New Kensington restaurant looks to rebuild community by lending helping hand
By: KDKA-TV's Ashley Funyak and Damian Catanza
NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — A restaurant in Westmoreland County says it is looking to rebuild its community by lending a hand to those in need.
The owners of Knead Community Cafe in New Kensington say they're working to provide so much more than just a hot meal.
"You asked what makes the community cafe so special, the list is very long," founder Kevin Bode said. "We just felt like we needed to do something here to help our neighbors out."
"For me, it is a very bright light in downtown New Kensington," says Pastor Dean Ward, who visits Knead Community Cafe. "It's been a part of our community for nearly eight years now."
"It's kind of a partnership cafe," says founder Mary Bode. The owners describe their cafe on Barnes Street as a "pay-what-you-can/pay-it-forward cafe whose mission is providing guests with delicious food while giving back to the community." They also claim to be the first "pay-what-you-can" cafe in Western Pennsylvania.
"It's a wonderful idea," says cafe patron Jeff Sterling. "I have some friends who have fallen up on hard times. They're able to come work here in the evening and get a warm meal."
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bodes say they were giving away on average between 400 and 500 meals per month. Now, the Bodes say it's gone up.
"It's between 1,500 and 2,000 meals per month. We always say it's not just about feeding them food; it's about feeding their souls."
The Bodes say they knew people were passionate about the community and they wanted the community feeling to come back. The Bodes say the community just needed a spark and someone to take that step
"We came up with the name Knead, like kneading dough, bringing people together," says Kevin Bode. "We came outside and saw this 'Pillsbury's Best' ghost sign on the side. We just felt it had to be a sign from God."
The Bodes say their establishment does not have a "soup kitchen" feel but instead "feels like a really nice restaurant."
"Mary and Kevin kind of put a stake in the ground, bought this building," says Pastor Ward. "They said, 'This is our vision, this is our dream.' It's like the whole community woke up to the possibilities of downtown New Kensington again."
