Pay-what-you-want market and cafe pilot launches in Calgary

The Kin Market, hosted at select YMCA locations on different days of the week, will offers Calgarians a chance to purchase fresh groceries using a pay-what-you-want model.

Leftovers Foundation, in partnership with YMCA Calgary and Fresh Routes, has launched Kin Market and Kin Cafe where Calgarians have the opportunity to get fresh groceries under a pay-what-you-want model.

Paul Annunziello, project manager with Leftovers Foundation, says suggested pricing is offered but it ultimately comes down to the individual and what they can afford or are willing to pay.

"A customer comes up and wants to order groceries or a coffee, there's some suggested pricing just for peoples own frame of mind but they can really give what they can or give what they want."

One of Leftovers Foundation's missions is to increase access to healthy food options for Calgarians and that's what the pay-what-you-want model does. Annunziello says it will require everyone's participation to sustain.

"It’s a really interesting model," said Annunziello. "It takes both groups of people. It takes people who may only have $5 or $10 for groceries that week but it also takes the next person who is willing to step up and help their neighbour and maybe give maybe a little bit extra."

This is the second week that the market and cafe are open to the public and funding is in place to run the pilot project for three months. Then, if it proves financially stable, Kin will stay open.

Kin Market will be open at YMCA Shawnessy location on Saturday afternoons from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saddletowne YMCA on Monday afternoons from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The pay-what-you-want Kin Cafe coffee cart, which is volunteer led, will be open at YMCA Shawnessy from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays.

To become a volunteer, Calgarians can visit Leftovers Foundation or download the rescue food app.