‘Dignified experience’: Papa Mike’s Cafe celebrates one year

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — The Poverello House is celebrating one year of providing an elevated experience to people in need.

“Before Papa Mike’s Cafe opened up, we provided three meals a day every day. But it was just one menu item. There were no choices,” CEO of the Poverello House Zack Darrah said.

Darrah said Papa Mike’s Cafe is a no-cost restaurant that serves anybody in need at the Poverello House. 

“We felt like a more dignified experience included choices and fresh made-to-order food, just like most of us have in a restaurant experience,” Darrah said.

“It brings enlightenment to them. To all of us. Not just the people who can’t afford it, everyone,” Jessie Ray Williams said.

The name ‘Papa Mike’s Cafe’ was inspired by a man who was homeless and wanted to give back.

“He found the calling of serving others with dignity, love and respect. And he brought that to Fresno,” Darrah said.

“I used to come here with friends when we, when Papa Mike was alive. So it’s a blessing for the people to be able to choose their kind of who they want,” Nancy Neri said.

Darrah said Papa Mike started serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in 1973 from the back of his car— where the Poverello house stands. 

“That’s why on the logo you see him there standing with that. PB and J on the tray. That’s Papa Mike starting out how he did with just PB and J’s because that’s all that he could afford and put together,” Darrah said.

“Now look at what we’re doing and it’s a really beautiful evolution of where he started all those years ago,” Darrah said.

Darrah said that in its first year, it provided over 300,000 meals.

“It’s a blessing just to be able to provide that, to provide this experience for individuals and families,” Darrah said.

And it takes a village.

“It takes about 50 volunteers every single day to make this happen,” Darrah said.

He hopes when people sit down at Papa Mike’s Cafe they feel dignified. 

“What can happen when someone is experiencing homelessness or going through their addiction, they forget. They forget that their value, they forget their worth,” Darrah said.

“When people don’t like, kind of feel sad or shame or embarrassed, just come up and give them a handshake or a hug because you don’t know who could be in the cafe,” Neri said. 

Papa Mike’s Cafe is open every day serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Darrah said he hopes to serve more people than last year.