Laura Evans Mahn,
Founder, Executive Director

Hi.  I’m Rev. Laura Evans Mahn, founder of NEST Café (Nourish Everyone Sustainably Together) and I’m excited to invite you to be nourished. 

Several years ago, having pastored churches and worked in a variety of nonprofit organizations, a vague idea began to form in my mind.  It was constantly bumping into the connection between the food we eat and our well-being. I watched people I cared about eat nothing but packaged, highly processed foods from convenience store shelves, from fast food restaurants or from soup kitchens because that was what was available to them.  Many of them were struggling with medical issues, such as diabetes or heart disease. The food that their money or time allowed them to eat was filling their bellies but making their health (and therefore their financial) situations worse. Meanwhile, other people I cared about were sitting down at tables, spending time together, eating fresh vegetables and fruits, sustainably raised meats, and local dairy products because they had the time and money to afford them.  Couldn’t there be some sort of balance that would allow all these people to eat together? Shouldn’t everyone have the chance to not just eat, but be nourished?

The idea began to take shape as I imagined a restaurant where everyone could eat really good, nutritious food, whether they could pay for it or not.  I thought I was BRILLIANT! It turns out, there are a lot of brilliant people out there – a whole network of them! I eventually discovered One World Everybody Eats, a network of pay-what-you-can restaurants around the U.S. that is committed to the very same principles I was dreaming about.   Soon, the first little twigs of NEST Café were being knit together.  

Amazing things can happen around a table.  I look forward to sharing some of those experiences with you.

Meet our Director of Programs, Kayn Wead!                                                

Hi, my name is Kalyn, a recent Augie alum, and I am excited to be working with NEST Cafe. I am passionate about helping the community and there's no better way to do it than through great food and a welcoming environment. I am looking forward to expanding my connections within the community and teaching others about the values of NEST.