[The zero-cost model] spreads. If you smile, and explain it, it makes sense to people,” Owens said.

They also run a community food pantry program twice a month, where they feed about 250 people. For $15 per month, people can help fund the program.

The cafe even has gas cards, and an arrangement with a mechanic who can give people free oil changes.

Owens said it all exists because of Cliff and Yvonne. 

“These two are the ones that put in hours and hours,” Owens said. “And because of their hearts, that’s why this whole thing started.”

Cliff is having knee replacement surgery soon, and they need more volunteer cooks. 

To get in touch to volunteer or donate, click here.