TOOELE, Utah — One Tooele business is giving back to the community by "paying it forward" with the help of customers and employees.
Like most local cafes, Karma Cafe in Tooele has that homestyle cooking and feeling you tell your friends and family about. The daily specials and weekend breakfast are usually the biggest hits.
This holiday season Karma Cafe and owner, Kris Bake, ensure everyone can enjoy the cafe's cozy recipes regardless of personal or financial circumstances by posting the receipts of paid-for meals on one of the interior windows in the cafe.
"If people are hungry and they come in and they're unable to pay for a meal or anything, they can just grab a ticket off the wall and we can go ahead and cook it up for them in the back and take care of them," said employee Spencer Barney.
"It puts food in stomachs, it helps a lot of people who are low income like me and my family." said customer Brittany Hunt. "I came down and got food for me, my kids, my cousin, and my mom and dad because we all live together trying to help pay the bills."
Karma Cafe employee, Brylee Sprouse, says the owner, Kris Bake, started the pay-it-forward tickets with money out of her own pocket
"We had somebody come in and she said she was struggling and said she wanted to feed her kids, so the owner took that as we just want to help bring the community together and give back in the holidays especially," Sprouse said.
Since then, dozens of customers like Kris Garcia and Mike Knead have also paid it forward. Garcia and Knead enjoyed their Sunday brunch and then paid for two additional meals.
"Something like this could help someone struggling with their children, young single moms and dads, just come in and grab a ticket and have yourself a warm meal," Garcia said.
Everyone involved says it's all about spreading some good karma to the community.
"It's good to have people come in here and feel like they always have something and somewhere to go," Sprouse said.
If you want to contribute to the pay-it-forward tickets you can purchase meals in person at 758 N Main St, Tooele, UT 84074 or you can call and pay over the phone. Karma Cafe is open Wednesday-Sunday.
