Fork Real Community Cafe entered State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant competition

RAPID CITY, S.D.(KOTA)- Food security and hunger are present in Western South Dakota, but one couple and their cafe decided they are going to do something about it.

The Fork Real Community Cafe in Rapid City welcomes everyone through at its tables in exchange for supporting the group’s mission, paying a meal forward, or for those without the ability to pay, volunteer work.

Dave Pearcy is the cafe’s co-founder, and said ownership has entered the State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant competition. In it, organizations can be voted on, and the top 100 receive grants of $25,000.

Fork Real is currently in the top 30 with two days of voting left. Pearcy explained what the grant funds would go towards.

Pearcy co-founded the cafe with his wife Rhonda, a former schoolteacher who said she was first inspired when she saw the amount of students coming to school hungry.

Pearcy says there’s no black tie requirement at this establishment.

Voting for the Neighborhood Assist grant is open through the end of this week, and a link to the poll can be found on the Fork Real website, www.forkrealcafe.org