A $10 Pay-it-Forward meal at Loving Hut can now reach well beyond the restaurant doors. Loving Hut has launched a partnership with Phoenix Feed a Neighbor, a volunteer-led Central Phoenix effort founded by Jameil’a Mitchell and Santio Wells, with Brandi Caudell overseeing the 5830 Community space. On the last Sunday of each month, volunteers will pick up donated Pay-it-Forward meals from Loving Hut and distribute them through the 5830 Community space at 5830 N. 19th Ave. in Phoenix. Additional Wednesday pickups may be scheduled when meals and volunteer availability allow.
The new collaboration extends Loving Hut’s established Pay-it-Forward program, which invites guests to purchase a future meal for someone in need. Loving Hut will continue serving unhoused guests who visit its locations, while a designated portion of donated meals will be set aside for Phoenix Feed a Neighbor to share with families and individuals in Central Phoenix.
“Taking care of people has always been part of who we are at Loving Hut,” says Linh La, owner of Loving Hut Glendale, Loving Hut Southern and Loving Hut Peoria. “When I visited the 5830 Community space and saw the care Jameil’a, Santio, Brandi and their volunteers put into helping their neighbors, I knew we wanted to be part of it. This partnership gives our guests a simple way to help send warm, healthy plant-based meals farther into the community, and that is something really special.”
The partnership began after Mitchell asked her Instagram community to recommend vegan-friendly restaurants interested in supporting the effort. Loving Hut customers began tagging the restaurant, leading La to connect with the group and visit its pantry and distributions in person.
Phoenix Feed a Neighbor provides food boxes to approximately 200 people and delivers assistance to about 75 families each week. From July 9 through July 31, the program helped approximately 531 people with food boxes, and it has already supported more than 230 people in August.
As September’s Hunger Action Month approaches, Loving Hut hopes to provide 200 Pay-it-Forward meals through Phoenix Feed a Neighbor by Sept. 30, giving the community a direct way to turn one purchase into support for a neighbor.
How the community can help:
- Purchase a Pay-it-Forward meal: Guests can buy a $10 meal in person at a participating Loving Hut location. Designated meals will be picked up by Phoenix Feed a Neighbor.
- Give through delivery: Pay-it-Forward meals may also be purchased through Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub, with those meals supporting the Feed a Neighbor partnership.
- Support from anywhere: Those outside Arizona can send Loving Hut a direct message on Instagram or email lovinghutarizona@gmail.com to help fund a Pay-it-Forward meal.
- Donate essential items: Loving Hut is sharing its existing donation bins with Phoenix Feed a Neighbor. Needed items include socks, shoes, underwear, seasonal clothing, hygiene products, first-aid supplies, towels, backpacks, tarps, blankets, beanies, gloves and shower shoes.
- Volunteer locally: Those interested in helping with pantry or community distributions can contact @thehealingculture_ on Instagram or email thehealingculture369@gmail.com or theforsakenoutreach@gmail.com.
For 17 years, Loving Hut has offered free fried rice to unhoused guests, and for more than two years, its Pay-it-Forward program has given customers a direct way to help cover future meals.
Linh La owns three Valley locations: Loving Hut Glendale, 3515 W. Union Hills Drive, Suite 123, Glendale; Loving Hut Southern, 1804 E. Southern Ave., Suite 1, Tempe; and Loving Hut Peoria, 8565 Grand Ave., Peoria.
For more information, visit lovinghut.us, or follow @5830community, @thehealingculture_ and @theforsakenig on Instagram.
