A salad bar is doing its part to help feed those in need in Burnaby.
About three weeks ago, Chop N Toss in the Metropolis at Metrotown food court posted a sign offering free food for those who can’t afford to pay. The sign, which read “Free food: If you are hungry and do not have money,” was the idea of Chop N Toss Metrotown owner Raman Sharma.
“There were some few gentlemen who didn’t have any money, and they were just roaming around the food court and they weren’t getting anything,” Nishant Sharma, Raman’s son and manager of the Metrotown restaurant, told the NOW.
Sharma said his dad felt compelled to offer the men some food, and the idea to give food to people who couldn’t afford to pay was born.
While the sign has since been taken down (Metropolis at Metrotown management said it didn’t comply with their signage regulations), the initiative continues thanks to social media.
“We had to take the sign from the board, but we put it up on Facebook and people have been sharing it. People have been liking it, so I think that through word of mouth it’s been (shared) pretty well,” Sharma said.
The initiative works on the honour system, so no one has to prove they can’t afford to pay. Some might think such an offer would attract scammers, but Sharma said so far no one has abused their generosity.
On average, about two to three people stop by each day for a free bite to eat. This amounts to a daily expense of about $20 to $30, Sharma said.
While not necessary, some customers have donated a few dollars here and there, and recently one person actually gave a $50 tip to cover the costs of some free meals, he said.
“The best part is that it’s a great cause,” Sharma said, adding he hopes awareness of the initiatve will continue to spread throughout the city so more hungry people can be fed.
For more, check out Chop N Toss Metrotown’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/chopntossmetrotown.
