The well-known proverb “Many hands make light work” comes alive in a very tangible way at Essentials Café, where many volunteers play a key role in driving the mission of the pay-what-you-can community café.

A meal at the café is free, and those who are able to pay may consider covering the cost for those who can’t – a pay it forward type of thing.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of the café, which has been dishing up breakfast and lunch with a cup of kindness Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 418 Third Ave. since late November 2023.

Pastor Tammie Rinker, board president of Essentials Café and pastor of neighboring West Side Moravian Church, is profoundly grateful for volunteers as the café, just over a year in operation, really gets cookin’.

“Our volunteers are tremendous. They have the best attitudes and are so willing to serve,” Pastor Rinker said. “We couldn’t do this without volunteers.”

Volunteers work four hour shifts for breakfast or lunch, and most volunteer each week.

“Every week we have volunteers who are servers, dishwashers, take orders at the counter and do prep work such as chopping vegetables,” Pastor Rinker said.

“In summer groups help us with our garden – it’s small but endless, there’s always something to do,” Pastor Rinker said

Volunteers come from all faith traditions and no faith traditions – they come from Allentown, Easton, Wind Gap and across the street.

The café has a total of 120 volunteers, as well as groups that come in from Moravian University, Lehigh University and other nonprofits like the café to volunteer for the day.

The youth group from Grace Moravian Church, Queens, N.Y., was on hand Jan. 25, with members spending their Saturday painting the upstairs, as well as serving, rolling silverware, folding laundry and cleaning.

The Rev. Earl Goulbourne, pastor of Grace Moravian, said that after he visited the café last June, he thought it would be good for our Moravian youth to experience for themselves to serve and see Moravians outside of their usual context.

The youth liked volunteering, commenting that it was a good experience, the food was good, and the people, staff and community were nice.

Chet Schneider is the café’s full-time chef, who puts his heart and soul into the café’s mission. He worked for 30 years in the corporate world at Compass Group and quit to come to the café.

“The world is too unkind and we need to give back, doing God’s work,” Schneider said. “No one should ever go hungry.”

Schneider, who began working at the café in October 2024, has already created menus that run in a two-month cycle and change seasonally, using ingredients from the café’s garden whenever possible.

Schneider earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Bucks County Community College and graduated from the The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Fundraising is important. The café needs $6,000 to $7,000 a month for food.

“As the community learns about us, we’ve seen a substantial increase in guests who are unable to donate, many of whom are street neighbors,” Pastor Rinker said.

The café is hosting a fundraiser every other month, and will have a “To Go Fundraiser” for which preordered meals could be picked up Feb. 13 from 4-6 p.m. The café offered a choice of one pan of traditional ziti with meat or squash lasagna accompanied by mixed green salad, garlic bread and brownies for dessert.

In addition, Machs Gute Pub and Grille at 713 Linden St. will host an upcoming Dine to Donate for the café, with the date to be determined.

“This will be our first one, and we hope other restaurants will hold one as well,” Pastor Rinker said.

She said the café welcomes community support, and appreciates donations from local and larger businesses. Contributions can be made to Essentials Café by mailing a check to Essentials Café, 418 Third Ave., Bethlehem, PA 18018.

For more information or to volunteer email essentialscafe418@gmail.com. To keep up with what’s happening at the cafe visit the Essentials Café website at essentialscafe.org/ and Facebook page facebook.com/EssentialsCafe418/.